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Senior Sports Editor
FORMER Zimbabwe schoolboy sensation, Sam Curran, became the first player to secure a King Pair at Lord’s, the home of international cricket, in the drama which culminated in India securing a 151-run win over England.
The visitors have now taken a 1-0 lead after sensational bowling by Mohammed Siraj finally shattered the English rearguard in the final overs of one of best Test matches in recent years.
But, it’s one of those days all-rounder Curran, the son of former Zimbabwe star and coach, Kevin, would certainly want to forget in a hurry.
England were already on the ropes, but fighting with everything they have, by the time Curran came in after the dismissal of another all-rounder, Moeen Khan.
Having been dismissed first ball, in the first innings, Curran was facing the possibility of becoming the first cricketer, in the history of Test matches at Lord’s, to secure a King Pair.
His worst fears came true moments later, when the outstanding Siraj sent down a beauty, perfect line and length, which kissed the edge of Curran’s bat, into the hands of wicketkeeper, Rishabh Pant, leaving the hosts at 90-7.
While they fought gallantly after that, England could not survive the onslaught and, in the final overs of a riveting contest, the Indians completed their victory.
Lord’s has hosted Test matches since the first showdown between England and Australia in July 1884.
But, the famous ground has never witnessed a King Pair, in a Test match, until Curran suffered his miserable fate.
A pair is when a batsman is dismissed for a duck in both innings, and this has happened quite often in the game.
But a King Pair is when one falls to the first ball he faces in both innings, and this is rare.
He is not the first English player, to secure a King Pair, given James Anderson and William Attewel have suffered such a fate, in the past, and he is the 22nd player, to be dismissed in such fashion.
But, he is the first player to be dismissed in such brutal fashion, at Lord’s.
Curran, though, will recover from this as he is being touted as the next best thing, in English cricket.
His talent was obvious, when he was just 13, as he won the 2011 CBZ Bank’s Best Zimbabwean Schools Cricketer and Player of the Tournament, at the EJCCA Festival in South Africa.
Back then, he was a schoolboy playing for the Zimbabwe Under-13 national team.
His teammates, for the 2011–12 Cricket South Africa Under-13 Week tournament, were Walter Huchu (captain), Matthew Conolly, Angus Curtis, Keith Jaure, Adriaan Kok, Kundai Matigimu, Wallace Mubaiwa, Ryan Murray, Davis Murwendo, Jayden Schadendorf, Brendan Sly and Nicholas Welch.
Curran played five matches, in that tournament, scoring 67 runs and took three wickets.
Online Reporter
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