James Neesham gives nightmares to Thisara Perera on broad daylight with 34-run over

Neesham came to bat in the 47th over.

Published - 03 Jan 2019, 15:31 IST | Updated - 03 Jan 2019, 15:31 IST

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New Zealand all-rounder James Neesham didn’t don the national jersey ever since the Black Caps’ defeat against Bangladesh in the 2017 Champions Trophy in England. However, he was included in the squad for the five-match ODI series against Sri Lanka that got underway today with the hosts winning the opening match by 45 runs at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui.

The 28-year-old had a fairytale-like comeback in the encounter as he went hammer and tongs to score 47 runs from 13 balls batting at number seven. The fact that he came to bat with 19 balls left made the knock look ever more splendid. The Auckland-born cricketer was severe on right-arm fast bowler Thisara Perera and plundered him for as many as 34 runs in the 49th over.

James Neesham goes berserk

In the first ball, Perera dished out a length ball and James deposited it over the cow-corner. Thisara straightened his length a bit in the next ball, but the result didn’t change as the leather sailed over long-on for another six. The bowler tried to alter his line and bowled full outside the off-stump. To his misfortune, the left-handed Neesham was well and truly equal to the task.

The batter smacked him down the ground for another colossal blow even as the bat turned in his hand. Halfway through the over, Perera was under the cosh. The next ball went over midwicket and then Neesham had a decent chance of going for the full monty. Perera lost his line and length miserably and bowled a waist-high full toss and Neesham managed a couple off the ball.

Thisara turned up with another juicy half-volley in the penultimate ball and Neesham muscled the fifth six of the over. Somehow in the last over, luck smiled on Perera as he bowled the Yorker properly and the left-hander could only score one run off it. Other than the last over, the Lankan was decent enough and conceded only 46 runs with the wickets of Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor.