Firing blanks
Dimi's five sixes, Shahadat's and Bond's hat-tricks, Malinga's four in four - all in vain
Sriram Veera
06-May-2010
Pakistan's Mohammad Aamer recently featured in a remarkable five-wicket last-over maiden against Australia, but ended up on the losing side. A look at 11 dramatic limited-overs international overs that didn't affect the final result of the game
Dimitri Mascarenhas goes berserk v India, 2007
Owais Shah was on 107 and Mascarenhas on just 7 at The Oval when the latter took a single to keep the strike for the last over, bowled by Yuvraj Singh. You wondered if it was the right move and your doubts increased when he took an ugly swipe at the first ball and missed. He connected second time around and Piyush Chawla jumped at deep midwicket to take the catch but fell beyond the boundary. Mascarenhas cleared his front foot for the next three deliveries and mowed them all over the midwicket boundary. He then thumped the last delivery over the straight boundary. England made 316 but it wasn't enough, as Sachin Tendulkar and Robin Uthappa starred to take India home.
Owais Shah was on 107 and Mascarenhas on just 7 at The Oval when the latter took a single to keep the strike for the last over, bowled by Yuvraj Singh. You wondered if it was the right move and your doubts increased when he took an ugly swipe at the first ball and missed. He connected second time around and Piyush Chawla jumped at deep midwicket to take the catch but fell beyond the boundary. Mascarenhas cleared his front foot for the next three deliveries and mowed them all over the midwicket boundary. He then thumped the last delivery over the straight boundary. England made 316 but it wasn't enough, as Sachin Tendulkar and Robin Uthappa starred to take India home.
Shahadat Hossain sparkles v Zimbabwe, 2006
Zimbabwe were 150 for 4, and needed 87 runs from 12 overs, when Shahadat began the 39th over. He struck with his third delivery as Tafadzwa Mufambisi chased a wide delivery to give a catch to the keeper. Shahadat then trapped Elton Chigumbura with a yorker and induced Prosper Utseya to nick the next one behind. It was the first hat-trick by a Bangladeshi in ODIs, but it still wasn't enough to win that game. Brendan Taylor combined with Tawanda Mupariwa to take the game to the last over, bowled by Mashrafe Mortaza. And Taylor hit a six - they needed five to win - of the last ball to clinch it.
Zimbabwe were 150 for 4, and needed 87 runs from 12 overs, when Shahadat began the 39th over. He struck with his third delivery as Tafadzwa Mufambisi chased a wide delivery to give a catch to the keeper. Shahadat then trapped Elton Chigumbura with a yorker and induced Prosper Utseya to nick the next one behind. It was the first hat-trick by a Bangladeshi in ODIs, but it still wasn't enough to win that game. Brendan Taylor combined with Tawanda Mupariwa to take the game to the last over, bowled by Mashrafe Mortaza. And Taylor hit a six - they needed five to win - of the last ball to clinch it.
Shane Bond takes three in three v Australia, 2006-07
Australia were sitting pretty at 284 for 5 when Bond began the final over. Cameron White holed out to deep midwicket off the third delivery, Andrew Symonds edged an attempted upper cut to the keeper, and Bond got his hat-trick when he cleaned up Nathan Bracken with a slower one. Australia ended up with 289 and clinched a rather facile win, as New Zealand were shot out for 184.
Australia were sitting pretty at 284 for 5 when Bond began the final over. Cameron White holed out to deep midwicket off the third delivery, Andrew Symonds edged an attempted upper cut to the keeper, and Bond got his hat-trick when he cleaned up Nathan Bracken with a slower one. Australia ended up with 289 and clinched a rather facile win, as New Zealand were shot out for 184.
Zaheer Khan hits four sixes v Zimbabwe, 2000-01
The last over started with India on 256 for 8, but Zaheer Khan smoked four successive sixes, interrupted by a wide, off Henry Olonga, to charge India to 283. Incredibly, it wasn't enough. It was Olonga who had the last laugh. Zimbabwe levelled the scores but lost two wickets in two balls in the final over of the match, bowled by Ajit Agarkar, before Olonga calmly tapped the penultimate delivery past mid-on for the win.
