De Kock plays key role in helping Lucknow to IPL victory

Quintin de Kock and Mayank Yadav propelled the Lucknow Super Giants to a 28-run win over the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Tuesday.

Lucknow rode De Kock’s 56-ball 81 and an unbeaten 40 by Nicholas Pooran to post 181-5 at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

New pace sensation Yadav then turned up the heat with his thunderbolts – bowling the quickest ball of the IPL season at 156.7 km/h in a fiery spell – to return figures of 3-14, which included removing Glenn Maxwell for a duck and bowling Cameron Green for nine.

Bengaluru were bowled out for 153 and suffered their third loss in four matches this season. Lucknow won their second straight match after an opening defeat.

The 21-year-old Yadav surpassed his previous top speed, having sent down a ball at 155.8 km/h on his IPL debut in Lucknow’s first win of the season on Saturday.

Shaun Tait bowled IPL’s fastest ever ball in 2011 at 157.71 km/h.

Quick wickets

Bengaluru lost the wickets of Virat Kohli, skipper Faf du Plessis and Maxwell in the space of nine deliveries and three runs.

Left-arm spinner Manimaran Siddharth, who came in as impact substitute in place of De Kock, got Kohli as his debut wicket as the star batsman miscued a shot to backward point and walked back after his 22 off 16 balls.

Du Plessis was run out in the next over off a direct throw and three balls later Yadav had Maxwell out caught at mid-on with his searing pace.

Wickets kept tumbling and despite cameos from Rajat Patidar, who made 29, and Mahipal Lomror, who hit 33 off 13, the chase ended tamely.

De Kock stars

De Kock set up victory at the top of the order with an attacking knock featuring eight fours and five sixes, and put on a key 56-run stand with Marcus Stoinis, who hit 24 off 15 balls.

Bengaluru slowed the surge with disciplined bowling in the middle overs before Pooran, who was dropped on two, hit back with three sixes off Reece Topley.

This story was first published on sacricketmag.co.za. It is republished here with permission.