Lucknow Super Giants bowling coach Morne Morkel showered praise on Mayank Yadav for his superb spell against Punjab Kings at the Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow on Saturday. The hosts registered their maiden win of the season as they won by 21 runs.
LSG posted the joint-highest score at the venue – 199 and then restricted the opposition to 178. The key role for LSG in their defense was played by debutant Mayank Yadav, who registered impressive figures of 3-27 in his quota of four overs.
Yadav, who grabbed the headlines as he cranked up 155.8, accounted for Jonny Bairstow, Prabhsimran Singh, and Jitesh Sharma with short-pitched deliveries. Morkel lauded the 21-year-old for making the most of his strength – which is to bowl the hard lengths.
The former lanky South African pacer said after the win while talking to the host broadcasters, “Very happy with the win, first point on the board, it’s a nice feeling. Bowlers took it on a good wicket. They had a good start but the bowlers were brilliant to stay in the game.”
He added, “Young Mayank Yadav bowled with serious heat and got wickets. Very happy for him. He got injured in the first warm up game last season and got ruled out so had to manage him better this time. He bowled 155 tonight and made life uncomfortable. He ran in and that was the pleasing thing for all of us. It was a good wicket and for him to stick to that hard length – that’s his strength – in this humidity in your first game in front of a big crowd, credit to him. Happy with 2 points tonight.”
Yadav was right on the money with his pace as well as accuracy and reaped rewards for the same.
Earlier in the match, Quinton de Kock scored a 34-ball fifty whereas Nicholas Pooran (42 off 21) and Krunal Pandya (43* off 22) played a key role in getting LSG’s to 199.
Lucknow Super Giants will next take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on Tuesday.
