Queensland’s Mitchell Swepson orchestrated a captivating display of athleticism on the field during the Australia One Day Cup 2025-26, executing a remarkable one-handed catch to remove the dangerous centurion Joel Curtis. This eye-catching moment electrified the 5th match of the tournament at Allan Border Field, Brisbane, as Western Australia amassed an impressive total of 321/9.
Joel Curtis anchors Western Australia with a sublime century
The Western Australia innings was heavily influenced by the elegant and assured batting of their wicketkeeper, Curtis, who demonstrated his skill with a composed innings of 116 runs from 108 balls. His innings included 12 well-timed boundaries and four powerful sixes, maintaining the scoring rate and putting pressure on the Queensland bowling attack. Curtis found a reliable partner in Sam Whiteman, who contributed a measured 83 runs, supporting WA in establishing a strong foundation despite consistent breakthroughs by the opposition.
The partnership between Curtis and Whiteman proved challenging for the Queensland bowlers, as they accumulated valuable runs and added significant impetus to the Western Australia innings. Their combined efforts ensured that the visiting team surpassed the 300-run mark, setting a significant target for the chasing team.
Mitchell Swepson and Tom Straker bring Queensland back
Although Curtis and Whiteman dominated significant portions of the innings, Queensland’s bowling attack responded effectively through the efforts of leg-spinner Swepson and fast bowler Tom Straker. Swepson emerged as the most successful bowler, recording impressive figures of 4/52, skillfully using his variations to deceive the Western Australia batsmen. Straker provided valuable support, claiming 3/65 and consistently challenging the middle order batsmen.
Their combined efforts ensured that Western Australia did not completely dominate the match, despite being in a strong position earlier in their innings. However, the standout moment of the day undoubtedly occurred in the 32nd over, when Swepson transformed a moment of fielding brilliance into a dismissal that altered the course of the game.
The moment of magic – Swepson’s screamer ends Curtis stay
It was the third delivery of the 32nd over, bowled by Straker, that created one of the most memorable moments of the season so far. Straker bowled a full delivery outside the off stump, enticing Curtis to attempt an ambitious lofted shot towards the long-off boundary. The ball seemed destined to clear the infield, but Swepson, positioned at mid-off, had other plans.
Precisely timing his jump, Swepson leapt into the air and secured the ball with his right hand in a fluid motion. The crowd erupted in applause as he landed securely, completing what can only be described as an exceptional catch. The dismissal brought an end to Curtis’s outstanding innings and swung the momentum back in favor of Queensland.
Here’s the video:
A special grab brings to an end a special knock.
Joel Curtis is out for 116 thanks to Mitch Swepson’s one-hander #OneDayCup pic.twitter.com/h3rtVyu0bN
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) September 21, 2025
