Starc's change of fortunes
ESPNcricinfo presents the plays of the day from Sydney Sixers v Yorkshire
Liam Brickhill at Newlands
16-Oct-2012
The first six came off Shane Watson in the 12th over, but instead of prompting a rise in the run-rate, it precipitated a calamitous charge from Yorkshire • Getty Images
The case of the missing 'Y'
Left-hand openers named Gale are usually associated with whirlwind starts in Twenty20 cricket, but in this case a missing 'y' made all the difference, for this was Andrew, from Dewsbury, not Christopher, from Kingston, at the crease. Gale scratched his way to 8 from 17 deliveries before he attempted a desperate shuffle and had his leg stump spinning by Josh Hazlewood.
Left-hand openers named Gale are usually associated with whirlwind starts in Twenty20 cricket, but in this case a missing 'y' made all the difference, for this was Andrew, from Dewsbury, not Christopher, from Kingston, at the crease. Gale scratched his way to 8 from 17 deliveries before he attempted a desperate shuffle and had his leg stump spinning by Josh Hazlewood.
A change of Ends
Mitchell Starc leaked 13 runs in his first over, from the Kelvin Grove End, but a change to the Wynberg End for his second spell in the seventh over brought immediate rewards. His second delivery found the top edge of Phil Jaques' pull shot, Dominic Thornely pouching a simple catch at deep square leg. Starc, who had begun to find significant movement back into the right-hander since the change of ends, completed a wicket maiden by snaking one in through the air and past Joe Root's driving bat.
Mitchell Starc leaked 13 runs in his first over, from the Kelvin Grove End, but a change to the Wynberg End for his second spell in the seventh over brought immediate rewards. His second delivery found the top edge of Phil Jaques' pull shot, Dominic Thornely pouching a simple catch at deep square leg. Starc, who had begun to find significant movement back into the right-hander since the change of ends, completed a wicket maiden by snaking one in through the air and past Joe Root's driving bat.
Yorkshire dig In
Gale wasn't the only Yorkshire batsman who found the going tough against Sydney's quicks, and the first six of the innings arrived as late as the final delivery of the 12th over, bowled by Shane Watson. The shot came off Root's bat, but instead of prompting a rise in the run-rate, it precipitated a calamitous charge from Yorkshire. The boundary was found just two more times, and Yorkshire struggled to a paltry 96 for 9.
Gale wasn't the only Yorkshire batsman who found the going tough against Sydney's quicks, and the first six of the innings arrived as late as the final delivery of the 12th over, bowled by Shane Watson. The shot came off Root's bat, but instead of prompting a rise in the run-rate, it precipitated a calamitous charge from Yorkshire. The boundary was found just two more times, and Yorkshire struggled to a paltry 96 for 9.
The Watson trap
There was a sense of inevitability to the proceedings when Watson rocked onto the back foot to launch the third ball he faced onto the grass bank beyond wide long-on in characteristically brutal style. Watson has been so utterly dominant with the bat in Twenty20 cricket in recent times that there was a possibility he could chase down Yorkshire's total all on his own. It was not to be, however, and the one thing that went right for Yorkshire all afternoon was Ryan Sidebottom's short-ball trap which had the opener well caught at deep square leg.
There was a sense of inevitability to the proceedings when Watson rocked onto the back foot to launch the third ball he faced onto the grass bank beyond wide long-on in characteristically brutal style. Watson has been so utterly dominant with the bat in Twenty20 cricket in recent times that there was a possibility he could chase down Yorkshire's total all on his own. It was not to be, however, and the one thing that went right for Yorkshire all afternoon was Ryan Sidebottom's short-ball trap which had the opener well caught at deep square leg.
Haddin's riposte
Yorkshire's rally after Watson's dismissal lasted all of one delivery, which was left alone by Brad Haddin outside off, before the wicketkeeping captain launched his side's riposte with a flood of boundaries. Haddin singled Sidebottom out for particular punishment, and after his sixth boundary off the left-arm quick in the fourth over, Sydney were halfway to their target. A demolition beckoned, and so it proved to be.
Yorkshire's rally after Watson's dismissal lasted all of one delivery, which was left alone by Brad Haddin outside off, before the wicketkeeping captain launched his side's riposte with a flood of boundaries. Haddin singled Sidebottom out for particular punishment, and after his sixth boundary off the left-arm quick in the fourth over, Sydney were halfway to their target. A demolition beckoned, and so it proved to be.
Liam Brickhill is a freelance journalist based in Cape Town