A game of inches may be an apt way to summarise Tuesday’s IPL clash between Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium even if the final victory margin doesn’t say so.
The turning point of the game, after all, seemed to come in the 16th over of Rajasthan’s run chase when Sanju Samson was caught by Shai Hope at long-on a couple of inches away from the boundary rope. So close was the West Indian to the boundary that the on-field officials had to go upstairs for a final decision. And even when the third umpire adjudged Samson out, the RR skipper proceeded to have an animated chat – he even signalled for a review – with the umpires before trudging back to the dugout.
Samson had played a blinder of a knock, a 46-ball 86 laced with eight fours and six sixes. If his shot had carried for six, RR would have still needed a challenging 54 off 26 balls. But such was the 29-year-old’s mood that the visitors had to be favourites as long as he was in. Once Samson departed, Delhi’s 221/8 was comfortable enough to hand them a 20-run win. Despite a second straight defeat, RR are second in the table with 16 points. Delhi are fifth with 12 points.
At the end of the powerplay, Samson had raced to 41 off 16 balls in RR’s total of 67/2. Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal had departed, but Samson kept RR in the hunt by stitching together useful partnerships with Riyan Parag and Shubham Dubey.
If Samson provided the fireworks in the second half of the game, Jake Fraser-McGurk and Abishek Porel set the tone for Delhi after being sent in. That Fraser-McGurk teed off immediately for Delhi came as no surprise. Ever since stepping foot in India over a month ago, the Australian batter – armed with a seemingly uncomplicated hitting technique – has vowed onlookers with flamboyant strokeplay and turned himself into a vital cog at the top of the order. That was the case again on Tuesday as he reached his fourth fifty of the season in just 19 deliveries. Two of these have come in 15 balls.
Fraser-McGurk didn’t even pay heed to Trent Boult’s experience. Having hit Boult for a four over mid-off in the opening over, he took the Kiwi left-armer for 15 runs in his next, ensuring that the slightest error in line or length was pounced on. Next, it was Avesh Khan’s turn to face the heat in an opening over that read 4, 4, 4, 6, 4 and 6. Length balls were dispatched disdainfully on the off-side while a full toss on his pads soared over the long-on boundary. Ironically, however, a full toss in the next over by R Ashwin brought his downfall.
Porel, a left-hand batter from Bengal, took the lead once the Australian departed. Having begun with two spanking fours through mid-off against Sandeep Sharma, he was able to show his comfort against RR’s spinners in particular. When Ashwin pitched short, Porel rocked back and pulled over midwicket for six. When Yuzvendra Chahal went full, Porel skipped down the pitch and lofted the leg-spinner towards the same region for another six before becoming one of Ashwin’s three scalps on the night.
