Jaddu's heroics .. .. and the one run short !!

So on the first lockdown day in Apr 2021, there was to be great entertainment on screen – 2 matches, nail-baiting finish and more.

As usual – some debate on that run not made .. .. ie., a run deducted from SRH – in the super over the score card first showed 8 then it was revised to be ‘target 8’ – for there was ‘one-short’ – what ?    In Cricket, a run is completed when the striker and non-striker run between the wickets and complete it – on rare occasions,  when a batsman is running two or more, but fails to make his ground and puts his bat in short at one of the turns – would mean ‘one-short’ ie., one run less.  In that a run is knocked off from the runs scored.  Umpire signals by touching one shoulder with the hand of the same arm !!  a seasoned veteran David Warner did that and that perhaps made them lost the match too.

Harshal Vikram Patel  has been having a great IPL as a strike bowler for RCB – yesterday he was relishing that for major part but for that fateful final over to Ravindra Jadeja, which he would like to forget.  Harshal has revelled bowling big outswingers – reportedly their family had plans to move out to USA but he decided to stqay back and pursue Cricket, played U19, debuted for Gujarat, moved out to Haryana and bagged IPL for  Mumbai Indians.

Cricket is no doubt a great entertainer but can be stressful for the player.  Away, Dom Bess has admitted to feeling like he "hated cricket" in the wake of a difficult winter tour of India, but believes that the lessons learned in the subcontinent will improve his chances of success with England in the long run. Despite taking 17 wickets at 26.58 in four Tests against Sri Lanka and India, offspinner Bess struggled for consistency and was dropped after helping England to victory in Chennai in February. He returned to the side for the final Test in Ahmedabad but went wicketless in an innings defeat, and began the county season looking to rediscover his form with Yorkshire.

There has been some talk on how players are feeling the stress though inside clinical bubble – they are safe but some reports put that they do quite often discuss on what is happening outside that makes life scary, added is the stress of staying in bubble outside the family ! 

R Ashwin has cut short his IPL season with the Delhi Capitals to be with family. Ashwin tweeted the news on Sunday night, following his team's Super Over victory against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Chennai. He said he "expected to return" if the situation improved. Earlier in the day, the Rajasthan Royals seamer Andrew Tye became the second player to leave the tournament for personal reasons, heading back home to Australia. Last week Tye's Royals team-mate Liam Livingstone returned to England citing "bubble fatigue".

At Wankhede, Ruturaj Gaikwas and Faf de Plessis gave a very good start making 74 in 9 overs, then there were cameos from Raina and Rayudu but Ravindra Jadeja made everyone talk only about him. 

The final over started with CSK on a moderately high 154/4 – Harshal Patel returning to bowl.  The first ball was violently swung over long on and deep midwicket, flat for a 6;  2^nd was slogged once more; 3^rd  over waist height, disappeared over deep midwicket – it was a no ball too; then perhaps a slower ball, again went over the ropes ! – clueless – then a low toss, was dropped at extra cover as Jaddu ran 2; another 6 off the 5^th ; 4 off the last ball – 37 in one over – reminiscing Prashant Parameswaran’s fate against Chris Gayle – he returned back to take 3 for 13 from his four overs. Added it with a  direct hit that ran Dan Christian out.

At Chepauk, it appeared a similar repeat story of Sunrisers not able to make the required runs until Suchit made heads turn with 2 fours and a 6.  It was the Kiwi Kane Williamson who stood like a rock, masking  Sunrisers' lack of middle-order firepower and took them as far as the Super Over. If one expects 4 and 6s to flow in the Super over – the tale was far different.

It was SRH turn to bat first – in walked David Warner with Kane Williamson – did they falter by not sending burly Bairstow ? .. the bowler was Axar Patel, who has recovered from Covid and not   Kagiso Rabada, the Super Over expert.    Sunrisers had earlier dropped Manish Pandey terming it a   "harsh call", and his replacement  23-year-old Virat Singh, managed 4 off 14 balls  

It was 0; 1; 4; 1lb; 1 & 2 off the last ball – adding up to 8 – but in the last ball, David Warner had not put his bat across the crease, had just touched – thereby a run was deducted and the total was only 7.  For Delhi Capitals, it was Shikhar Dhawan and Rishab Pant against Rashid Khan. Seemingly it is a simply task – 2 fours needed .. .. Pant took the strike, took a single off the frist ball; Dhawan scampered a leg bye off the 2^nd; 3^rd ball Pant reverse swept for a 4; 4^th was a dot and it appeared bit tough ! Pant scampered for a leg bye even as there was an appeal and review for lbw – and off the last ball – Dhawan missed but yet scampered for a leg-bye – it was all over.

Interesting indeed.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar
26.4.2021.