5 instances of tailenders hitting good bowlers for boundaries

Whenever tailenders bat, it becomes a matter of profound amusement for all the spectators present at the ground and also for those watching in the dressing room. However, for the bowler who is at the receiving end of the blow, it is never quite amusing. Sometimes even the best of bowlers get hit to the fence by genuine tailenders. Here are 5 instances of tailenders hitting good bowlers for boundaries:

#1 Chris Martin hits Harbhajan Singh for a four

Former New Zealand fast bowler Chris Martin, who played 71 Tests for the Black Caps, had a batting average of 2.36 during his career. There used to be a chuckle in the commentary box every time he came out to bat, and he was considered as bad as they come with the willow in hand. He is only the second cricketer in the history of the game, after Bhagwath Chandrasekhar, whose wicket tally in Test cricket is more than the number of runs scored, and he also holds the record for the most number of pairs in Test cricket.

However, the 39-year-old showed the world that he too can hit fours off good bowlers when he hit off-spinner Harbhajan Singh to the boundary in a Test match. The commentator was so impressed that he called it the “shot of the summer”.

#2 Venkatesh Prasad hits a six off Ian Harvey

Venkatesh Prasad was a pretty useful right-arm pacer who could move the ball off the pitch both ways in addition to possessing a good slower ball. But when it came to his batting, he was pretty poor to say the least. The 45-year-old averaged a mere 6.90 with the bat in ODI cricket, and based on that, you wouldn’t have expected him to smash fours and sixes.

India were playing Australia in the ICC KnockOut Trophy in Nairobi in 2000. India’s score was 259 for 9 when Prasad came in to face Ian Harvey for the last ball of the innings. No one could quite believe what happened next as Prasad, off his very first delivery, smashed the ball into the crowd to help India post a competitive 265 for 9 in their 50 overs. They eventually won the match by 20 runs.

#3 Glenn McGrath smashes a six off Daniel Vettori

There is no doubt that Glenn McGrath was one of the best fast bowlers to have ever played the game. However, as famous as he was with the ball, he was equally popular with the bat as well. His first international innings with the bat, both in Tests and ODIs, were ducks, and after having worked hard in the nets for years with his then captain Steve Waugh, McGrath registered his first and only fifty against New Zealand in November 2004 at the Gabba in Brisbane.

One of the highlights of that innings was a slog-sweep six that he hit off Daniel Vettori, which brought a smile on not only McGrath’s face but also on the faces of those watching in the Australian dressing room.

#4 S Sreesanth hits Andre Nel for a six

There is no doubt that S Sreesanth was one of the real characters in the game. He was unfortunately known more for his antics on the field than for his beautiful out-swinger with which he dismissed many a batsman. India won a historic Test at the Wanderers in Johannesburg in 2006. The man from Kerala picked up 8 wickets in the match and was also adjudged the player of the match.

However, that match is also remembered for another incident. South Africa’s Andre Nel, who was known for his short temper, told Sreesanth to show some heart after bowling a bouncer. What followed was an amazing yet comical reply from the Keralite as he not only smashed Nel for a six but also danced on the pitch, much to the amusement of everyone present at ‘The Bullring’.

#5 Chris Martin scores a four off Mitchell Johnson

The best of batsmen find it difficult to score off Mitchell Johnson, and so if one expects a tailender to hit him for boundaries, then it would be asking for a bit too much. But former New Zealand pacer Chris Martin, who is considered among the worst batsmen to set foot on a cricket field, showed that one could indeed take runs off the left-arm quick when he cover drove him for a four, albeit off a full toss.