Looking dead at the death

Express News Service

CHENNAI: When it comes off for Matthew Wade, he looks like a million bucks. At his last match at The Hundred for Birmingham Phoenix on August 30, he sho­wed no mercy to the bowlers, scoring 81 off 42 (11×4, 2×6). He was in a similar mood for Australia in their first T20I against India at Mohali on Tuesday.

Chasing 209, the wicket-keeper, reduced a very stiff asking rate at the death to levels that would be frowned upon in book cricket. The last 12 balls he faced read 4, 1, 4, 1, 6, 1, 6, 2, 1, 4, 4, 4. He began the carnage with Australia needing 55 off 24 balls.

When he was done with giving Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel a headache experienced previously by Shaheen Shah Afridi at the T20 World Cup, the task was two off six balls. The Indian bowlers had another off day and the visitors chased down a stiff 209 with five balls and four wickets to spare. 

From an Indian perspective, they will chalk this loss down to the bowlers not getting the control they usually have in this format of the game. Without Jasprit Bumrah’s expertise, th­ese matches tell the team management what the others are made of.

Looking at this loss — and the Asia Cup — there will be alternate plans being lined up before the team departs for the World Cup in Australia in less than a month’s time. 

One of those plans could be revisiting how they approach death bowling. While Bumrah is a lock, they still need the others to deliver. After enjoying a fine comeback post injury troubles, Bhuvneshwar has now been involved in a couple of iffy spells at the death. The wide off stump yorkers weren’t even attempted and they missed their length.

On a pitch where the margin for error was minuscule, they travelled the distance. The 14 overs bowled by the four seamers ended up costing 150 runs for just two wickets. That 53 off those 150 runs came in three overs bowled at the death by Bhuvneshwar and Harshal Patel would not have pleased the team management.   

However, there were some significant plus points for the Rohit Sharma-led team under the Mohali lights. Invited to bat first on a batting wicket, KL Rahul — yes, him, — took the initiative. He let the natural stroke maker in him take centre stage.

End result? A hedonistic 35-ball 55 (4×4, 3×6) gave the hosts the perfect platform for the finishers to capitalise. If Rahul’s innings provided the initial thrust, Pandya’s thrilling end-overs assault bookended an ideal T20 innings.

What makes Pandya an elite finisher is he is generally ma­tch-up proof apart from the ball turning away. After taking 10 balls for 18, he completely ope­n­ed up as the innings were approaching the endgame.  It helps that for his brute upper body strength, he also has a delightful touch game. With the third man up for Nathan Ellis, he delicately opened the face to run it down to the vacant region for a boundary. 

Then, it was the turn of Pat Cummins to disappear as he endured another disappointing night in this format (0/47 off four). After polishing off the entree, he saved the dessert for last, depositing Green for three back-to-back sixes to close out the innings. One travelled in front off the square on the leg side. One disappeared over long off. The last was greeted by the fans behind the third man. 

Sure, Green’s radar was not working and all three balls were a 101 on how not to bowl at the death but it still needed to be hit and there are very few who are better at it right now than the man who wears 33 for the national team. Unfortunately for India, the Indian bowlers too served up a 101 on how not to bowl at the death. 

Brief scores: India 208/6 in 20 ovs (Rahul 55, Suryakumar 46, Pandya 71 n.o; Ellis 3/30, Hazlewood 2/39) lost to Australia 211/6 in 19.2 ovs (Green 61, Wade 45 n.o, Axar 3/17). 
 

<br /> CHENNAI: When it comes off for Matthew Wade, he looks like a million bucks. At his last match at The Hundred for Birmingham Phoenix on August 30, he sho­wed no mercy to the bowlers, scoring 81 off 42 (11×4, 2×6). He was in a similar mood for Australia in their first T20I against India at Mohali on Tuesday.</p> <p>Chasing 209, the wicket-keeper, reduced a very stiff asking rate at the death to levels that would be frowned upon in book cricket. The last 12 balls he faced read 4, 1, 4, 1, 6, 1, 6, 2, 1, 4, 4, 4. He began the carnage with Australia needing 55 off 24 balls.</p> <p>When he was done with giving Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel a headache experienced previously by Shaheen Shah Afridi at the T20 World Cup, the task was two off six balls. The Indian bowlers had another off day and the visitors chased down a stiff 209 with five balls and four wickets to spare. </p> <p>From an Indian perspective, they will chalk this loss down to the bowlers not getting the control they usually have in this format of the game. Without Jasprit Bumrah’s expertise, th­ese matches tell the team management what the others are made of.</p> <p>Looking at this loss — and the Asia Cup — there will be alternate plans being lined up before the team departs for the World Cup in Australia in less than a month’s time. </p> <p>One of those plans could be revisiting how they approach death bowling. While Bumrah is a lock, they still need the others to deliver. After enjoying a fine comeback post injury troubles, Bhuvneshwar has now been involved in a couple of iffy spells at the death. The wide off stump yorkers weren’t even attempted and they missed their length.</p> <p>On a pitch where the margin for error was minuscule, they travelled the distance. The 14 overs bowled by the four seamers ended up costing 150 runs for just two wickets. That 53 off those 150 runs came in three overs bowled at the death by Bhuvneshwar and Harshal Patel would not have pleased the team management.   </p> <p>However, there were some significant plus points for the Rohit Sharma-led team under the Mohali lights. Invited to bat first on a batting wicket, KL Rahul — yes, him, — took the initiative. He let the natural stroke maker in him take centre stage.</p> <p>End result? A hedonistic 35-ball 55 (4×4, 3×6) gave the hosts the perfect platform for the finishers to capitalise. If Rahul’s innings provided the initial thrust, Pandya’s thrilling end-overs assault bookended an ideal T20 innings.</p> <p>What makes Pandya an elite finisher is he is generally ma­tch-up proof apart from the ball turning away. After taking 10 balls for 18, he completely ope­n­ed up as the innings were approaching the endgame.  It helps that for his brute upper body strength, he also has a delightful touch game. With the third man up for Nathan Ellis, he delicately opened the face to run it down to the vacant region for a boundary. </p> <p>Then, it was the turn of Pat Cummins to disappear as he endured another disappointing night in this format (0/47 off four). After polishing off the entree, he saved the dessert for last, depositing Green for three back-to-back sixes to close out the innings. One travelled in front off the square on the leg side. One disappeared over long off. The last was greeted by the fans behind the third man. </p> <p>Sure, Green’s radar was not working and all three balls were a 101 on how not to bowl at the death but it still needed to be hit and there are very few who are better at it right now than the man who wears 33 for the national team. Unfortunately for India, the Indian bowlers too served up a 101 on how not to bowl at the death. </p> <p>Brief scores: India 208/6 in 20 ovs (Rahul 55, Suryakumar 46, Pandya 71 n.o; Ellis 3/30, Hazlewood 2/39) lost to Australia 211/6 in 19.2 ovs (Green 61, Wade 45 n.o, Axar 3/17). <br />  <br />