IPL 2020 | SRH vs KKR: Hits and Flops as Lockie Ferguson bowls over Warner and Co.

Not often do you see a bowler playing his first match in the tournament win it for his team in the super over especially after having single headedly taken them through in the regular time as well. But Lockie Ferguson did it as his brilliant spell both in the regular time and in the super over led to a victory for KKR in Abu Dhabi, their first after two humiliating defeats and a mid-season captaincy change. 

Having lost the toss and batted first, KKR were bailed out by their current and former captains in the form of Eoin Morgan and Dinesh Karthik after the start given by their openers, suddenly seemed like a waste after three quick wickets. But Karthik’s quickfire 29 off 14 and a good partnership of 58 from 30 among them helped Kolkata reach a respectable and fighting total of 163. 

But their bowlers came out the real hero, led by the man with the mustache, Ferguson.  Even after a strong partnership from the opening pair of Kane Williamson and Jonny Bairstow, the KKR bowlers pulled thing back courtesy of a mini-collapse caused by Ferguson and well supported by the rest.  Eve a late strive by Warner could only take them to a super over, where they were humbled by Ferguson once again. 

On that note, let us look at the Hits and Flops from the game in the segment below. 

Hits

#1 Lockie Ferguson

Coming to bowl when the team was down and out, Ferguson’s early strike jolted the Sunrisers and as if the wicket of a settled Kane Williamson was an upset, that of Priyam Garg and Manish Pandey, after they went out without troubling the scorers much, definitely shocked the entire team. Ferguson’s best however came when he was reintroduced in the attack in the 18th over when he just gave seven runs and bowled two dot balls as well when the asking rate was at more than 12 an over. 

He brought the team back into the game as now 30 were needed of the two. But as the game went into the Super Over, and with him bowling the super over, Ferguson did what most players haven’t in the league, picked two wickets and gave away just two runs, winning the game for his team. 

If the entire match is taken into perspective, then it was actually a five-wicket haul for the Kiwi as he took three in the regular game and two in the Super Over. He finished with the figures of 3/15 in his quota of four overs and for winning the match, was adjudged Man of the Match. 

#2 Dinesh Karthik

It was a rare occasion for the viewers as it was the second time only in nine matches that Karthik entered the list as a batsman. He made a quickfire 29 0ff 14 deliveries and the knock included two sixes and two fours. 

Karthik’s 58 run partnership with Morgan was one of the turning points of the game as that led to a respectable total for the team.  

#3 Eoin Morgan

The captain was in full touch today as he not only scored a quick run but also rotated his bowlers in such a way that the team was able to defend the total. Ferguson in his post-match interview also said that it was the ‘calmness of Morgs’ that helped him deliver the way he did. 

In his innings of 39 off 23 balls, Morgan hit two fours and two sixes. His perseverance with Ferguson also paid dividends in the Super Over and his calmness in scoring the three runs required was also brilliant. 

Flops

#1 Andre Russell

Although ended up on the winning side Russell’s performance with the bat and the ball were nothing but forgetful. Having failed with the bat earlier in the day, he was entrusted with the responsibility of defending 17 runs in the last over, but ended up conceding those 17 and tied the game. The fact that he was almost limping by the end of his spell, also shows that he was not fully fit, another matter where he lagged as a utility player.  

In batting too, he could not build a partnership with captain Morgan and was dismissed cheaply for just 9 off 11 balls. 

#2 Basil Thampi

Basil Thampi was playing his first game in the tournament and bowled well in the initial overs. But the way he was taken for cleaners in the last over is something that is a lesson for the young guys on where not to bowl in the death.  

From giving just six runs in his first over and hitting good areas,   Thampi ended his spell with the figures of 1/46 in four overs and the 167 runs that he gave in the last over made all the difference in the end as every run counted. 

Special  Mention: Manish Pandey

At a time when the team lost three quick wickets, it was expected from an experienced Manish Pandey that he would stick around and play the anchor as Warner and Co. accelerated. However, that could not happen as the Karnataka man was bamboozled by a brilliant Yorker from Ferguson. Not being able to deliver when required makes him a special flop in the game.

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