Super 8 boils down to Super Over and Sri Lanka prevails

So what a match it turned out to be – the first of the Super 8 played at Pallekele today.  First it was a tie and then more drama was to unfold.  It was a razor sharp finish, a freak one at that, that ensured a tie.  Do you know, how the result would be decided, if the 2 teams were to be locked after the Super over too ?

photo courtesy : cricinfo.com

Even going by the fancy names that Lankans have – the two who played today, is too difficult to pronounce.  They were :Mahamarakkala Kurukulasooriya Patabendige Akila Dananjaya Perera  + Narangoda Liyanaarachchilage Thisara Chirantha Perera.  Simply Dhananjaya, another unorthodox spinner 18 years of age who debuted today and Thisara Perera, who was to play in the Super over.  Akila Dananjaya took a wicket off his first over and ended up 2/32 in 4.

Chasing 174, Dilshan’s blitzkrieg ensured almost a win – 8 were required of the last Southee over with Angelo Mathews and Thirimanne at the crease.  3 singles of first 3 and it got reduced to 5 off 3; 4th was a dot ball – when you thought of Kiwi emerging, Thirimanne picked it from outside off and hit a four – single off the last ball – now Lankans with chance – off the last delivery, the throw from point deflected of Taylor’s hand to hit the stump having Thirimanne run out, scores tied and Super Over in play.

This is the seventh Twenty20 to end in a tie. New Zealand have been involved in four of the seven. It is also the second tie in the World Twenty20 after the game between India and Pakistan in 2007. As it boiled down to Super over, as per the rules both the teams had to nominate 3 players – the best lankan player on view, who was to be the Man of the Match, was nominated but got to play a single ball.  In walked Mahela Jayawardene not with Sangakkara but with Perera.  Tim Southee was the bowler.  First ball – 2; 2nd a single, 3rd wide, then 2 to Perara, 4th 2 wides and a single and Mahela run out; Dilshan came- , 5th leg bye and off the final 3 were run – so14 Was the target.

Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill came out to face Lasith Malinga, the slinger.  1st – 2; 2nd -1; 3rd 2 byes; 4th – 1; 5th Guptil out to a catch by Dilshan; only one could be scored of the 6th

In the mad mad short version, not a single boundary in that decisive 2 overs – strange but true.  Tillakaratne Dilshan, who had scored 76 off 53  set himself under the ball at long-off, turning side ways to make sure he knew where the boundary cushions were - they were six inches from his toenails - and took the catch after the ball had passed his body and had almost entered the air space beyond the boundary. Had Dilshan missed that, this Martin Guptill hit off Lasith Malinga would have left New Zealand needing two off the last ball of the Super Over. The catch sealed Sri Lanka's win.

The Super over also known as Eliminator comes in to play in T20 when scores are tied and when result is required.  It replaced the ‘bowl out’ method for breaking a tie.  For the Super Over,  each team nominates three batsmen and a bowler. The team that scores the most runs in its Super Over is the winner of the match. A team's Super Over ends if it loses two wickets.

The team batting second in the match will bat first in the one over eliminator.  The  same ball (or a ball of a similar age if the original ball is out of shape or  lost) as used at the end of the team’s innings shall be used for the “extra” over.

According to ICC playing conditions, in the interesting event of teams having the same score after the one over per side eliminator has been completed, the team whose batsmen hit the most number of boundaries combined from its two innings in both the main match and the one over per side eliminator shall be the winner.  If the no. of  boundaries hit by both teams is equal, the team whose  batsmen scored more boundaries during its innings in the main match (ignoring the over per side eliminator) shall be the winner.  If  still equal, a count-back from the final ball of the one over eliminator shall be conducted. The team with the higher scoring delivery shall be the winner.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar.