Cummins ends long wait with swift strike
Plays of the Day from the match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings at Eden Gardens
Nikhil Kalro
20-May-2014
Pat Cummins struck with his second ball on IPL debut • BCCI
The dream ball
Pat Cummins made his debut memorable with a ball that is every fast bowler's dream. The 21-year-old was up against the daunting combination of Dwayne Smith and Brendon McCullum in his first IPL match, and he swung his first ball away, to beat the bat of Smith. The next delivery was pitched on middle stump and on a perfect length, keeping Smith rooted to the crease. It swung away and beat the bat again, but this time the ball hit the top of off stump to dismiss one of the most destructive batsmen of the season.
Pat Cummins made his debut memorable with a ball that is every fast bowler's dream. The 21-year-old was up against the daunting combination of Dwayne Smith and Brendon McCullum in his first IPL match, and he swung his first ball away, to beat the bat of Smith. The next delivery was pitched on middle stump and on a perfect length, keeping Smith rooted to the crease. It swung away and beat the bat again, but this time the ball hit the top of off stump to dismiss one of the most destructive batsmen of the season.
The first-ball anomaly
The days of using the first ball as a 'sighter' are long gone, as Smith exhibited. Shakib Al Hasan bowled the first over of the Chennai Super Kings innings and tossed the first one up, Smith responded by planting his foot forward and smashing the ball to long-off for four. One would have expected Sunil Narine to be treated with caution but no respect was shown to him either, as Suresh Raina dispatched the first ball of his spell over long-on for six.
The days of using the first ball as a 'sighter' are long gone, as Smith exhibited. Shakib Al Hasan bowled the first over of the Chennai Super Kings innings and tossed the first one up, Smith responded by planting his foot forward and smashing the ball to long-off for four. One would have expected Sunil Narine to be treated with caution but no respect was shown to him either, as Suresh Raina dispatched the first ball of his spell over long-on for six.
The direct-hit
Piyush Chawla was taken for 19 runs in his third over - 14th of the innings - which handed the momentum to Chennai Super Kings, but he redeemed himself with an excellent piece of fielding in the 17th over. Faf du Plessis struck a ball firmly to midwicket where Chawla was lurking. He picked up the ball cleanly and hit the stumps in one swift motion, to find du Plessis well short.
Piyush Chawla was taken for 19 runs in his third over - 14th of the innings - which handed the momentum to Chennai Super Kings, but he redeemed himself with an excellent piece of fielding in the 17th over. Faf du Plessis struck a ball firmly to midwicket where Chawla was lurking. He picked up the ball cleanly and hit the stumps in one swift motion, to find du Plessis well short.
The outside edge
Robin Uthappa has been in terrific form in the last few matches, but today he was reprieved twice within the first 15 balls, in the same position - first slip. Ben Hilfenhaus found the edge of Uthappa's bat in the first over, but R Ashwin dropped the easy opportunity. Suresh Raina replaced Ashwin at a wide first slip, but he could not hold on either when Uthappa offered a touch chance. Ashwin had dropped AB de Villiers at cover in the previous match, and he went on to make a match-winning 28 off 14 balls. This time was no different; Uthappa went on to make a match-winning fifty.
Robin Uthappa has been in terrific form in the last few matches, but today he was reprieved twice within the first 15 balls, in the same position - first slip. Ben Hilfenhaus found the edge of Uthappa's bat in the first over, but R Ashwin dropped the easy opportunity. Suresh Raina replaced Ashwin at a wide first slip, but he could not hold on either when Uthappa offered a touch chance. Ashwin had dropped AB de Villiers at cover in the previous match, and he went on to make a match-winning 28 off 14 balls. This time was no different; Uthappa went on to make a match-winning fifty.