Roshen Silva drives loosely and Trent Boult sinks Sri Lanka

Trent Boult annihilated Sri Lanka quickly to leave them demoralised…….

Trent Boult is a predator on any surface. Be it in a subcontinental flat deck or in a seam and bouncy track, Boult will script Thunderbolts with a commendable effort. Since he burst into the Test scene, quite silently he has delivered some of the finest spells in test cricket, which hardly received the hype and attention from international fans and media. The surprising silence regarding such customers leads to the use of the word underrated, which automatically creates a space to highlight the overrated ones.

But like a Dale Steyn or James Anderson, even a Boult can find the going tough when a batsman decides to display resolve. A pacer is hardly worried about the counterattacks as because there is always a chance to dismiss the batter, but in case of defiant resistance, the chances go down a bit. Again, if a quality pacer can breach the wall of resistance for once, he rediscovers his killer instincts immediately – havoc is created and if the bowler is gifted such, obviously, he does not take time to clean off things.

A new day offers a new beginning. It offers us not to commit enough mistakes. It gives us the opportunity not to waste the hard work done on the previous day. But Sri Lanka’s Roshen Silva decided otherwise.                   

Until the fifth over of the day commenced, Silva kept the basics right – got behind the line of the ball better and executed shots with soft hands. He was needed to do the same for a brief period and gthe ive strike to Angelo Mathews as much as possible. But in the fourth ball of fifth over of Day 2, Silva attempted a loose-drive with hard hands against a delivery, which was pitched up. Boult struck gold and Silva was left to rue about the stroke. In the twinkle of an eye, all the hard work of Day 1 was wasted due to lack of resolve.

Silva departed and Boult punished Sri Lanka ruthlessly. The ball came out of his hand like a weapon of mass destruction, which moved prodigiously – moved in and out from a full-length leaving Sri Lanka tottering. Niroshan Dickwella, Dilruwan Perera, Suranga Lakmal and Dushmanta Chameera could do nothing, but surrender meekly against a pacer, who was bowling in such a manner as if he had just landed from another planet. It was a mayhem, which took a few minutes to sink the Lankan ship leaving their talisman – Mathews – as a mere spectator at the other end. Mathews could do nothing.

Six wickets fell in the span of just 15 balls.

Boult started the day at 0 for 20. The pacer was struggling with form in the opening Test in  Wellington, where he finished with the figures of 2 for 145. But he was just one moment away to rediscover his mojo and as soon as Silva gifted it, there was no stopping to the mayhem. Boult’s spell not only sunk Sri Lanka, but dented them psychologically as their bowlers failed to test the New Zealand batters, who batted the visitors out of the game.     

That’s how destructive a pace bowler can be.

That’s why people love to watch a pace bowler at his very best.

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 26/12/2018 Roshen Silva drives loosely and Trent Boult sinks Sri Lanka

Thank You
Faisal Caesar