Search This Blog

Monday, April 24, 2017

RCB : Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers ~ all out for 49 in 9.4 overs !!

7 0 1 8 9 8 2 0 2 5 0 7 ~ and this entry of Umpires did not look any innovative to me !

The game of Cricket has undergone many and varied changes since its inception – the accidental invention of ‘limited Overs Internationals (ODI)’  and subsequent thoughtful proposition of T20 have attracted more people – now slowly it is becoming more of a media sport.   There have been no radical changes nor visionaries, though some bold changes are always contemplated.  One novel attempt was the substitute which in effect allowed 12 players rather than the traditional 11. 

IPL showed some new dimensions – for people hooked to the concept of Nation and States vying for trophies, it brought in Clubs with players of different nation participating as one team – the colour, theme, dresses, and the concept no doubt attracted newer audiences and increased popularity.  There are people who are adding colour by their newer looks too ..

Will IPL provide platform for National duty – the likes of Hardik Pandya, Manish Pandey, Nitish Rana, Rishab Pant, Sanju Samson – all have been scoring heavily and at a great strike rate – hoping for the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy that  is scheduled to be held in England and Wales between 1 and 18 June 2017.[1] This will be the 8th edition of the tournament. The top eight teams in the ICC ODI Championship rankings as on 30 September 2015 qualified for the tournament. The eight teams were divided into two groups of four.Bangladesh replaced the West Indies, who finished outside the top eight in ninth position, in the ICC ODI Team Rankings on the cut-off date. Bangladesh returned to the ICC Champions Trophy for the first time since 2006, and for the first time, the West Indies lost their place in the Champions Trophy. So sadly, the likes of Pollard, Bravo, Narine will not be seen !!

There have been instances when team's won the match despite making a low score. Bowlers have single-handedly ensured victories.  In 1983, Kapil Devils defended successfully 183 against mighty West Indies and in 1985, India bowled out Pakis for 87 to win a match in Sharjah.  In Mar 2014, Netherlands hit the bottom, bowled out for 39.  Netherlands were all out for 39 in 10.3 overs – their scorecard read : 0;0;1;16;0;8;4;1;3;0;0.. Lankans were in a hurry recording the  fastest ever victory in a T20 International. Digging into records, one would be surprised to note that the lowest in T20 is higher than the lowest in ODI, which again is higher that the lowest in an innings in Test Cricket.

In Test Cricket – the lowest total is New Zealand’s 26 in Mar 1955 made at Auckland against England in Test 402; South Africa had been shot out for 30 twice once in Feb 1896 and later in June 1924;  next is South Africa’s 35 V England in Apr 1899 and again by the same South Africa 36 in Feb 1932.   Next is ‘42’ – of New Zealand in Mar 1946; Australia in Feb 1888 and Indian’s dismal show at Lords in June 1974 when they were bowled out in 17 overs. 

Yesterday it was RCB to hit the nadir.  The commentators kept asking what could be a reasonable target to be set for RCB to chase – for a lineup that had Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli and AB deVilliers – they were dwelling that even 200 may not be safe – but the scorecard of RCB read : 7 0 1 8 9 8 2 0 2 5 0 7 ~ none including extras reached the double figures.  The Bangalore team was blown away for IPL’s lowest ever total to hand Koklata a 82 run win – chasing a mere 131.  The mighty folded meekly  in mere  9.4 overs.

Nathan Coulter-Nile struck in the third over of the innings by having dangerman Kohli caught at second slip by Manish Pandey . Pandey again  caught the other opener Mandeep Singh off Umesh Yadav. Coulter-Nile consumed AbD   in his next over and Keder Jadhav followed.  Chris Gayle perished trying to pull Woakes only to be caught at mid-off by Coulter-Nile.  Earlier Sunil Narine once again gave the home team a flying start but sensational middle-order collapse saw Kolkata being bowled out for a mere 131 in 19.3 overs.Kolkata, who recorded the fastest 50 of this IPL in 3.5 overs ultimately ended up as the first team to be bowled out while batting first. Chahal, Bangalore's highest wicket-taker, played the role of wrecker-in-chief, finishing with figures 316 -the best in IPL-10.

The earlier lows have been :  58 all out in 15.1 overs, Rajasthan Royals (banned from IPL 2016-17) Vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, IPL 2009.  67 all out in 15.2 overs, Kolkata Knight Riders Vs Mumbai Indians, IPL 2008.

The unpredictability always makes the game most interesting !

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

24th Apr 2017.

No comments:

Post a Comment