Image Credit- BCCI
In the IPL, Justin
Langer has arrived. The Lucknow Super Giants burned that book of cautious T20
cricket and began playing with far more desire after just one game of stale old
T20 cricket, and of course the ensuing crushing defeat. They therefore lacked
the best players to use in the final overs of both innings, but they had both
times won by 21 runs thanks to enough damage done in the middle overs.
To suggest that
Rahul batted with greater intent because he only had one field to influence
would be to indulge in pop psychology, but the shift was evident to everybody.
LSG needs every person to be fully focused after batting first to take on the
opposition. Quinton de Kock batted like he usually does, and Rahul attacked
from the fourth ball he faced. He didn’t stop after striking a six and a four
in the next over.
Although the intention may have yielded two wickets, LSG scored 54 runs during
the powerplay.
Notwithstanding
Harpreet Brar’s four-run opening over and his respectable record against
left-handers this IPL, the Kings removed both of their spinners with the
introduction of Pooran as early as the ninth over.
After two overs, it was obvious why spin was removed. Pooran did a six-footed
wrong’un from Bishnoi over the longer boundary, then cut for four in front of
the square, and finished with a casual loft back over his head.
With some light
drizzle and a pleasant medium pace, Shikhar Dhawan and Jonny Bairstow got their
chase underway quickly, taking 61 off the opening six overs. In just 30 balls,
Dhawan reached a fifty, which is precisely the required rate to win the match. Bairstow
broke the chains in the ninth over off Bishnoi with two sixes, just like
Stoinis had done following the slowness in the first innings’ spin.
Mayank, a fast
bowler from Delhi who is 21 years old, has had health issues. He received care
and scouting from LSG throughout his injury sustained during the Ranji Trophy
season. Kings had all their wickets in hand and needed to go at nearly the same
asking rate as they did at the beginning of the innings when they released
Mayank.
But they were not quite ready for Mayank’s uncanny pace. He continued to bowl
at uncomfortably long lengths, surpassing 155 mph, and striking out three
batters, all late in the shot and all with the short ball.
Kings was not helped
by an injury to Liam Livingstone that left him shuffling between the wicket.
Dhawan caught on 70 off 50 after going from 50 off 30. He subsequently admitted
that he moved around trying to take advantage of Mayank’s pace, and Mayank
started bowling yorkers at the stumps right away.
LSG persisted in
their pursuit of wickets, acknowledging that even the greatest can be hit late
in the game and that they would be better suited bowling during periods when
quality and results are more closely correlated. LSG had 48 to defend in the
final two overs when they reached the one “weak” over. Krunal gave up
just seven.