Marc Pozzo
England’s rising star Sam Curran claimed the first hat-trick of this season’s Indian Premier League to help his side Kings XI Punjab beat Delhi Capitals by 14 runs on Monday.
Curran returned figures of 4-11 in just 2,2 overs of medium-pace bowling as Delhi lost seven wickets for eight runs and were bowled out for 152 in their chase of 167 in Mohali.
The 20-year-old Curran, who was bought by Punjab for $1 million (890,000 euros) in the Twenty20 auction in December, also hit 20 off 10 deliveries while opening the batting in place of Chris Gayle, as Kings XI made 166 for nine. In the post-match interview when picking up the man of the match award, Curran added he had opened in school cricket but probably the first time in senior cricket. He removed Colin Ingram for 38 caught at long off, but it was his innings ending hat-rick that stole the show.
He had Harshal Patel caught off the last delivery of his second over for nought and then came back to bowl Kagiso Rabada and Sandeep Lamichhane, both on zero, and end the Delhi innings in 19, overs.
Indian paceman Mohammed Shami complimented Curran with two wickets, including the dangerous Rishabh Pant, who top-scored with 39, as Delhi’s batting imploded. Punjab skipper Ravichandran Ashwin, who was slammed for his controversial ‘Mankad’ dismissal of England batsman Jos Buttler in an IPL game last week, also took two wickets. I have said this often enough, this young man is the future all-rounder star of world cricket. The former Springvale, St Georges College and Hilton College scholar will go onto bigger things and I just hope his dad “KC” is watching his boys excel from up above .
While I was deciding to what to write about this week , I have to have another go at the poor driving of commuter omnibus drivers and the behavior of their “TOUTS” who claim they own the road ,and rules are made up as you go along . This is really getting out of hand ,and the ZRP watch all this and do nothing . I travel from the radio station daily in Newlands, to my place of work in Graniteside, with police presence on most corners going unnoticed. How does one address this issue with someone on the 4th floor at the Police HQ ? I would love a one on one, with the head of traffic to discuss this and more over a cup of tea. Wishful thinking I guess.
My beloved Liverpool, kept their dream alive of a first Premiership title with a last gasp win over Tottenham on Sunday . Thanks largely to an own goal. Hey three points is three points and the reds are back on top for now! Six games to go, its nail biting stuff . Before that game I was watching the
Curran Hatrick lights up IPLCardiff vs Chelsea game . 80min on the clock Cardiff leading 1-0 and fans chanting for Sarri OUT at Chelsea. Then all hell broke loose. Chelsea equalized with a header which was off side . Even a 7 year old would tell you the same. However the referee Craig Pawson, and his assistant official on the touch line, were obviously tuned into another zone to allow the goal. I am one for being critical about match officials in any sport, but I do have to defend poor Cardiff City here. Neil Warnock had even reason to be aggrieved with the decision. As he said, “ It’s the Premier league the best league in the world with the worst officials.” Here is a guy, who has done his time in football management, and is trying to keep his team from the drop. You actually can’t comprehend how vital those three points were to him and his team and what ramifications it could have for their survival.
Finally it’s not often we get good news ,however this news filtered through to me yesterday concerning Zimbabwe rugby. South Africa’s senior rugby landscape will have a strong international flavour in 2019, with the return of an Argentinean XV, and full-strength Namibian and Zimbabwean teams.
The Currie Cup First Division will be bolstered by an Argentina XV and Namibia, the SuperSport Rugby Challenge format will change. The status quo will remain in the Currie Cup Premier Division with the Blue Bulls, Golden Lions, Sharks, Western Province, Free State Cheetahs, Pumas and Griquas all competing for the title.
The Currie Cup First Division will now feature eight teams, with the Argentina XV and Namibia battling it out with defending champions SWD, Boland, Griffons, Valke, Leopards and Eastern Province. The SuperSport Rugby Challenge will be split into two sections – North and South – with the top two teams from each section progressing to the semi-finals.
The North Section will consist of Namibia, the Leopards, Valke, Golden Lions, Blue Bulls, Pumas, Griffons and Griquas.
In the South Section Zimbabwe, WP, the Boland Cavaliers, SWD Eagles, Eastern Province, the Sharks and Free State Cheetahs will battle it out.
The Supersport Rugby Challenge will run from the 26th April through to the 29th June . Very good for rugby in Zimbabwe, to lift itself up as we have gone backwards in recent years, with our Cheetahs dominating and our national fifteen main side falling by the way side . Exciting stuff!
