Chris "Mammoth" Gayle’s assault on Australia during the T20 WC semi-finals (Oct 5, 2012) at Colombo, reminded one of Tillakaratne Dilshan smashing 104*against Australia at Pallkekele last August.
It was a T20I game, and Dilshan like Gayle opened the innings and batted through 20overs, scoring his first T20 hundred, 104*(57balls)!.
Hence obvious comparison and query, who smashed the most??.
Gayle, too opened the innings, and batted through, ending with 75*(41balls), and he was ably supported by Dwayne Bravo and later Kieron Pollard.
After watching Gayle’s batting, it is obviously very difficult to recollect how Dilshan batted last year, therefore let us see who looks good statistically!.
| Overs | West Indies | Big overs(>10) | 4s | 6s | SS | Sri Lanka | Big-overs(>10) | 4s | 6s | SS |
| 0-6 | 46-1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 45-2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 20 |
| 7-10 | 28-1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 31-0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 15 |
| 11-15 | 58-0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 21 | 41-1 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 20 |
| 16-20 | 73-2 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 22 | 81-0 | 4 | 10 | 4 | 26 |
| End of Inn score | 205-4 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 72 | 198-3 | 9 | 24 | 5 | 81 |
Apart form No.of sixes, there is a lot of similarity in how both teams smashed Australia.
Bludgeoning in last 5overs:- Interestingly 73runs were scored by West Indies, compare to 81 by Sri Lankans!.
Here is how two batsmen progressed during their epic onslaught.
End of 10overs: Fascinatingly slow progress to their onslaught.
Gayle had just faced 29% (18balls) of total balls bowled at the end of 10th over, & scored 26runs(3x6s).
Dilshan on other hand was hardly aggressive, but faced 42%(25balls) at end of 10over, scoring 31runs(3 x4s, 1×6).
However in last 5overs, both cruised and bulldozed Aussie bowlers, yet it was Dilshan who made mockery of their bowling, hammering 63runs out of 81scored by the Sri Lankans.
| Phase | Gayle’s score | W I Score |
| End of 6th over | 16 (11balls) | 46-1 |
| End of 10th over | 26 (18balls) | 74-2 |
| End of 15th over | 50 (29balls) | 132-2 |
| End of Inns | 75* (41balls) | 205-4 |
Bowlers bowling last 5 overs at Colombo
16th over (Cummins): – 1.0.1.6.wkt.2
17th over(Watson):- 4.0.1.0.2b.1.
18th over( Cummins):- 2.1.w.4.1.0.4
19th over(Starc):- 6.0.1.4.4.2
20th over(Doherty):- 6.1.6.6.6.wkt.
| Phase |
Dilshan’s score |
S L score |
| End of 6th over | 19(13balls) | 45-2 |
| End of 10th over | 31(25balls) | 76-2 |
| End of 15th over | 41(36balls) | 117-3 |
| End of Inns | 104*(57balls) | 198-3 |
Bowlers bowling last 5overs at Pallakele
16th over (Hasting): – 1.4.w.2.4.4.4
17th over(B Lee) – 4.w.lb.1.1.1.4
18th over(Watson):- 6.4.1.1.4.6
19th over(B Lee):- 1.1.2.1.0.1
20th over(Johnson): – 0.6.6.4.4.0
Footnote:
Since his comeback to Int.cricket early this year(July), Gayle has performed "mammothly" in all formats.
Here is a brief-
Inns 17
Runs 787
Strike Rate – 101.54!!!!.
Boundary Rate – every 7 ball a boundary is scored.
Nevertheless, its his discipline batting that has caught one’s eye, and if someone(referring to -rash shot selection, & under-performing in major tournaments) like Gayle can get discipline in his system, and project through this format, than both T20 & overall Int cricket has bright future. Playing dual role of a sheet anchor and power-hitting is contradictory to it self, never easy, and cannot be done every time successfully. His unorthodox batting technique cannot(and should not) be emulated by youngster to learn, but since his comeback, only once(all foramts, 17inns) bowlers could find gap to hit his stumps, viz "bowled". His career "bowled" dismissals in all format is 17.04%(67/393), compare to 5.88% (1/17)since he made his comeback.
Hence it would be interesting to watch how he performs against S L tomorrow(6th Oct 2012) in the finals, the stage where in past he has been under performing (10 inns, 318 Runs) T20I & ODIs.
