The Duck Tales
Plays of the Day from the IPL match between Delhi Daredevils and Kolkata Knight Riders in Dubai
Alagappan Muthu
19-Apr-2014
Jacques Kallis held the record for the most ducks in the IPL by a specialist batsman for 11 balls until Gautam Gambhir tied with him • BCCI
The dubious record I
It is no surprise that Jacques Kallis and Gautam Gambhir would be in a heated tussle for an IPL record. Only, the stat under contention was for the most ducks in the tournament. They began the game even on eight each but Kallis took the lead when he was squared up by a lovely Mohammed Shami outswinger.
It is no surprise that Jacques Kallis and Gautam Gambhir would be in a heated tussle for an IPL record. Only, the stat under contention was for the most ducks in the tournament. They began the game even on eight each but Kallis took the lead when he was squared up by a lovely Mohammed Shami outswinger.
The dubious record II
Alert captaincy from Dinesh Karthik came to Kallis' rescue, though, as Gambhir was out for a duck as well, tying the ignominious count at nine each. Nathan Coulter-Nile seemed to offer an escape hatch to the rather uncertain Gambhir with a shortish delivery on the hips. Any batsman from the subcontinent would have gone for the flick, only in this case there was a leg gully. Not the kind of team-building exercise Knight Riders would have hoped for.
Alert captaincy from Dinesh Karthik came to Kallis' rescue, though, as Gambhir was out for a duck as well, tying the ignominious count at nine each. Nathan Coulter-Nile seemed to offer an escape hatch to the rather uncertain Gambhir with a shortish delivery on the hips. Any batsman from the subcontinent would have gone for the flick, only in this case there was a leg gully. Not the kind of team-building exercise Knight Riders would have hoped for.
The price of variation
Coulter-Nile was on the cusp of ending with an economy under six on Daredevils debut. Despite it being the final over of the innings, his prospects grew when Yusuf Pathan dragged a third consecutive yorker onto his stumps. It was supposed to be the final ball of the innings, but an attempt at variation backfired on him. A back-of-the-hand slower ball strayed over Suryakumar Yadav's waist and was paddled away for four. The dreaded extra ball was a full toss as well and was reverse flicked to the third man boundary and what began as an excellent over leaked 12 runs.
Coulter-Nile was on the cusp of ending with an economy under six on Daredevils debut. Despite it being the final over of the innings, his prospects grew when Yusuf Pathan dragged a third consecutive yorker onto his stumps. It was supposed to be the final ball of the innings, but an attempt at variation backfired on him. A back-of-the-hand slower ball strayed over Suryakumar Yadav's waist and was paddled away for four. The dreaded extra ball was a full toss as well and was reverse flicked to the third man boundary and what began as an excellent over leaked 12 runs.
The deflection
An innocuous ball was met by an equally dull clip off the legs and yet five runs came off it courtesy both teams indulging in some simultaneous brain fades. In the third over, Mayak Agarwal and Dinesh Karthik took too much time in the middle of the pitch deciding on a single. The midwicket fielder, in his haste to throw the ball, chose the wrong end. Manish Pandey raced in from point to remedy the mistake as he hurled at the bowlers' end, but the ball struck Agarwal hustling to make his ground and wandered away to the long-off boundary.
An innocuous ball was met by an equally dull clip off the legs and yet five runs came off it courtesy both teams indulging in some simultaneous brain fades. In the third over, Mayak Agarwal and Dinesh Karthik took too much time in the middle of the pitch deciding on a single. The midwicket fielder, in his haste to throw the ball, chose the wrong end. Manish Pandey raced in from point to remedy the mistake as he hurled at the bowlers' end, but the ball struck Agarwal hustling to make his ground and wandered away to the long-off boundary.
The forgotten bat
Wide yorkers have become the popular method to stifle batsmen in the death. When Morne Morkel hurled one down in the 18th over, JP Duminy just about dug it out for two runs - both of which were secured with his bat lying forgotten in the middle of the pitch. The pace of the delivery had jarred his hands so much that he lost his hold of the bat. Then in his haste to set off for the run, he coudn't quite regain control of it. It was a testament to his swiftness between the stumps that he made his ground with time to spare.
Wide yorkers have become the popular method to stifle batsmen in the death. When Morne Morkel hurled one down in the 18th over, JP Duminy just about dug it out for two runs - both of which were secured with his bat lying forgotten in the middle of the pitch. The pace of the delivery had jarred his hands so much that he lost his hold of the bat. Then in his haste to set off for the run, he coudn't quite regain control of it. It was a testament to his swiftness between the stumps that he made his ground with time to spare.
Alagappan Muthu is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo