The historic spin Kiwi duo (Source: AFP Photos)
In the sports world, there is always room for surprise, and the game of cricket has always proved that. While opening the bowling is usually the pacers’ domain, a recent clash between West Indies and Bangladesh took an unexpected turn, breaking the unwritten rules of the game.
When West Indies took the field to bowl first, spinners Roston Chase and Akeal Hosein walked out to open the bowling spell, a rare sight in cricket. But this is not the first instance of it, as the Kiwis took the step as pioneers in 2017.
Against South Africa, Mitchell Santner and Jeetan Patel became the first spinners to open the bowling in an ODI, creating a rare moment in cricket history. Let’s take a trip down memory lane to the stunning incident of cricket.
Kane Williamson’s decision paves a new way in cricket
In cricket, no target is safe and no record unbreakable, yet sometimes the game surprises by rewriting its own rules. The fourth ODI match between South Africa and New Zealand witnessed a moment of cricket when New Zealand captain Kane Williamson’s single decision became a revolutionary step in the cricket world.
In the ODI format, it's an usual sight of a fast bowler opening the bowling spell, but in the fourth clash against the Proteas, Williamson revamped the unwritten rule of cricket. As New Zealand prepared to bowl first at Seddon Park, Kane Williamson made the bold call to open the attack with spinners from both ends, challenging cricket’s unwritten conventions.
Depending on the situation, Mitchell Santner and Jeetan Patel opened the spell from both ends. Ahead of that, eight times spinners opened the spell in the second innings but in 3843 matches in the 50-over format, they became the first spinners to achieve the rare feat.
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The duo stuns fans in the historic match
Entrusted by the captain to wield their spin magic, the duo delivered brilliantly, leaving Williamson’s bold decision completely justified. Bowling in the first over, Jeetan Patel dismissed Quinton de Kock on a golden duck. After that, he dismissed Hashim Amla, who was aiming for an impactful innings.
On the other hand, Mitchell Santner showcased his remarkable economical bowling. In his allotted 10 overs, he conceded only 40 runs and secured one crucial wicket of David Miller. Following New Zealand’s pioneering move, Bangladesh replicated the tactic three times later, and now, with West Indies recreating the moment in an ODI, it has become yet another memorable chapter in cricket history.
