Cameron Green has underlined his all-round brilliance again but it was his Australian adversary Nathan Ellis, who ended with the last laugh in their Indian Premier League joust.
Green, talked of as a once-in-a-generation allrounder, put on another dazzling display, clouting a quickfire 67 as his Mumbai Indians side tried to chase down Punjab Kings’ formidable total of 8-214 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Saturday.
But just when he appeared to be putting them on the fast track to a victory at 2-159, Green’s wicket was snaffled by a nice bit of trickery from impact substitute Ellis, whose slower, back-of-the-hand delivery was sliced high to cover into the safe hands of England’s Sam Currran.
It was the turning point in the match, after Green had looked so imperious again in crashing six fours and three huge sixes in his 43-ball knock, having reached his half-century off 36.
Even some familiar late-innings pyrotechnics from Tim David, who hit an unbeaten 25 off 13 balls, including a 114-metre six – the second biggest in the league this year – wasn’t enough to guide the home side home as Mumbai, on 6-201, fell short by 13 runs.
With 16 needed off the last over, Arshdeep Singh took two wickets in two balls – breaking two stumps in the process – to seal the win.
Earlier, Green had Punjab opener Matt Short caught at midwicket for 11 (off 10 balls) as he ended up taking 2-41 off his four overs, while another Aussie Jason Behrendorff took 1-41 off three.
Ellis, who’d just been hit for six and four by Green, got his revenge the very next ball – the key reward even though he ended being clouted for 44 in total off his four overs.
In the day’s early game at Lucknow, the Gujarat Titans were indebted to veteran pacer Mohit Sharma, who delivered a superb four-wicket death over to seal their seven-run victory over Lucknow Super Giants.
He picked up two wickets for himself in that final over – including Australian Marcus Stoinis, caught at long-on for a golden duck – and there were two run outs as the four wickets fell in consecutive balls.
It was a hugely disappointing conclusion for allrounder Stoinis, who had earlier taken 2-20 in three excellent overs as Gujarat were reduced to 6-135 off their 20 overs.
Only a 50-ball 66 from captain Hardik Pandya made the total respectable, before Stoinis had him caught at long-on off a slower one.
Captain KL Rahul proved Lucknow’s rock again, but may regret having slowed down later in his knock, leaving his side without an anchor once he departed at the start of that fateful final over.
Aussies in IPL 2023
Delhi Capitals: Mitch Marsh ($1.2m), David Warner ($1.16m)
Gujarat Titans: Matthew Wade ($446,000)
Lucknow Super Giants: Marcus Stoinis ($1.7m), Daniel Sams ($135,000)
Mumbai Indians: Tim David ($1.53m), Cameron Green ($3.15m), Jason Behrendorff ($135,000)
Punjab Kings: Nathan Ellis ($135,000), Matt Short ($36,000)
Rajasthan Royals: Adam Zampa ($270,000)
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Josh Hazlewood ($1.4m), Glenn Maxwell ($2m)
Figures represent auction price in Australian dollars at time of sale
