Jason Paul Behrendorff does a Eric Hollies ... Sachin out for duck.

The Champions League T20 is in its final stages – 3 IPL teams have qualified for the Semis.  The ongoing match between CSK and Trinidad & Tobago will determine whom CSK would play in the Semis and who else – T&T or Titans would qualify.  The first Semis would be on 4^th involving Rajasthan Royals at Jaipur and the second on 5^th  involving Mumbai Indians.

It has not been the best of the tournaments for the little Master who has made 15837 runs in Tests and 18426 runs in One dayers + 10 in the solitary T20 International………..  today, there was more disappointment as the crowds felt silent – in what was described to be a good shot, as Sachin with characteristic elegance lifted the ball off his pads but picked the lone man at deep square…. disaster for him…..

Have you ever heard of Eric Hollies or Jason Paul Behrendorff… 23 year old leftie from New South Wales who basked in glory dismissing the Master for a duck !.

That had little to do with the Match is different.  Perth Scorchers made 149 but were swamped by MI who chased them out in just 13.2 overs.  The target of  150 was ridiculed with Dwayne Smith and Rohit blazing away.  If they had lost, this could have been Sachin’s last T20; they won and perhaps has got one or two more now….

In a media hype yesterday, Perth Scorchers coach Justin Langer hoped that  one of his spinners will do an Eric Hollies on Sachin Tendulkar.  Langer was quoted as stating that he loves watching Sachin bat and wishes he never gets out but still in this match would like his spinner to get him out for a duck………. Today it was not a spinner but what he hoped did occur.  Sachin is now 26 runs short of completing 50,000 runs in first-class, List A and Twenty20 matches and perhaps would add that milestone too, to his achivements.

Scorchers anyway were at the  bottom of the points table in their group without a win ~  their 1^st match had been washed out and then lost of Otago and RR.  Today also they got the thrashing but Langer could walk with a smile……  

William Eric Hollies born in 1912 was a legbreak bowler who played for England and Warwickshire.  He played 33 Tests taking 44 wickets…………  at Kennington Oval in Aug 1948, when Sir Donald Bradman walked to play his last Test innings before retirement, he received one of the most tumultuous receptions known in cricket. A moment later the vast crowd sent up a united gasp of amazement as they saw Australia"s champion bowled second ball without scoring. That triumphant moment for William Eric Hollies, the Warwickshire leg-break and googly bowler, marked but one spectacular incident in the career of a cricketer whose skill and unassuming cheerfulness could be taken as a model by all young players. It was a great enough distinction to have bowled Don Bradman for a duck in his final Test innings. 

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

2^nd Oct 2013.