Economical bowling in ODI and those who went for over 100 !

Cricket, more specifically, the shorter versions (ODI & T20) are becoming more  batsmen oriented – Rohit Sharma’s new record of 264 is another pointer to this and in a few years now we have 4 double hundreds (another matter altogether that all 4 are made by Indians in Indian wickets).

Many would not know that Bishan Singh Bedi, the classical leftarm spinner had figures of 12-8-6-1 – that was in the match against East Africa in 1975 World Cup.  The worst bowling performance in terms of more than 100 runs conceded is :

Player	Match	Bowling	Season	RPO
Mick Lewis	Australia v  South Africa	10–0–113–0	2006	11.30
Martin Snedden	New Zealand v  England	12–1–105–2	1983	8.75
Tim Southee	New Zealand v  India	10–0–105–0	2009	10.50
Brian Vitori	Zimbabwe v  New Zealand	9–0–105–1	2012	11.67
Vinay Kumar	India v  Australia	9–0–102–1	2013	11.33

As could be seen 3 bowlers have given 105 runs – but in 12, 10 & 09 overs.  Karsan Ghavri was taken for 85 runs in the initial WC and later Snedden’s 105 stood for quite a while before Mick Lewis (who ?) conceded 113 in that run carnage. 

In ODI 214, in June 18, 1983, Sri Lanka beat New Zealand by 3 wickets.  New Zealand, having been put in on a lively pitch, were 116 for nine before a last-wicket stand of 65 between Snedden and Chatfield restored a gleam of hope.  Chasing 182 in 60 overs, Lanks were sailing at 129 for two but Kuruppu and couple of balls later Duleep Mendis fell – creating chaos and mini-crisis.  Roy Dias saw them through.  Asantha Demel was the Man of the Match for his 5 wicket haul.

Batting first NZ line up of Glenn Turner, John Wright, GP Howarth (Capt), Martin Crowe, Bruce Edgar, J Coney, Richard Hadlee, Warren Lees, Lance Cairns  – were all back at 116 before Snedden’s 40 and his partnership with Chatfield brought some respectability. Lankans bowlers excelled – De mel took 5 for 32  but it was Somachandra De Silve, the leg spinner who strangled the Kiwis. He had unimaginably good figures of 12-5-11-2.

Dandeniyage Somachandra De Silva played only 12 tests and 41 One dayers……. Not due to any lack of talent but this man born in 1942 played most of his Cricket when the island Nation did not get test status. He took 37 test wickets and 32 One day wickets. Remember him bowling well, when Sri Lanka toured and played 3 unofficial tests during 1975-76.  

Cricket was in their family - Dandeniya Hemachandra De Silva, the eldest of four brothers played first-class club cricket in Sri Lanka, later  died in Melbourne. A right-hand opening batsman, DH was renowned for his astute captaincy where he went to the extent of testing the laws of the game. DH was charity commissioner at the Colombo Municipality and later became Municipal Commissioner of Kandy.

The much talented younger brother Somachandra de Silva was a great leg spinner who  later became chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket interim committee when Sri Lanka finished runner-up to India in the 2011 World Cup. His other two brothers were Premachandra de Silva who went onto play unofficial tests for Sri Lanka and Gunasiri de Silva.

That bowling performance was indeed standout.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar.

21^st Nov. 2014.