IPL 6: RR v/s SRH – Flops of the Match

The Sunrisers from Hyderabad struggled in the heat at Jaipur, recovering from a miserable start to post a decent total, but saw it blown away by an in-form Shane Watson, and Rajasthan side. Darren Sammy deserves a special mention for slogging through the heat to drag his side to a respectable score, and for joyfully celebrating his half century with a pacifier in reference to his newborn daughter back home. Here are some whose performances weren’t quite as joyful.

Kevon Cooper – On the wane

Key stats: Bowling figures – 4.0 – 0 – 42 – 1; Catches - 2

After being smashed all over the park by the CSK batsmen, Kevon Cooper had the best possible chance of atoning for his performance, coming in to bowl against a Hyderabad side which had lost more than half its batting lineup. Instead, Cooper continued his act of handing out freebies and loose deliveries from the last game, letting SRH off the hook, and putting pressure on his own side. With the likes of Shain Tait, Owais Shah, and Brad Hogg waiting in the wings, he will have to get his act together if he is to keep his spot in the side.

Thisara Perera – Poor day at the office

Key stats: Batting figures – 4 off 4 (1 four); Bowling figures - 4.0 – 0 – 34 – 1

As someone who has been crucial to the Sunrisers’ early success this season, and has earned plenty of fantasy league points for those who have picked him, Perera let several people down today with his poor decision-making which put his team in a real soup. Batting with four wickets already gone, and little established talent to follow, Perera got out trying to clear the boundary off the wily Chandila and instead holed out to Kevon Cooper. Did nothing special with the ball either, and picked up Dravid’s wicket simply because the latter was trying to smash him out of the park.

Ishant Sharma – Letting the fish off the hook

Key stats: Bowling figures - 3.0 – 0 – 35 – 0

While Dale Steyn was keeping things tight at one end, Ishant Sharma let the pressure ease at the other, bowling some deliveries quite wide of the off stump, and allowing Dravid to pick up a couple of easy boundaries. Could have been much cleverer with his line as well as length, and was punished for not being so when Watson really got stuck into him towards the end of the innings. After an impressive start to the tournament, is in danger of falling by the wayside, and dragging his team down along with him.

Hanuma Vihari - What was that?

Key stats: Batting figures - 4 off 9 (0 boundaries); Catches - 1

With five wickets down, and slight relief in the form of Faulkner and Chandila being taken out of the attack, Vihari should have seen the introduction of Kevon Cooper as a blessing to his chances of posting a decent score on the board. Cooper seemed eager to help him out as well, bowling a loose one down the leg side. Instead of duly running it down to fine-leg, or better yet, to the boundary, Vihari simply let it glance off his glove into the hands of Sangakkara, leaving the Sunrisers at 29/6 and in real danger of capitulating at a shameful total.