CAPE TOWN – Proteas fast bowler Lungi Ngidi has credited Dwayne Bravo for his superb spell in Chennai Super Kings 18-run victory over the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League.
Ngidi delivered a masterful return of 3/28 in a high-scoring match at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. Ngidi's entire spell was less than just one over delivered by England's Sam Curran, who conceded 30 runs in one over. A sum total of 422 runs flowed on the night with former Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis belting 95 not off just 60 balls for Chennai.
Ngidi was playing in his first game of the tournament, being drafted into the playing XI for West Indies superstar Bravo. With the veteran sitting out, Ngidi also had to take over his death bowling duties, and he performed it with aplomb, particularly when he deceived Dinesh Karthik with a slower ball to trap him LBW – a skill learnt from the West Indian.
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“There was a lot of pressure, Bravo has been doing very well for CSK. So, I had to come in and fill his shoes,” Ngidi told the IPL website.
“I have worked very closely with Bravo on the slower bowls at the death. One of the slower bowls he has been teaching me for a long time came off and got us a wicket.”
Ngidi also admitted that watching the Chennai batsmen flay the Knight Riders bowlers to all parts had unsettled him prior to his return to the IPL after serving his quarantine period.
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“It was good (on his first appearance of the season). Watching you guys out there dominate the bowlers makes a bowler a bit nervous in the change room. It was good to get out there and a few early wickets helped.
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“Deepak Chahar was on fire so I just tried to back him up a bit. Throughout the innings, I just tried to chip away at their batsmen. They were flowing at a stage, hitting boundaries for fun. I just tried to keep taking wickets.”
Proteas coach Mark Boucher will certainly be pleased with Ngidi’s return to form, especially as South African had struggled at the death during the Pakistan T20I series in his absence.
IOL Sport