Hampshire ka dumkham, jo apne hi ghar mein, Utilita Bowl par, ek chhote se chhe over ke match mein Middlesex ke saamne dagmaga gaya. Socha tha ke James Vince ki team, jo teen baar Vitality Blast jeet chuki hai, apne south coast ke maidaan par koi char din ki chandni dikha degi. Lekin nahi, barish ne match ko chhota kar diya, aur Middlesex ke do chhote se heroes, Lhuan-dre Pretorius aur Max Holden, ne Hampshire ke bade-bade batsmen ko paani pila diya. Ek taraf Hampshire ke fans soch rahe the ke unki team aasani se jeet jayegi, lekin Middlesex ne dikha diya ke chhote se engine bhi badi gaadi ko pichhe chhod sakte hain.
Match ki baat karein toh barish ne poore T20 match ko chhe over ka tamasha bana diya. Hampshire ne pehle batting ki aur 6 over mein 62 run banaye, jo dekhne mein toh thik-thak laga, lekin unke bade naam wale batsmen, jaise Joe Weatherley aur James Vince, kuch khaas nahi kar paye. Weatherley, jo pichle match mein Kent ke khilaaf 63* banakar hero bana tha, is baar sirf 12 run bana paya. Vince bhi 15 run par hi simat gaye. Yeh wahi Hampshire hai jo apne opening teen matches mein ek bhi haar nahi maani thi, lekin is baar unka jadoo kaam nahi kiya.
Ab baat karte hain Middlesex ki, jo aksar underdog ke roop mein dikhti hai. Lekin is baar unke naye naye South African signing, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, aur consistent performer Max Holden ne kamaal kar diya. Pretorius, jo South Africa A ke West Indies tour se seedhe aaye the, ne apni tezi se Hampshire ke batsmen ko pareshan kiya. Unhone 2 wickets jhatke, aur unka economy rate sirf 5.5 raha. Yeh wahi Pretorius hain jo Hampshire ke liye bhi khel chuke hain, lekin ab Middlesex ke liye apna jalwa dikha rahe hain.
Aur Max Holden? Yeh ladka toh jaise Middlesex ka hidden gem hai. Pichle season mein 160 ka strike rate aur is season ke shuru mein do first-class centuries, Holden ne dikha diya ke wo sirf naam ka nahi, kaam ka bhi bada hai. Is match mein unhone 22 runs ki chhoti si par explosive innings kheli, jisme do chhakke shamil the. Unki wajah se Middlesex ne 62 run ka target aasani se tie kar liya. Yaad hai 2019 ka World Cup final, jab England aur New Zealand ke beech tie hua tha? Waisa hi kuch is match mein bhi tha, bas yahan super over nahi khela gaya, kyunki barish ne sab khatam kar diya.
Yeh match Middlesex ke liye ek badi baat thi. Hampshire jaise strong team ke khilaaf, jo apne home ground par khel rahi thi, ek tie chheen lena koi chhoti baat nahi. Middlesex ke fans, jo aksar apni team ke struggle se dukhi rehte hain, is baar thodi si khushi manaa sakte hain. Pretorius aur Holden ki jodi ne dikha diya ke chhoti teams bhi bade sapne dekh sakti hain. Yaad karo 2008 ka IPL, jab Rajasthan Royals ne sabko hara diya tha, kyunki unke paas Shane Warne jaise leader aur chhote par talented players the. Middlesex bhi shayad wahi raasta dhoondh rahi hai.
Lekin yeh bhi sach hai ke Hampshire ke liye yeh match ek chhota sa jhatka hai. Unke paas Liam Dawson jaise all-rounder hai, jo international duty se wapas aaye hain, aur Chris Wood, jo 200 wickets ke kareeb hai. Phir bhi, unhone Middlesex ko rokne mein kami chhod di. Shayad barish ne unhe bacha liya, warna Middlesex pura match jeet bhi sakti thi.
Aakhir mein, yeh match ek yaadgaar pal tha, jahan ek chhoti si team ne badi team ko challenge kiya. Lekin afsos, barish ne poora maza kirkira kar diya. Ab agli baar jab yeh dono teams milengi, Hampshire apna badla lene ke liye taiyaar rahegi, aur Middlesex ko apne is chhote se safar ko yaad rakhna hoga. Cricket ka yahi toh maza hai, kabhi bhi koi bhi team din bana sakti hai, ya phir barish sab barbaad kar sakti hai.
