De Villiers, Maxwell, McCullum, Gayle and the art of intimidation
No bowler is good enough and no ground is big enough for some players.
A 400-plus total has been posted thrice already in this World Cup and it doesn’t even make sense to keep track of every 300-plus score any more.
Some may blame the new rules that favour the batsmen, some may blame flat pitches, but at the end of the day, it’s the players that run the show.
It’s the attitude and the approach of the players that determines the tone of the game.
And let’s accept it. We are all witnesses to a generation of some very, very special players.
February 20, Wellington
Southee’s taken 7. England are dismissed on 123. The pitch is offering a lot to the pacers. England have world class pacers. But McCullum wants to go home before lunch. Broad is brutalised with a six and three fours. Jimmy tries to peg Baz down.
So he takes it out on Finn in the next over. Six. Four. Four. Six. He’s off strike in the next over. He returns to face Finn again. Six. Six. Six. Six. World class pacers are pulverised. Because Baz wants to go home before lunch.
February 24, Canberra
West Indies are 258 for 1. Chris Gayle has just crossed 150. 7 overs to go. Gayle has hit 10 sixes so far. He faces Kamungozi. A ball on middle stump is sent over long-on.
The next one goes for a four. The crowd hates it. Next one is onto his legs. Flicked flat over square leg for another six. Ends the over with another four, booed by West Indians, cheered by Zimbabweans.
Sean Williams is up next. Gayle pulls a short one away. It’s mistimed. It’s six. Williams goes fuller, Gayle flicks and it’s gone over long leg. Williams goes flatter. It’s sent back to the same spot.
You don’t often see a boundary booed in cricket. It only happens when Gayle is at the crease.
February 27, SCG
World Cup – #ABdeVilliers smashes 162 to drive South Africa to 408-5 | http://t.co/4J2EHcgSbc | #SAvWI pic.twitter.com/e3HeJHEfh5
— Reuters India (@ReutersIndia) February 27, 2015
AB de Villiers walks across the stumps and connects with a ball going way outside the off stump and nonchalantly sends over the fine leg boundary, it’s not the conditions that are driving him. It’s his mental conditioning.
March 4, WACA
A Shapoor Zadran Yorker at around 140kph is slightly off target. Glenn Maxwell casually turns around and flicks it over third man in one swift motion.
There is nothing wrong with the delivery. There is nothing wrong with Shapoor Zadran. Maxi’s just a freak.
