Martin Guptill comes to the fore, hits maybe the best ODI double ton so far

Martin Guptill single-handedly won the match for the Kiwis on Saturday. (Source: Reuters)

Martin Guptill hit a 110-metre long six and signalled a two-finger gesture to Craig McMillian. He wanted the batting coach to notice that he now has overtaken him in hitting the ball on the stadium roof. McMillian had only one, Guptill now has two. It was noticed, not only the signal but the entire innings, the Guptill masterclass, the sixth ODI double ton.(Full Coverage| Venues | Fixtures)

A World Cup quarter-final and your team is hoping a great start. You have Brendon McCullum as opening partner. You ought to play a second-fiddle and so did Guptill. But not for long.

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McCullum was out early bringing Kane Williamson to the crease to join Guptill. Williamson has been New Zealand’s go-to-man in crisis. This time it was someone else.

Guptill played 50 overs with no hint of pressure. Easy as you like, slowly building the innings and then the finishing touches. It was raining fours and sixes at the Cake Tin, Guptill sending two over 100 metres, beyond all the fielders. Marlon Samuels probably would have thought no one can catch Guptill on Saturday. He will remember this match for long. Guptill was on four when the New Zealander played it to square-leg. Samuels, advancing, attempted an easy but low catch. He could not. Guptill made the most of this missed chance.

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It was no power hitting, just timing and proper placement. He scored 78 of his runs in the ‘V’ and 60 in the mid-wicket region. He rotated the strike regularly. He ran hard and scored easily. He became the fifth player to get an ODI double. The fourth batsman to get there, Chris Gayle, went upto him and said, “Congratulations, welcome to the club.”

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The batsmen who got 200 before Guptill got them in different styles. Sachin Tendulkar’s was the first, a slow masterclass. It was because nothing like that had been done before. Virender Sehwag also scored his double ton against West Indies. His innings was a mix of power hits and flying edges. With Sehwag, it has been always like that. Rohit Sharma has two. First one in Bangalore included fours and sixes, taking the attack to the bowler. In Kolkata, he accelerated like a genius. He knew what to do when. He got 264. Gayle did it in this World Cup. The Big Man doesn’t like running. Gayle is all about power hitting and so was his 215 against Zimbabwe.

Guptill was different. Whatever the theories about small grounds, heavier bats and field restrictions may be, to scores boundaries consistently all 50 overs is some effort. Guptill’s first fifty came in 64 balls. His remaining three fifties came in 47, 23 and 18 deliveries. Such is the ODI game today. He got his 100 in the 34th over and, thanks to some poor bowling, he got to his 200 well before the end of the innings.

It was evident that Guptill had hit form. He scored a century against Bangladesh. He always believed he was due. The crowd knew he was due. “Martin Guptillll, Martin Guptillll!” was all one could hear when he was on 199. No one knew his form will fetch him this.

“I’ve never experienced something like this. A quarter-final and in New Zealand, people backing me,” said Guptill after the match. “It (double century) will take time to sink in. I still can’t believe it,”

Whether he can or not, Guptill’s innings will go down as the best 200 in ODIs. Not because it was the first by a New Zealander, not because it was in front of the home crowd in a World Cup quarter-final but because it was all about timing, placement and temperament. It was a perfect innings.

Source:: Indian Express