Return, but on sticky pitch
This was a match featuring the first and second-ranked teams in the table. And the pitch probably played a bit of a play-stopper. The IPL returned to Jaipur after four years. The surface over here used to be known as a belter. Not today. It was not a surface where one could simply go out and clobber the ball. It was evident from the first few overs bowled by the home team. The ball stopped, gripped a bit and made strokeplay difficult. There were very few hitting through the line. Trent Boult’s first over suggested that. And that continued to be the trend of the day. It made easy stroke-making uneasy. In the end, 154-7 became comfortably defendable for Lucknow Super Giants.
Losing a strong start
Rajasthan Royals lost it after a great start. They were 73-0 after 10 overs. They seemed to be cruising. Jos Buttler was not exactly in that mode, but Yashasvi Jaiswal was. They had strung together a partnership which was taking their team comfortably towards the target. That’s when mishaps started to happen. The fall of one wicket led to two and then three. Things started getting wobbly and nervy. It was a match within their grasp still, but this is a funny game. It can punish one for sloppiness and that is what happened. Moments of recklessness led to a situation where things started going south. In the end, that was it.
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An Afghan pacer makes a difference
This guy made a difference. Another of those who continues to amaze, coming from Afghanistan. Naveen-ul-Haq was a stunner. He did not get a wicket but the spell of 4-0-19-0 was crucial. Bowling from around the wicket and over, he kept batters guessing. He got assistance from the pitch and used it to beautiful effect. Here is an exciting entry into the IPL. So far, the IPL had mostly seen spinners from Afghanistan. Here is someone plying the other trade. Batters could hardly touch him in his first spell. It could be said that he did not attack the stumps enough, but he was reasonably sharp and alert, a trait not always associated with fast bowlers.
Collective bowling effort
A team bowling effort it was from Lucknow Super Giants. Of the six used, only two took wickets. As a unit, they defended a fairly low total. Avesh Khan and Marcus Stoinis delivered those timely blows. Ravi Bishnoi and Amit Mishra, the two leg-spinners, bowled tidy overs. Bishnoi was brilliant when he bowled those widish leg-breaks. It was a commendable collective effort from the bowling unit. And a pause in what has been a tale of gigantic chases this season. One apparently low total defended was a welcome sight.
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