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Indian all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer, enduring a challenging start to his stint with Lancashire, stepped up significantly in their thrilling four-run victory over Northamptonshire on Sunday (August 11). His performance was particularly crucial during the tense final moments of the Metro Bank One Day Cup 2024 match at Northampton.
Early struggles and vital contribution
Iyer’s initial appearances for Lancashire had been underwhelming, marked by wicketless bowling and modest batting returns. In the game against Northamptonshire, he managed just 15 runs from 17 balls as a middle-order batter. However, it was his bowling that turned the tide in Lancashire’s favor during the match’s climax.
Critical penultimate over
Chasing a formidable target of 241, Northamptonshire needed 21 runs from the final two overs with four wickets remaining. Iyer was handed the responsibility of bowling the penultimate over, a task fraught with pressure. His first two deliveries were costly, yielding seven runs with a couple of wides and a boundary. This shaky start could have derailed the team’s plans, but Iyer’s resilience shone through.
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Key wicket of Ricardo Vasconcelos
The crucial moment came on the fourth ball of Iyer’s over, when he dismissed Ricardo Vasconcelos. Iyer, bowling from arꦦound the wicket, aimed a short delivery into the body of the left-handed Vasconcelos. The intent was clear; to cramp the batter for room and force a misjudgment. Vasconcelos attempted to play an expansive shot, shuffling to his right to create space. He aimed to loft the ball over cover but failed to connect cleanly. Instead, his shot skewed high and wide, where the long-off fielder comfortably caught the ball, securing a vital breakthrough.
Here’s the video:
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12 to defend in the final over – Green to bowl it…
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— Lancashire Cricket (@lancscricket)
Finishing touch and Lancashire’s victory
Iyer concluded his over by restricting Northamptonshire to just one run from the final two balls, finishing with figures of 1/40 from his eight overs. This tight finish set the stage for Chris Green, who delivered a remarkable final over to defend the remaining 12 runs, sealing a hard-fought four runs victory for Lancashire. Iyer’s crucial over and key wicket played a decisive role in Lancashire’s success, marking a significant turnaround in his performance for the team.
