Sanju and Archer pepper sixers propelling RR at Sharjah

 

Ruturaj Gaikwad, from Pune, is back inside the  CSK team's bio bubble after returning two Covid-19 negative tests following two weeks of isolation at a separate quarantine facility in Dubai. .. .. and today he is playing as Ambati Rayudu is not fully fit.

Remember - 18 April 1986 – Chetan Sharma was cursed by the entire Nation as the last ball was hoisted over midwicket by Javed Miandad for a six.  It was at this venue - Sharjah that was to become  a hotbed of India-Pakistan rivalry.  By 1986, India had won Prudential World Cup and World Championship at Australia - Pakistan had never really won any tournament of significance, and even the imaginatively titled AustralAsia Cup looked beyond them as Javed Miandad orchestrated a faltering run-chase.  A boundary was required off the last ball, with one wicket in hand. Pakistan's premier batsman took what seemed an eternity to survey the outfield, at one point looking as if he was counting the number of fielders. Chetan Sharma  delivered a  low full-toss that Javed propelled with savagery over midwicket and that was to change the equations for a long long time.

The Sharjah Cricket Stadium, in the emirate of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, was built in the early 1980s and very quickly became a regular home for tournaments as the popularity of one-day cricket exploded following India's World Cup win in 1983. Between 1984 and 2003 the ground hosted 198 ODIs and four Tests (in 2002 when Pakistan played games there due to political instability at home), attracting good crowds, mainly from the area's large Asian expat population.

Today Chennai Super Kings is playing Rajasthan Royals – don’t ask why on day 4 CSK is playing their 2^nd match while couple of times are yet to play their first ! – from U19 it is a grand climb for left handed Yashasvi Jaiswal who made debut today.  Opening with Steve Smith must be a momentous occasion for this youngster, who however failed today paving way for Sanju Samson. 

The Umpires for the match are :  Chettithody Shamshuddin & Vineet Kulkarni.  TV  Umpire          is KN Ananthapadmanabhan who excelled as a legspinner for Kerala. Reserve Umpire is Krishnamachari Srinivasan whose brother Krishnamachari Barathan who played Ranji for Railways and is  an Umpire too.  The match Referee is another Keralite, Vengalil Narayan Kutty.  The average first innings score in all T20s at the venue since 2018 is 161

The first innings of Rajasthan Royals had so much of drama.  At 11.6 Ngidi bowled to Steve Smith – a slower ball, from the deep came a great throw by Ruturaj Gaikwad, which was collected well by Deepak Jadhav – DA Miller on his first match for RR, run out without facing a ball.  At 17.5 Deepak Chahar bowled to Tom Curran who was struck high on the pads, or so it appeared. He was given out – caught behind ! – he wanted to review but none left. The ball had not touched his bat, neither was a catch, as it reached MSD one bounce. Sanity prevailed though!

After Yashasvi Jaiswal got out at 11, in walked Sanju Samson and started clobbering bowlers all over the park – eventually got out at 132, scoring 74 off  mere 32 balls clobbering 9 sixers and a solitary 4.  Wickets fell in a heap – David Miller @ 134; Uthappa at 149; Rahul Tewatia 167; Riyan Parag 173 & Steve Smith 18.2 overs total being 178 – with 10 balls one thought, perhaps it would be score of 190 !

Sanju had been on a roll but best came in the 8^th over of Piyush Chawla. The first was artistically hit over extra cover for a 6; 2^nd disappeared over deep cover for another 6 bringing 50; single, single, then a no ball and a free hit – hit for a 6 and another 6 followed making a 28 run over. Samson’s wicket triggered a wobble – Royals lost 6 for 46 –  then Jofra Archer’s tore down  Ngidi in the last over propelling  Royals to 216 for 7 – their fourth-highest IPL total. Ngidi  conceded 30 runs in the last over. Archer cracked 27 off eight balls, including four sixes.  Ngidi deplorable over ead : 6, 6, 6, 6(NB)1, 6(NB)1, 1W, dot, 1,1,1.

Thomas Kevin Curran (Tom Curran) made 10* playing his brother Samuel Matthew Curran (kadaikutty singam of CSK)

Interesting ! – match looks out of CSK, though the ground is small !!

 
With regards – S. Sampathkumar
22.9.2020 @ 10.15 pm.