The last over started with India on 256 for 8, but Zaheer Khan smoked four successive sixes, interrupted by a wide, off Henry Olonga, to charge India to 283. Incredibly, it wasn't enough. It was Olonga who had the last laugh. Zimbabwe levelled the scores but lost two wickets in two balls in the final over of the match, bowled by Ajit Agarkar, before Olonga calmly tapped the penultimate delivery past mid-on for the win.
Roger Telemachus loses the plot v Australia, 2005-06
Australia had already stitched up a mighty 381 when they faced up to the 48th over, bowled by Telemachus. Until then, Telemachus had much to smile about, with respectable figures of 1 for 47 in eight overs, including the game's only maiden over. However, he bowled four consecutive no-balls in a ten-ball over that cost 28: Ricky Ponting collected two boundaries with a cut and a cover-drive, and Andrew Symonds hit a six and a four to the straight boundary. Telemachus' final figures read 10-1-87-2. Australia finished up on 434 but still lost.
Australia had already stitched up a mighty 381 when they faced up to the 48th over, bowled by Telemachus. Until then, Telemachus had much to smile about, with respectable figures of 1 for 47 in eight overs, including the game's only maiden over. However, he bowled four consecutive no-balls in a ten-ball over that cost 28: Ricky Ponting collected two boundaries with a cut and a cover-drive, and Andrew Symonds hit a six and a four to the straight boundary. Telemachus' final figures read 10-1-87-2. Australia finished up on 434 but still lost.
Virender Sehwag loots 26 v Sri Lanka, 2005
Set a target of 290 to win the tri-series, Sehwag gave India a rousing start. He smashed 4,4,6,4,4,4 in the sixth over, bowled by Dilhara Lokuhettige, and India got to 61 from 6 overs. They were cruising at 186 for 2 when Yuvraj Singh got out in the 36th, and Rahul Dravid fell 19 runs later. The next five wickets tumbled for 30 runs and Sri Lanka went on to win the cup.
Set a target of 290 to win the tri-series, Sehwag gave India a rousing start. He smashed 4,4,6,4,4,4 in the sixth over, bowled by Dilhara Lokuhettige, and India got to 61 from 6 overs. They were cruising at 186 for 2 when Yuvraj Singh got out in the 36th, and Rahul Dravid fell 19 runs later. The next five wickets tumbled for 30 runs and Sri Lanka went on to win the cup.
Darren Sammy takes three v Zimbabwe, 2009-10
Zimbabwe had struggled to reach 98 for 7 when Sammy began the final over of the Twenty20 game. Elton Chigumbura clobbered the first delivery for a six but fell next ball, mistiming a pull to cover. Shingirai Masakadza holed out to long-on on the fourth delivery, and Prosper Utseya was bowled by an offcutter. Sammy had bagged a five-for, but in astonishing end to the game, West Indies were shot out for 79.
Zimbabwe had struggled to reach 98 for 7 when Sammy began the final over of the Twenty20 game. Elton Chigumbura clobbered the first delivery for a six but fell next ball, mistiming a pull to cover. Shingirai Masakadza holed out to long-on on the fourth delivery, and Prosper Utseya was bowled by an offcutter. Sammy had bagged a five-for, but in astonishing end to the game, West Indies were shot out for 79.
Javagal Srinath gets the openers v Sri Lanka, World Cup 1996
It was one of the most dramatic opening overs in World Cup history. Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana, who were in roaring form, fell to Srinath. Eden Gardens erupted in joy when the openers were dismissed upper-cutting to third man, but the crowds were silenced later by a breathtaking innings from Aravinda de Silva, and then went on to turn against their own team. Enraged by an Indian collapse of seven wickets for 22, some home supporters threw bottles on to the outfield and set fire to seats.
