One of the standout moments between the England and South Africa clash at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday was the splendid one-handed catch taken behind the boundary by a policeman, Amol Ghodake.
<img title="Constable Amol Ghodake" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/mar/Amol-Ghodake.jpg" alt="Constable Amol Ghodake" /> Constable Amol Ghodake 
With England needing 38 off 23 balls to win, Joe Root slammed one straight down the ground off South Africa's pacer Kyle Abbott&rsquo;s second delivery en route his match-winning knock of 83.
<img title="Amol Ghodake (circled) plucked this catch out of thin air" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/mar/Catch.jpg" alt="Amol Ghodake (circled) plucked this catch out of thin air" /> Amol Ghodake (circled) plucked this catch out of thin air
Although the ball got the required distance to clear the rope, Ghodake (38), who is a constable with Mumbai Police, judged it so well that he only had to stretch his right hand out to catch it. Ghodake&rsquo;s judgment was so precise that he didn&rsquo;t even require to move his feet.
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That evening, wearing his cricket team&rsquo;s uniform, Ghodake was manning the sightscreen area to ensure no one comes near the screen while the ball is being bowled.
Ghodake&rsquo;s splendid catch earned him praise from the commentators not just during the match, but after it too. &ldquo;VVS Laxman sir asked a few people who took the catch. When we met, he told me it was a great catch and gave me a thumbs up gesture. I wanted to click a picture with him, but he got busy with his broadcasting duty,&rdquo; a star-struck Ghodake, who is a player-cum-fielding coach for Greater Mumbai Police team.
He was a part of the Shivaji University squad that played in the 2001-02 Vizzy Trophy.
Ghodake&rsquo;s effort earned him the Play-of-the-Day award from the International Cricket Council, announced via a tweet on Saturday. Ghodake is happy, but not surprised. &ldquo;We practice every day so I don&rsquo;t think what I did was unreal. With practice, these catches can be taken,&rdquo; said the cop modestly, attached to Ghatkopar police station in Mumbai.

Mumbai Diary: Monday Dossier

Constable Amol Ghodake, whose stunning one-handed effort in the Eng-SA match at Wankhede earned him the Play-of-the-Day honour from ICC, is a player-cum-fielding coach for Greater Mumbai Police team

Man who 'caught' Joe Root is Mumbai police's fielding coach

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Home / Mumbai / Mumbai News / Article / Man who 'caught' Joe Root is Mumbai police's fielding coach

Man who 'caught' Joe Root is Mumbai police's fielding coach

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