MATCH STORIES
Follow UsMitchell Starc did his thing with the new ball in Qualifier 1 on May 21 (Tuesday) and so Trent Boult watched it and said, “Okay, my turn now.”
There was no frameable moment or picture like there was in Qualifier 1, when Starc sent Travis Head’s stumps for a walk. Nor was there the adrenaline rush that everyone experienced when Starc steamed in at full tilt, with the sole intention of knocking over the stumps.
But make no mistake, this new-ball spell from Boult was as much a masterclass as Starc’s was against Sunrisers Hyderabad. A new-ball clinic of the highest order.
Three overs bowled. Six runs conceded. Just the solitary wicket taken but it could so easily have been two or three. Just like Starc, Boult saved his best spell of the season for his side’s most important game of the season.
When Sanju Samson won the toss and opted to bowl first, he knew his main man Boult would make the ball talk in these conditions. And, on the night, Boult didn’t disappoint his skipper.
Boult set the tone for the Royals with a near-perfect first over that saw him do everything but take a wicket. He found copious amounts of movement into the right-hander and used it to his full advantage, absolutely bamboozling both Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli.
Kohli and du Plessis entered the clash tonight in some serious form in the powerplay, with RCB having gone at 11.00 RPO in the 1-6 phase across their previous eight games. But three balls into Boult’s spell, they knew and realized that taking on the New Zealander might not be the wisest of options due to how much he was making the ball talk.
On the fourth ball of the game, the left-armer floored du Plessis with a vicious inswinger that beat the RCB skipper all ends up. Then, two balls later, he nearly had Kohli caught behind: the orange cap holder tried to dance down the track and whip the Kiwi speedster through square leg, but got beaten on the inside-edge.
Boult went searching for swing in the first over — and found plenty — but the ball swung significantly less in his second over.
Realizing this, he not only switched up his lengths, but also modified his lines. Five of the six deliveries Boult bowled in the first over were in line with the stumps; however, the second over saw him go outside leg-stump and across the batter, angling the ball away from the right-hander.
He had the batters guessing, big time: on the fourth ball of his second over, he nearly took out du Plessis with a bouncer that absolutely took the RCB skipper aback.
After two overs, Boult’s figures read 2-0-4-0. No wickets, but RCB, who had been flying high in the powerplay, suddenly found themselves at just 17/0 after three overs in the Eliminator.
A 17-run fourth over — bowled by Avesh Khan — got RCB going, and this was when skipper Samson took the bold decision to give Boult a third in the powerplay.
Despite RCB not losing a single wicket, the powerplay was still in the balance. Du Plessis’ side were only 34/0 but them scoring 25 more and amassing close to 60 was not out of the question.
Boult, however, said ‘not today’ and ensured it was RR who ended up winning the powerplay.
Having conceded just four runs off his first two overs, Boult went 2 0 1LB W 0 0 in his third to firmly put Rajasthan on the front foot.
The RCB openers had seen off two overs of Boult, but they knew they could ill-afford to let another over pass by. So with the scoring rate still not exceptional, both Kohli and du Plessis decided to go for it in the New Zealander’s third over.
This ended up bringing du Plessis’ downfall as the RCB skipper ended up hitting one straight to Rovman Powell, who took a sensational diving catch at deep mid-wicket.
3-0-6-1.
His second-most economical spell in the powerplay EVER!
Two nights. Two powerplays. The two greatest left-arm pacers of this generation putting on a proper show.
The IPL 2024 playoffs haven’t disappointed thus far.
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