Cricket fans were left in a state of disbelief on Saturday as Australia's Marnus Labuschagne pulled off a catch for the ages during the third Ashes Test against England. The stunning one-handed grab to remove Ollie Pope has instantly entered the pantheon of great slip catches and drawn direct comparison with a similar effort from his teammate Steve Smith just seven days earlier.
A Moment of Instinctive Brilliance
With England chasing a mammoth world-record target of 435 for victory, Australian captain Pat Cummins had already struck two early blows, removing opener Ben Duckett. The pressure was building on Pope when he edged a delivery from Cummins. The ball flew towards the slip cordon, seemingly destined to fall short. In a flash, Labuschagne launched himself full-length to his left, snatching the ball with one hand mere millimetres from the turf.
The reaction from the Australian fielders and the commentary box was immediate and euphoric. "There's the edge, oh what a catch!" roared Mark Howard on Fox Sports commentary. He immediately referenced Smith's iconic take in Brisbane, adding, "We saw Steve Smith last week, Marnus gets the Australians up and about." For Channel 7, former England star David 'Bumbles' Lloyd was equally effusive, calling it an "absolute stunner" born from "world-class bowling" and a perfectly timed response from the slips.
Echoes of Brisbane and Ashes History
The parallels to Smith's left-handed, diving catch to dismiss Will Jacks in the second Test are unmistakable. That moment was hailed as a potential series-defining play and one of the finest slip catches ever seen. Labuschagne's intervention, in a crucial juncture of the following Test, has now sparked a debate over which was superior.
When asked by Adam Gilchrist where he thought his catch ranked, Labuschagne humorously turned the question back on the legend. The cricketing world, however, was quick to offer its verdict on social media. Fans flooded platforms with praise, calling the catch "pure class," "unreal athleticism," and a moment that "will be replayed for years."
Labuschagne himself admitted the catch was pure instinct. "There's not much to tell," he said during the drinks break. "It's just one of those ones you sort of sit back after the catch and try to work out how it actually happened. It happened so quickly it feels like a bit of a blur at the moment." He also revealed his exuberant celebration was an attempt to mimic Smith's reaction in Brisbane, though he forgot his friend wasn't on the field at the time.
Where Does It Stand in Ashes Folklore?
This iconic moment now takes its place alongside other legendary Ashes catches. The annals include Andrew Strauss's full-stretch effort off Andrew Flintoff at Lord's in 2005, Glenn McGrath's juggling act in 2002, and David Boon's sharp take at short leg to complete Shane Warne's hat-trick in 1994.
The back-to-back spectacles from Smith and Labuschagne have redefined expectations for the slip cordon, blending razor-sharp reflexes with breathtaking athleticism. While debates will rage over which catch was better, there is no doubt that both have provided defining images of the 2025 Ashes series. For England, Pope's dismissal for 17 was a critical setback in their record chase. For Australia, it was a momentum-seizing moment of magic, proving that match-winning contributions can come from any corner of the field.
