Factual. Independent. Impartial.
Support AAP with a free or paid subscription
Sport
Glenn Moore

Hinge debut eases pressure on Head and Hyderabad

Australia's Travis Head made a streaky 18 for Sunrisers in their IPL match with Royals. (AP PHOTO)

Travis Head's middling Indian Premier League season has continued with the Australian opener out for an unconvincing run-a-ball 18.

Sunrisers Hyderabad still went on to defeat league leaders Rajasthan Royals by 57 runs in a one-sided match lit up by newcomer Praful Hinge's incredible three-wicket opening over.

The 24-year-old's feat had not previously been achieved in the league's 18-year history.

Having previously made scores of 11, 46, 7 and 38 this season Head has totalled 120 at an average of 24 off 79 balls.

Not terrible, but not up to the mark for an overseas recruit at the IPL.

The nature of modern T20 cricket is that openers will be inconsistent. After all, his longtime opening partner Abhishek Sharma was caught at deep third man first ball of the match, slashing at Jofra Archer.

Head's talent, and his record in India, means Sunrisers will stick with him, because he will come good.

Nevertheless, a second win after three defeats in four eases the pressure for Sunrisers who had been missing captain Pat Cummins as he manages the return from his back injury.

Cummins was not missed on Monday as Royals' 100 per cent record was brutally ended.

First stand-in skipper Ishan Kishan smashed 91 off 44 balls as the home team made 6-216.

Then debutant seamers Hinge and Sakib Hussain effectively won the match in the first three overs.

Hinge took wickets with his second, fourth and sixth balls in a barely believable opening over. When Hussain had star bat Yashasvi Jaiswal dismissed for one Royals were 2-4 off ten balls.

Hinge added a fourth off his 12th ball to leave Royals reeling at 5-9.

Ravindra Jadeja (45) and Donovan Ferreira (69) manufactured some respectability but Royals were rolled over for 159 with Hinge (4-34) and Hussain (4-24) sharing eight wickets between them.

"They bowled beautifully. The pressure they had, with the home crowd chanting their name, the way they bowled - it was beautiful," said defeated captain Riyan Parag generously.

License this article

Sign up to read this article for free
Choose between a free or paid subscription to AAP News
Start reading
Already a member? Sign in here
Top stories on AAP right now