Chesterfield ke maidan par pitches hamesha se fast bowlers ki jannat rahi hain, aur wahi hua jo hona tha. Lancashire ki batting line-up ek baar phir tash ke patton ki tarah dher ho gayi. County Championship Division Two ke is muqable mein Derbyshire ne pehle din hi apna dabdaba bana liya hai. Jaha ek taraf England ke veteran James Anderson apni skills dikha rahe the, wahi dusri taraf bowlers ne Lancashire ko sirf 161 runs par pack kar diya.
The Guru Story
Game ki shuruat se hi Derbyshire ne apne इरादे saaf kar diye the. Pitch par ghaas thi aur conditions swing bowling ke liye perfect thi. Derbyshire ne toss jeeta aur Lancashire ko pehle batting ke liye bulaya. Phir shuru hua wicket girne ka silsila. Pakistan ke Mohammad Abbas ne wahi kaam kiya jo wo County cricket mein aksar karte hain: halke pace par ball ko move karke batsmen ko confuse karna. Halaki jab baat international cricket ki aati hai to yahi pace aksar gayab dikhta hai, par Chesterfield ki thandi hawaon mein Mohammad Abbas ne 3 wickets jhatak kar Lancashire ki kamar tod di.
Sirf Abbas hi nahi, Anuj Dal ne bhi zabardast comeback kiya. April mein ankle injury ke baad apna pehla match khel rahe Dal ne bhi 3 wickets lekar dikha diya ki unka rhythm bilkul barkarar hai. Lancashire ki taraf se sirf George Balderson ne 37 runs banakar thoda sangharsh dikhaya, baaki sab to jaise pavilion lautne ki jaldi mein the. Liam Livingstone jaise bade naam bhi flop rahe, jo badi drives khelne ke chakkar mein apna wicket gawa baithe.
Jab Derbyshire batting karne utri, to unhe bhi jhatke lage, par Matthew Montgomery ne ek Masterclass innings kheli. Montgomery ne 86 runs banakar apni team ko mazboot sthiti mein pahuncha diya. James Anderson ne koshish zaroor ki par Montgomery ki solid technique ke aage unki ek na chali. Din ke aakhir tak Derbyshire ne 197/5 ka score bana liya hai aur unke paas ab 36 runs ki lead hai.
Analysis & Numbers
- Lancashire 161 all out: Batsmen failed to tackle the swing and seam movement once again.
- Mohammad Abbas 3 for 49: Exploited the green top but let is be real, it is the pitch doing the work more than the pace.
- Anuj Dal 3 for 49: Successful return from injury, picking crucial middle-order wickets.
- Matthew Montgomery 86 runs: The lone warrior for Derbyshire who ensured they crossed the visitor's total with ease.
- Lead: Derbyshire currently leads by 36 runs with 5 wickets remaining.
The Guru Gyan Verdict:
Lancashire ki batting unke fans ke liye ek bada headache ban chuki hai. Pichle hafte 87 runs par dher hone ke baad is baar 161 runs par pack hona dikhata hai ki unka confidence patal mein hai. Rahi baat Mohammad Abbas ki, to unhe aisi conditions mein khelne ka shauk hai jahan ball apne aap harkat kare. Asli maza tab aata jab wo flat track par Indian batters ke khilaaf bowling karte, tab pata chalta ki "Swing King" mein kitna dam hai. Filhaal, Derbyshire is match mein driver's seat par hai aur agar wo kal subah 100-150 runs ki lead le lete hain, to Lancashire ke liye wapasi namumkin hogi.
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