When Chris Morris’s all-round brilliance nearly carried Delhi Daredevils to victory

T20 is such a shortened version of the game that the fortunes of a team could switch in the blink of an eye. A team seemingly tottering could assume stronghold within a span as little as a couple of overs. Although cricket is a team game, a compressed format makes individual ability shine, and matchwinners, even more valuable. Players who can turn the game around with either the bat or the ball are a premium to any team, and if a single player can do the job with both the bat and the ball, such a player becomes indispensable. Chris Morris is a perfect prototype of that.

Take for instance, the game against Gujarat Lions in 2016, back when Morris was playing for the Delhi franchise. Bowling first, Delhi had been subjected to a T20 batting masterclass by the destructive Gujarat opening pair of Brendon McCullum and Dwayne Smith. The pair had put on a century partnership without even breaking a sweat. McCullum first set the record for the fastest fifty by a Gujarat Lions player, only to see it broken by Dwayne Smith a while later. Although Smith had been dismissed by Tahir, the Lions looked well on course for a score in excess of 200 with Suresh Raina joining McCullum at the crease.

That’s when Morris’s magic dragged Delhi back into the game. Morris first dismissed McCullum with an off-cutter which deceived the Kiwi opener and castled his stumps. And for the icing on the cake, Morris resorted to the age-old trick of short-ball bowling at Suresh Raina and had him fending to short fine-leg. Within the span of a single over, Delhi were back in the game. Gujarat failed to recover from the double blow which saw two of their international stars dismissed in a single over. They only managed to score 55 more runs from the remaining 8 overs, and an innings which looked to be cruising at one stage ended up at 172, derailed by the brilliance of Chris Morris.

But, the Protean all-rounder’s contribution was not done for the day. If Gujarat had put on a century opening stand, Delhi’s innings could not have been more contrasting. Delhi had lost 4 wickets with only 57 on the board and were left needing an improbable 116 off 56 balls at more than 12-an-over when Morris walked in to accompany his fellow South African JP Duminy. The game looked all but lost, and the only thing that Delhi could salvage was a heavy blow to their net run rate. However, Morris did not believe in that one bit.

Morris signaled his intent depositing Faulkner for a six off only the third ball he faced. That was the beginning of a masterclass in T20 power-hitting. Gujarat skipper Suresh Raina tried out death bowling specialists Dwayne Bravo and Faulkner, both of them vanished. Leg-spin of Praveen Tambe? Morris hit him for two sixes in the over. How about some Dwayne Smith? Chris Morris gave Smith a taste of his own medicine, hitting him for 3 consecutive sixers. From a position where Delhi looked down and out, Morris’s innings resurrected Delhi’s hopes and brought them ever so close, only to fall short by a heartbreaking run. 

It is very rare that a player from the losing team is awarded the player of the match, but Morris’s all-round brilliance would be foolish to be ignored. His 32-ball 82 included 4 fours and twice as many sixes. Add to that two key wickets of a marauding Brendon McCullum and Gujarat captain Suresh Raina, Morris had a day any player would dream of. Such is the ability of Chris Morris, and in him, RCB have recruited a gem.