Jab cricket mein aapki peeth deewar se lagi ho, tabhi asli sher nikal kar samne aata hai. Taunton ke maidan par kuch aisa hi nazara dekhne ko mila. Somerset ki team ko laga tha ki Essex ko follow-on dekar woh aaram se match pocket mein kar lenge, lekin 21 saal ke Charlie Allison ne unke saare plan par paani pher diya. Yeh sirf ek century nahi, balki ek Gamechanger innings hai jisne County Championship ki race ko bilkul open kar diya hai.
The Guru Story: Allison aur Critchley ki Deewar
Khel ke teesre din ki shuruat Somerset ke liye kafi promising thi. Essex ne apni doosri innings 59 for no loss se aage badhayi. Legend Dean Elgar ne 56 runs ki solid innings kheli aur Paul Walter ke saath milkar scoreboard ko chalte rakha. Lekin lunch se theek pehle Somerset ne jordar wapasi ki. Migael Pretorius aur Jack Leach ne jhatke diye aur ek waqt par Essex ka score 135 for 3 tha, jab woh abhi bhi innings defeat se 176 runs peeche the.
Yahan se shuru hua Charlie Allison ka show. Is yuva ballebaaz ne Matt Critchley ke saath milkar aisi partnership kari ki Somerset ke bowlers paseena-paseena ho gaye. Charlie Allison ne 219 balls par 105 runs ki unbeaten innings kheli, jisme 13 chauke aur 2 behtareen chhake shamil the. Doosri taraf se Matt Critchley ne 76 runs banakar unka poora saath nibhaya. In dono ke beech 187 runs ki unbroken partnership ho chuki hai aur Essex ne na sirf deficit khatam kiya, balki ab 3 runs ki lead bhi le li hai.
Analysis & Numbers
- Charlie Allison: 105* off 219 balls: career ki chauthi First Class century aur Essex ke liye savior act.
- Matt Critchley: 76* runs: pehli innings mein bhi perform kiya tha aur ab second innings mein bhi khunta gaad diya.
- Essex Scorecard: 158 aur 314 for 3: lead of 3 runs.
- Somerset Bowlers ka Struggle: 96 overs tak balling karne ke baad sirf 3 wickets mile, pitch ab flat ho chuki hai.
The Guru Gyan Verdict:
Somerset ne golden opportunity ganwa di hai. Follow-on dene ke baad unhe laga tha ki unka kaam asaan hai, lekin Charlie Allison ne dikha diya ki temperament kya hota hai. Somerset ke captain Lewis Gregory ki injury ne unhe backfoot par dhakela aur pitch ne bhi bowlers ka saath chhod diya. Agar Essex kal pehle do ghante nikal leta hai, toh Somerset ka title jeetne ka sapna fir se ek sapna hi reh jayega. Yeh innings Allison ke career ka ek turning point ho sakti hai: true grit and class!
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