Cricket Xtra: Neville Madziva and the art of death bowling

Sport360 staff 15:14 20/06/2016
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Zimbabwe lead the T20I series: 1-0.

    Bowling the last over in a T20 match is an art. And if your team is defending eight runs with Mahendra Singh Dhoni facing the first ball, it becomes a tactical strike.

    The India wicketkeeper batsman has won so many matches in the last over on his own, the first T20 match against Zimbabwe was assumed to be in the bag when the 20th over began. But cricket can be a very fickle game, as Dhoni and a very young and inexperienced Indian team found out.

    Neville Madziva is just in his second season at world level and has not even played 20 international matches. He doesn’t bowl too quick nor does he move the ball extravagantly.

    In fact, it should have been a no-contest against one of the hardest hitters of the ball the world has seen. But Madziva bowled six nearperfect deliveries, in the circumstances, to steal a two-run win for Zimbabwe. Here we take a look at what made those six balls special:

    BALL ONE: Full, wide ball which Dhoni can only drill down the ground for a single.

    BALL TWO: Full delivering moving away from Axar Patel, hit cleanly but straight to long off.

    BALL THREE: Another wide, full delivery to Dhoni which is struck to cover.

    BALL FOUR: New man Rishi Dhawan shuffles across, Madziva bowls almost on the side of the pitch. No run.

    BALL FIVE: Dhawan moves across again, misses a similar delivery bowled but the umpire unfairly calls it a wide.

    BALL FIVE: One more full delivery close to being called a wide, Dhawan slices it towards third man.

    BALL SIX: Dhoni unwinds, Madziva bowls full and wide once again. Batsman loses his balance trying to hit it over the infield, finds the fielder at deep cover. Game over.

    After the match, Dhoni said the last ball bowled by Madziva was excellent. I felt the entire over was a masterclass in death bowling.

    Predictability is a dangerous trait for a bowler in T20s but so intent where the India batsmen to play innovative shots, their found different problems to basically the same delivery. What struck me the most was the simplicity of the plan where six wide and full deliveries did the trick.

    It was in stark contrast to the philosophy of India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who during the recently concluded IPL had stated that in order to survive in the T20 era, bowlers might have to resort to six perfectly planned ‘poor’ balls which would surprise the batsmen into playing false shots. But going back to the basics every now and then isn’t such a bad idea either. Because it keeps everyone honest.

    FROM ANOTHER ERA

    Usman Khawaja is an extremely talented batsman, arguably one of the top three in Australia at the moment. After five years on the domestic and international scene, he seems to have cracked the code.

    With more than 1000 Test runs including four centuries and nearly 300 runs in nine ODIs under his belt, Khawaja seems to have settled down into his role as a reliable top order batsman for Australia.

    But for all the talent and languid strokeplay, Khawaja comes with a flaw. The 29-year-old’s fielding standards and general fitness levels are not up to scratch. And in 2016, it’s a serious weakness to have.

    In the ongoing tri-series in the West Indies, both sides of Khawaja’s game were on display against the Caribbean side.

    After scoring a silken 98, Khawaja was run out trying to go for a third run. The left-hander then spilled two chances early in the Windies’ chase that enabled the hosts to set a platform from where they dictated terms and ultimately won the game.

    The Australians are known for their high fielding and fitness standards but Khawaja failing on both counts.

    With world cricket moving towards the ‘total batting’ concept of Virat Kohli, David Warner and AB de Villiers where flawless technique, supreme fitness and uncomplicated strokeplay combine seamlessly, Khawaja sticks out. There simply isn’t any space for talented players who are slow movers or a burden on the field.

    Even if an Inzamam-ul-Haq were to restart his career now, he would struggle to make the cut because speed and agility is a requisite even in Tests.

    The Australians are acutely aware of Khawaja’s shortcomings and I don’t know how patient they will remain if Khawaja continues to fall short in the field and even in running between the wickets. Kohli and Dhoni have transformed running twos and threes into an art form and any top order batsman who does not aspire to reach those levels is in danger of being left behind.

    At the age of 29, it won’t be easy for Khawaja to push his body and find a new gear in him as he has endured some serious hamstring issues in the past. But in the competitive world of batting, he won’t be able to hide his limitations for long.

    Recommended