Followed this 2nd
ODI, Johannesburg, Apr 4 2021 between hosts South Africa and Pakistan in
Cricinfo. It was a nail baiting finish
boiling down to last over. Pakistan
chasing 342, came very close making 324/9 .. .. in that first ball of the final over – the opener was
run out and with him the hopes of Paki. Fakhar Zaman was the man of the match but angry Pakis took to
twitter trolling Quinton de kock and many of them spilled vitriolic against
Mumbai Indians and Rohit Sharma too ..
The man
- Pakistan opener batsman Fakhar Zaman smashed an unbeaten 210-off 156-balls including 24-fours
and 5-sixes with strike rate of 134.61 helping Pakistan post their record total
of 399 against Zimbabwe in the fourth ODI. 4th ODI, Bulawayo, in July
2018. He became the first Pakistani
batsman to score 200 in One-day international cricket history and the sixth
player to achieve this feat in ODIs.
Yesterday at
Johannesburg, South Africa survived an astonishing onslaught from Fakhar Zaman
to secure a series-levelling 17-run win against Pakistan in Johannesburg. Zaman's 155-ball 193 was heroic, a one-man
show in the truest sense of the word because no other Pakistani managed more
than 31 in a chase of 342. It is the highest score in a chase in ODI cricket
history, and the second highest ever in a losing cause. Zaman also surpassed
Herchelle Gibbs' 175 to record the highest individual score at this venue.
After several
stutters, South Africa did manage to get over the line, thanks to a commanding
batting performance spearheaded by the top order. Captain Temba Bavuma
top-scored with 92, while Quinton de Kock, Rassie van der Dussen and David
Miller each brought up half-centuries, allowing South Africa to post 341 in the
face of a listless bowling effort from the visitors.
Pakistan were never
really in the chase right until the final 15 overs; once Zaman brought up his
first ODI hundred in two years, he would run riot. Despite finishing with the
highest score by a Pakistani in ODI cricket in South Africa, it always looked
like an unassailable task, and in truth, proved so by some distance in the end.
Pakistan have never chased a total of this magnitude in ODI cricket, and a
daunting challenge became even tougher when Imam-ul-Haq, fell in the second
over. The way he got run out, however, is what sparked the immense
controversy flooding your social media feeds.
It boiled
down to almost improbable 31 in the final over - Zaman faced pacer
Lungi Ndidi for the first ball. He hit the ball down his off-side, and ran for
a double with Haris Rauf on the non-striker's end. As Zaman made his way back
to his crease, wicketkeeper De Kock’s gesture suggested that the ball, being
thrown by Aiden Markram, was headed for the non-striker's end. Zaman, with his
back towards the ball, saw the gesture and slowed down considerably, only to be
stunned as Markram’s direct hit cut his extraordinary innings just short of his
highly anticipated second double century in ODI cricket. Was it naivety of the batter or cheating by the
keeper ? !
Law
41.5.1 states: “It is unfair for any fielder wilfully to attempt, by word or
action, to distract, deceive or obstruct either batsman after the striker has
received the ball”
Fakhar
Zaman, however, took responsibility for
his run-out saying it was "my own fault". However, Temba Bavuma, the
South Africa captain, appeared to suggest that the gesticulating on the part of
wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock, which seemed to distract Zaman, was a deliberate
act after all, calling it "quite clever". The direct hit from Aiden Markram from long-off
caught him short of the crease at the striker's end, but there
was a question mark surrounding the legality of the dismissal, because de Kock
was moving his arms about, possibly indicating that the throw from Markram
might be going to the non-striker's end. He might, equally possibly, have been
trying to communicate something to his team-mates. Zaman slowed down
considerably, even turned around to look at the non-striker's end and was
caught short.
Quinton
de Kock did not intend to deceive Fakhar Zaman when the batsman was run out in
the second ODI between Pakistan and South Africa, and is not in breach of Law
41.5.1 on fake fielding. That is the conclusion match officials are believed to
have come to after reviewing footage of Sunday's match. It is stated that in a
post-match meeting, which officials regularly have to discuss the game, match
officials re-looked at the dismissal and on studying all frames, were happy
that de Kock called "bowler's end," even before the first run was
complete. De Kock's actions were not
deemed to have been a trick, with officials satisfied that he was indicating
for the throw to go to the bowler's end even as it came in at his end. Tabraiz Shamsi tweeted that de Kock was
calling for a fielder to back up the throw at the non-striker's end.
Pakistan management
is believed to have spoken to Andy Pycroft immediately after the incident, and
drew his attention to the relevant law. That, it is believed, was not an
official complaint as much as a reminder about the law and there appears to be
an acceptance that the law is there for match officials to interpret and
implement. Before that ball, Pakistan needed an unlikely 31 from six balls.
They went on to lose by 17 runs, but if de Kock's act had been deemed illegal,
Pakistan would have been allowed the two runs they attempted as well as five
penalty runs, and the ball would have to be re-bowled, leaving them with 24 to
get from six balls.
It wasn't the only
point of contention towards the closing stages of the match. In the 47th over,
Bavuma dropped a chance from Zaman, only for the ball to touch his hat, which
had fallen off. The umpires didn't award any penalty runs, which is in line
with the law (28.2.2), which states that it is "not illegal fielding if
the ball in play makes contact with a piece of clothing, equipment or any other
object which has accidentally fallen from the fielder's person".
In
Dec 2013 at Dubai, in the 2nd ODI – Pak
were 157 for one in the 35th over
with Ahmed Shehzad batting at 80 with Mohammad Hafeez. Shehzad played Seekkuge Prasanna bowled towards cover and
returned for two. The throw came at
Shehzad’s end and on his second run, Shehzad for a moment felt that he had
misjudged the two. Sangakkara seemed to have collected the ball, in a swift
action removed the bails ~ Shehzad dived
desperately hurt himself only to see the
ball arrive much later.
Sangakkara
had faked the take and stood their smiling mischievously, having fooled the
Pakistani batsman. Shehzad was angry. Pakistani
physiotherapist came rushing in, with spray and tape to attend his injury that
he sustained after diving. The batsman went on to score 124 in the end but
Pakistan lost the match by two wickets, with Sangakkara top-scoring for Sri
Lanka with 58.
Queensland
player Marnus Labuschagne became the first cricketer to be penalised 'fake
fielding' under the new International Cricket Council (ICC) rules implemented from
Sept 2017 The incident took place during a match
between Queensland Bulls and Cricket Australia XI. Labuschagne dived and tried to stop the ball
hit by Cricket Australia XI batsman Param Uppal, but missed it completely. He
tried to fool the batsman by faking a throw and umpires took action against
him.
Before concluding
the unwarranted ire against MI & Rohit was because – Quinton de kock plays
for Mumbai Indians in IPL and Rohit Sharma is the only player to have scored
more than 1 double century in a ODI. (He has 3 of them)
With regards
– S. Sampathkumar
5.4.2021
No comments:
Post a Comment