July 14, 2019. An entire world is watching. Two sides take to the field, yet again; the match isn’t over, even after 100 overs, i.e., 50 a side have been bowled.
Who’ll it be, you wonder? A moment reveals New Zealand to the mind, then another sides with the Kane Williamson’s New Zealand. Morgan or Williamson- you wonder?
Williamson or Morgan-you can’t decide.
And honestly, you are glad you don’t have to call the shots. Some things are best experienced being the spectator.
The life of an umpire, you dread, is something that’s never any easy to bear or live up to. Forget the bowlers, batsmen or the fielders, caught up in that desperate ‘do-or-die’ moment. Best to witness the nerve-wrecking, nail-biting sensation from the comfort of that panicky rocking chair, you think.
Meanwhile, it’s all to play for out there.
Now it’s all down to 12 balls, a super-over that’s going to decide months and months worth of hard work; toil, sweat, tears, fears and all of it.
Jimmy Neesham- calm and cool, more like a chilled out dude and Martin Guptill- redoubtable like that ever-dependable friend are out to bat.
And finally, days after the palpitation-inducing world cup final happened, it’s been revealed what the two Kiwi batsmen shared with each other.
To this day, one didn’t quite know what Neesham and Guptill had exchanged with each other in the middle of all that nervy madness.
But now we know.
And here’s the truth.
What Jimmy Neesham said to his batting partner Martin Guptill, during the titillating Super-over final was a bit unpredictable albeit not so serious thing.
In a recent interview given to a respected English journal, Jimmy Neesham revealed what exactly he said to ‘Guppy,’ his partner at the other end.
And would you believe it, it must be asked?
In his own words, Neesham was quoted as saying, “"I turned to him and said 'From batting together at Ken Maunder Park 2009, to a World Cup final at Lord's – how good is this?' And we had a little laugh and walked out.
The cards didn't fall our way that day, but I'm still very proud of how we went out and took the game on and maybe in four years' time, it will be different.”
What followed on the final ball, of course, was a heart shattering run-out of Martin Guptill, who was caught well short of the second single that he was unable to take.
Meanwhile, Neesham had collected 13 runs of his own, including a huge six off Joffra Archer.
Now, when you think of what Neesham had to say to his more experienced batting partner, then given the actual light-heartedness of the content, it does appear that the leftie’s comments were essential for Guptill, who had to endure perhaps the most serious, toughest moment of all his playing career.
