“Bizarre”: Stars captain and cricket world react to Neser’s insane boundary effort

Michael Neser’s unbelievable catch for the Brisbane Heat against the Sydney Sixers on Sunday night has divided the cricketing landscape and left Melbourne Stars captain Adam Zampa as one of many questioning the rules that deemed the effort legal.

Neser caught Sixers batter Jordan Silk in the 19th over on the boundary in an effort that has to be seen to be believed as the Heat held on for a 15-run win.

The allrounder caught the ball in the field of play before his momentum took him over the boundary. While standing on the other side of the boundary as the ball came down, Neser then jumped and threw it again – back into the field of play – before completing the catch inside the rope.

Watch his effort below

Neser never had the ball in his possession while grounded outside the boundary, meaning the catch was deemed within the rules.

But the effort split the cricket community on whether it should be allowed.

As injured Stars allrounder Glenn Maxwell noted in commentary for Channel Seven: “Effectively, he could throw it up 300 times as long as his feet are in the air”.

While he was pleased from a bowler’s perspective, Zampa noted a concern for the look of the catch.

“You would think as a bowler that rule’s okay,” he laughed on SEN Breakfast.

“I watched it and I thought it was a little bit bizarre, to be honest. I can’t quite get my head around it.”

The catch drew flashbacks to a similar one by Matt Renshaw in 2020, with Neser hoping a rule change hadn’t come in since.

“I knew (Matt) Renshaw did it a couple of years ago. I didn’t know if they’d changed the rules and thankfully they didn’t change the rules,” he said.

Earlier in the night, the Heat posted their highest total in BBL history when finishing on 5/224.

Second-gamer and full-time bat maker Josh Brown blasted a remarkable 63 off 23 balls, while Nathan McSweeney made 84 off 51 before being run out by Silk.

In response, the Sixers made 209 – 15 runs short but the second-highest score in the franchise’s history.