Rough initiation for Joseph as Super Giants lose
Fast-bowling sensation Shamar Joseph endured a rough initiation into the Indian Premier League yesterday as his Lucknow Super Giants crashed to an eight-wicket defeat to Sunil Narine and Andre Russell’s Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
The 24-year-old, who bowled West Indies to a memorable Test win in Australia last January but has not played competitive cricket since, finished wicketless in a fourover spell which leaked 47 runs, as KKR easily chased down a target of 162 at Eden Gardens.
Handed the new ball, Joseph sent down a nightmare first over, which cost 20 runs, underlined by six wides and two no-balls, and capped off by a six off the final delivery.
Pulled from the attack, he returned in the fifth over to concede only five runs and then 10 from his third, but gave up 14 in his final over, which included two no-balls and a wide.
English opener Phil Salt topscored with an unbeaten 89 off 47 balls with 14 fours and three sixes, putting on 120 in an unbroken third-wicket stand with Shreyas Iyer, who struck a run-a-ball 38 with half-dozen fours, as KKR pulled themselves round from 42 for two in the fourth over.
Sunil Narine made six before becoming the first casualty of the innings, holing out to cover off seamer Mohsin Khan, who took two wickets for 29 runs in the second over.
Earlier, former West Indies whiteball captain Nicholas Pooran topscored with 45 from 32 deliveries at No. 6. Super Giants struggled to 161 for seven off their 20 overs, after being sent in.
The left-hander struck two fours and four sixes, posting 44 for the sixth over with Krunal Pandya, to revive the innings from a position of 111 for five in the 15th over.
Captain KL Rahul had earlier struck 39 off 27 deliveries in a 39-run, third-wicket partnership with Ayush Badoni, who made 29.
At the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, West Indies fastbowling all-rounder Romario Shepherd went wicketless from two expensive overs and made only one, as his Mumbai Indians went down by 20 runs to Chennai Super Kings despite Rohit Sharma’s unbeaten 105.