Kieron Pollard might have announced his retirement from international cricket as well as the IPL, but the West Indies powerhouse showcased he still has a lot of fuel left in his tank. Kieron Pollard launched a brutal assault on wrist-spinner Rashid Khan during The Hundred contest. Southern Brave’s Kieron Pollard smashed Rashid of Trent Rockets for five consecutive sixes in an over.
Kieron Pollard delivered a game-changing performance to help Southern Brave chase down 127 runs with just one ball to spare at the Rose Bowl in Southampton on August 10, Saturday.
Pitch and Toss
The Rose Bowl in Southampton is known for its slower pitch that demands patience and skill from batsmen, especially early in their innings. The weather is expected to be sunny, with minimal chances of rain interrupting the proceedings.
Southern Braves skipper James Vince won the toss and chose to bowl with Danny Briggs coming in for Jamie Overton. Trent Rockets skipper Lewis Gregory batting first made no changes in the playing XI.
Chris Jordan 3-fer restricts Trent Rockets to 126 for 8
Tom Banton was fast out of the traps for the Rockets, dispatching Akeal Hossein for three fours and a six in the first 10 deliveries. Adam Lyth hit a brace of boundaries in Tymal Mills’ opening over but Banton (30 from 17) holed out to Pollard at long-on in Danny Briggs’ opening set and the Rockets stuttered.
Lyth (16) was caught in the deep off Hossein, Briggs had Alex Hales (15) stumped and Jofra Archer dismissed Joe Root (16) with a leg-cutter which took a thick outside edge and flew to Davies, who snaffled a screamer. Mills’ third set proved expensive, leaking three boundaries as Rovman Powell (16) and Lewis Gregory (19) threatened to tee-off, but Jordan dismissed the Windies T20 skipper before Archer, who finished with 2-18, accounted for Gregory with a well-executed slower ball.
The Rockets could only manage 10 runs from the final 10 deliveries to finish on 126 for 8, Jordan dismissing Rashid and Luke Wood to finish with 3 for 22 and cap a superb bowling performance from the hosts.
Tom Banton gave Rockets a blistering start, hitting Akeal Hossein for a flurry of boundaries. Once Danny Briggs got rid of him, Hossein staged a strong comeback with Adam Lyth’s wicket. The middle order failed to fire though as Alex Hales, Joe Root and Rovman Powell were all dismissed after getting starts. Brave’s strong finish with the ball kept the batting side to 126, a total they managed to get past right at the death.
Kieron Pollard blitzes Rashid Khan for 5 sixes to see Brave home
A stunning blitz from Kieron Pollard helped Southern Brave beat Trent Rockets in a thrilling encounter. Brave were struggling in the run chase despite the 43-run opening partnership between Alex Davies and James Vince. Once Sam Cook broke that partnership, wickets fell in heaps as Brave lost Andre Fletcher, Leus du Plooy and Laurie Evans for single-digit scores.
The well-set Vince also fell as a result of a top edge as Rockets took complete control of the game. From thereon, the bowling side would have fancied their chances to close out the game in their favour. However, Kieron Pollard stunned them by smashing five sixes in a row off star bowler Rashid Khan completely turning the game around. Kieron Pollard was run out after fetching two more boundaries before the lower order dragged them home with only a ball to spare.
Kieron Pollard had struggled his way to 6 from 14 balls in a contest which appeared to be slipping away from the hosts before he dispatched Rashid Khan for five consecutive sixes in one set. The former Windies captain was run out after making 45 from 23 balls but Chris Jordan held his nerve, hitting the penultimate delivery of the match for four to see Brave home.
Brave had been cruising at 43 for 0 in pursuit of 127 but the innings stalled after Alex Davies nicked behind off Sam Cook for a sprightly 28 and Andre Fletcher was cleaned up by a Rashid googly. John Turner, who had to be removed from the attack in his previous match after bowling successive beamers, produced a brilliant spell of fast bowling, taking 3 for 24 including the prize scalp of James Vince for 28, before Kieron Pollard turned the match on its head.
Presentations and Road Ahead
Meerkat Player of the Match Kieron Pollard said : Had to make a play at some point, it wasn’t not an easy pitch to come in and get going straightaway. Had to calculate and pick my bowler, had a better chance going into the small side (against Rashid) and luckily it came off.
Lucky enough to play a lot against him (Rashid) he is a world-class bowler and got me out a lot of times as well. I just backed my strengths (talking about his 5 successive sixes) which is to hit straight and he bowled 3 full balls in my arc.
This is one of those days I get to stay on the other side (talking about the battle with Rashid). We shouldn’t have put ourselves in that position to be honest (talking about the target required from the last 20 balls), but having played and been in such situations many times it is all about calculating what can be done. Hopefully some lessons learnt and we won’t put ourselves in such a situation next time around.
Superb game and it took so many turns and twists before the Brave came out on top. The openers started well but soon a collapse saw them fall behind. When Vince – the in-form player went to a good catch at third man, it looked tough for the Brave. Kieron Pollard and Hossein really struggled after that and when Rashid Khan came on, things looked bleak.
But in a brute reminder of what Kieron Pollard could do, even after having retired internationally and from certain leagues, he tore one of the great white-ball bowlers in the world currently apart, smashing 5 sixes in a row off that set.
That turned the game around totally on its head. But there was another twist as Kieron Pollard was run-out to give the Rockets hope again. It got tougher with four needed off two balls but Jordan struck a boundary to seal things. Fifth win for the Brave after today and sees them on 2nd place in the table.
The Rockets will be gutted that they lost this from a winnable position especially with the way Pollard turned it around. Also injury concerns for Imad Wasim and Rashid Khan who both hobbled off. Remains to be seen what the extent of their injuries are.