The Desert Vipers became a part of DP World ILT20 history on Monday night, as they participated in and won the first ever super over of the tournament.
Set a target of 180 to win by the Gulf Giants, the Desert Vipers got off to a shaky start, and it was up to the middle order to balance the innings out. This was a role played ably by stand-in captain Sam Curran and Player of the Match Dan Lawrence. Curran scored 44 and Lawrence finished with 56.
And while this pair was unable to finish the job, the Vipers tail conspired to force a super over. For the Vipers, after Lawrence and Shimron Hetmyer had scored 13, that over was bowled by the very talented and highly skilled Naseem Shah.
The Pakistani fast bowler later said he had already been in the ice bath and begun cooling down as no one had imagined the possibility of additional action.
But Naseem did get back on the field with his team-mates and bowled a sensation over under high pressure to deliver for his team a successful outcome.
Match Scores:
Toss: Desert Vipers
Gulf Giants: 179/5 (20 overs)
Top scorer: Pathum Nissanka 56 (29 deliveries)
Desert Vipers: 179/9 (20 overs)
Top scorer: Dan Lawrence 56 (31 deliveries)
Match Result: Desert Vipers won through the super over.
Player of the Match: Dan Lawrence
Here are some quotes from the Vipers Voices post-match vodcast and podcast featuring Desert Vipers stand-in captain Sam Curran:
On the close finish and the Desert Vipers finishing on the winning side after the first ever super over in the DP World ILT20 :
“It is one of those games where we fell on the right side of it. But it is a really good sign, I think, for our team. I think we are still way off our best.
“I think those super overs have got to be quite tactical, I guess. We thought the left-right (combination) with Hetty (Shimron Hetmyer) and Dan (Lawrence) was the right option.
“We obviously did not know who they were going to bowl so it was a case of who was going to show their cards first.
“Dan had a beautiful strike (for six), and he scored a couple of twos. And I think a score of 13 or 14 is obviously a really good one. The wicket was a little bit on the slower side. And then Naseem was great. He held his nerve after a tough first ball. But what a game of cricket.
“What a great game for the tournament as well. And it is never nice losing those super overs. But to win, it is obviously a nice little feeling.
“I think we have still got a lot of areas of our game we want to get better. But to be sitting at three wins out of three obviously brings great confidence for the team and the environment. But we will be straight back into action tomorrow.”
On how the run chase of 180 to win became quite difficult after some early wickets were lost, and how he and Dan Lawrence had to step in and settle the innings:
“I guess it has been the trend of probably our last couple of games where we have lost a couple of wickets really early. So Dan and I decided to just try to consolidate for five or six overs and try and give ourselves a platform, which I thought we did.
“And then I guess when we got to that stage where we really needed to pull the trigger I got out, which was frustrating. And then Dan had a couple of nice hits again to get his 50 and then Hetty (Hetmyer) added a couple of nice strikes. It always felt like we were just one or two hits away.
“Khuzi (Khuzaima bin Tanveer) struck a lovely six, and Ritzy (Vriitya Aravind) got a couple of twos that were crucial to get us that super over. So those are the small things that help you win these games or tie these games.
“I did feel like we had done really well to get that close, I guess. And then a super over is a little bit of luck in a way. But I am not complaining.”
On Dan Lawrence’s Player of the Match-winning knock of 56:
“He is striking the ball lovely. He has been playing really well the last couple of seasons, especially even in the summer with me back at Surrey. He got a lovely hundred from memory and he just has been striking the ball really well.
“It looks like his game is in really good place and he is confident and he is obviously bowling really well as well, which is great for the side. And I think he used his smarts tonight, picking the big side, small side and picking his bowlers.
“And to get 50 off 30 on that wicket was a hell of a knock. He will be really pleased and hopefully it continues for us.”
On his own knock of 44:
“I have been a little bit scratchy the last few games, so when you get scores of 20s and 40s and when you are not feeling at your fluent best, these are good signs. I will take a bit of confidence from that.
“And hopefully again tomorrow night in Abu Dhabi, I can get going. I think we are three from three and the group is in a really good place, which is great because I do not actually feel like we are playing near our best at all.
“I think the coaching staff will agree and so will the players. So we will talk tonight, have a quick assess of where we can get better and turn around tomorrow”
On the team’s chances of doing well against MI Emirates in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday:
“I feel like this year the standard of players and the quality across all teams is good and everyone is getting used to the conditions.
“MI are always a quality outfit and we obviously have got a quick turnaround.
“So the plan is to get to bed, have a good feed and then focus on them in the morning. It is our first game at Abu Dhabi this season and it is normally a great wicket.
“So, hopefully we can play really well. But I think the best thing is we focus on ourselves. We are confident at the moment and fingers crossed we can win again and go four from four.
“It is a process to do that and we are really looking forward to the challenge.”
The Desert Vipers next play the MI Emirates at the Abu Dhabi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, December the 9th, starting at 6:30 pm.
Tickets for all Desert Vipers matches are now available here