It was one of the most dramatic opening overs in World Cup history. Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana, who were in roaring form, fell to Srinath. Eden Gardens erupted in joy when the openers were dismissed upper-cutting to third man, but the crowds were silenced later by a breathtaking innings from Aravinda de Silva, and then went on to turn against their own team. Enraged by an Indian collapse of seven wickets for 22, some home supporters threw bottles on to the outfield and set fire to seats.
Lasith Malinga attempts daylight robbery v South Africa, World Cup 2007
No bowler in one-day history had taken four in four but Malinga did, and still finished on the losing side. South Africa needed four runs to win with five wickets in hand when Malinga became the terminator. He removed Shaun Pollock with a slower ball before yorking Andrew Hall into scooping a catch to cover. The first ball of the next over produced the hat-trick, the fifth in World Cups, when Jacques Kallis nicked to the wicketkeeper. Malinga then produced another yorker to take out Makhaya Ntini. Robin Peterson and Charl Langeveldt hung in there before a thick outside edge flew off Peterson's bat to end the game.
No bowler in one-day history had taken four in four but Malinga did, and still finished on the losing side. South Africa needed four runs to win with five wickets in hand when Malinga became the terminator. He removed Shaun Pollock with a slower ball before yorking Andrew Hall into scooping a catch to cover. The first ball of the next over produced the hat-trick, the fifth in World Cups, when Jacques Kallis nicked to the wicketkeeper. Malinga then produced another yorker to take out Makhaya Ntini. Robin Peterson and Charl Langeveldt hung in there before a thick outside edge flew off Peterson's bat to end the game.
Venkatesh Prasad takes two, Nayan Mongia runs out two v Australia, 1996 World Cup
Australia were 256 for 6 at the start of the final over, bowled by Prasad. Shane Lee and Ian Healy had shared a 14-run partnership; Lee was first to go, run out by the wicketkeeper, Mongia. Shane Warne went next ball, dragging a catch straight to Mohammad Azharuddin. Healy went next, heaving to Anil Kumble, and Damien Fleming fell of the last delivery, run out by the Mongia-Prasad combination. Australia had lost their last seven wickets for just 26 runs - four of them in the last over, which yielded just two runs. It didn't matter much, though, as India, despite a fine 90 from Sachin Tendulkar, were bowled out for 242.
Australia were 256 for 6 at the start of the final over, bowled by Prasad. Shane Lee and Ian Healy had shared a 14-run partnership; Lee was first to go, run out by the wicketkeeper, Mongia. Shane Warne went next ball, dragging a catch straight to Mohammad Azharuddin. Healy went next, heaving to Anil Kumble, and Damien Fleming fell of the last delivery, run out by the Mongia-Prasad combination. Australia had lost their last seven wickets for just 26 runs - four of them in the last over, which yielded just two runs. It didn't matter much, though, as India, despite a fine 90 from Sachin Tendulkar, were bowled out for 242.
Andy Caddick's four-wicket over v India, World Cup 2003
India were 247 for 5 when Rahul Dravid and Mohammad Kaif faced the last over, from Caddick. Kaif fell on the third ball, caught by Andrew Flintoff. Dravid followed next ball, giving a catch to Collingwood. Zaheer Khan was run out for a duck on the fifth delivery, and Javagal Srinath was caught by Marcus Trescothick. Four wickets had fallen in four dramatic deliveries and India ended up on 250. It was more than enough, though, as England were shot out for 168.
India were 247 for 5 when Rahul Dravid and Mohammad Kaif faced the last over, from Caddick. Kaif fell on the third ball, caught by Andrew Flintoff. Dravid followed next ball, giving a catch to Collingwood. Zaheer Khan was run out for a duck on the fifth delivery, and Javagal Srinath was caught by Marcus Trescothick. Four wickets had fallen in four dramatic deliveries and India ended up on 250. It was more than enough, though, as England were shot out for 168.
Sriram Veera is a staff writer at Cricinfo