Yorkshire ke sheron, kya hua tha us din Clifton Park mein? Vitality Blast 2025 ka match, aur Durham ne tumhe ekdum se patak diya! Matthew Potts ne to jaise bowling mein aag laga di, career-best 5 wickets for 17 runs! Aur upar se Alex Lees, jo kabhi tumhara apna tha, ne 62 runs thok ke tumhari purani team ke khilaaf hi Durham ko jeet dilayi. Haan, six-wicket se jeet, aur woh bhi York ke ghar mein! Yeh to wahi baat hai jab 2019 mein Ben Stokes ne England ke liye Ashes mein Headingley par Australia ko akela hi hara diya tha – ek player ka dam, pura match palat deta hai!
Chalo, thodi si tareef bhi kar dete hain Durham ki, kyunki unhone khel to shandaar dikhaya. Potts ne to jaise Yorkshire ke batsmen ko apni googliyon mein uljha diya. Pehla over hi dekho, Zak Foulkes ne Dawid Malan ko lbw karke golden duck diya! Aur phir Callum Parkinson ne Jonny Bairstow, jo IPL ke baad wapas aaye the, ko sirf 4 runs par mid-off pe out kar diya. Bairstow ka to wapas aana bhi kaam na aaya, jaise 2017 World T20 mein jab Chris Gayle ka West Indies ke liye comeback kuch khaas rang na laaya tha. Yorkshire ke liye to bas 28/3 tak pahunchte-pahunchte match haathon se nikal gaya.
Par thodi si taaliyan bhi bajao Yorkshire ke liye, kyunki unhone haar manne se inkaar kiya. Will O’Rourke aur Jack White ne last mein 28 runs ki partnership banayi, jo innings ka sabse bada stand tha. Yeh to wahi dum hai jo 2005 Ashes mein Andrew Flintoff aur Kevin Pietersen ne England ke liye dikhaya tha, jab unhone Australia ke khilaaf impossible chase ko possible banaya. O’Rourke (21 not out) aur White (13) ne career-best scores banaye, aur 52 runs last do wickets ke liye add kiye. Lekin yeh kafi na tha, kyunki Durham ke bowlers ne to jaise ek chhota sa T20 storm la diya tha.
Ab Durham ke chase ki baat karte hain. Alex Lees ne apne purane club ke khilaaf 39 balls mein 50 banaye, aur Will Rhodes ke saath 60 runs ki partnership banayi. Yeh to wahi josh tha jo Sachin Tendulkar ne 1998 mein Sharjah ke desert storm mein Australia ke khilaaf dikhaya tha – jab ek player apne dam par team ko jeet dilata hai. Lees ka out hona bhi Durham ke liye koi farak nahi pada, kyunki unhone match ko comfortably jeet liya. Yeh jeet Durham ke liye ek chhoti si team hone ke bawajood bada statement hai, jaise 2007 mein India ne T20 World Cup jeetkar sabko hairaan kar diya tha.
Lekin Yorkshire, thodi si sharam to banta hai! Itni badi team, itne bade players, aur ghar mein aisi haar? Jonny Bairstow, Adam Lyth jaise naam, aur phir bhi 128 par all out? Yeh to wahi hai jab 2011 World Cup mein England ko Ireland ne hara diya tha, aur Kevin O’Brien ne sabko shock kar diya. Agli baar thodi si mehnat aur lagao, warna Durham jaise “chhote” teams aise hi tumhe hawa mein uda dengi!
Sources:
- ESPNCricinfo, Vitality Blast Men 2025 Match Report
- Posts on X by @JaayShaan and @YorkshireCCC
