Kiwis lost despite a super over being tied beacuse of number of lesser boundaries
Forgiveness please for such an unconventional report. Apologies again for so many exclamation marks through the copy! And sorry for what the newbies of media may construct as verbal diarrhoea. But folks, convention had no place on this Super Sunday in England convulsing under two titanic battles, two ties, four gladiators and a heart attack syndrome that gave agony and ecstasy two bullrings to fight for domination.
Indeed, it was an artery bursting see-saw battle in both the Big Games on this unique English Sunday — gladiators holding the show both at Lord's and at Wimbledon — one a team sport, the other a duel of individual worth, both for the record books, none lesser than the other.
Tennis and cricket — biggest Grand Slam of the year vs pinnacle moment of cricket. If you could, you would match the moment ball to ball, both the white one and the yellow one. At Lord's it was England, New Zealand, England, New Zealand — none giving away anything, both taking everything they could, sometimes the hosts on top, then visitors coming in menacingly. Same for Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. Both places, the stories were not clear, the end result being moulded over by over, set by set to an unfathomable winner.
As England started their campaign to write history, Federer did the same at Centre Court. The first part was England's, as their batsmen got going early in the game. Federer, too, looking at history books for his next title, lost the first set to a tie breaker 6-7 (5-7) and then got back in the game choking Djoker in the second set 6-1.
New Zealand took over at Lord's meanwhile, constricting the English aggressors and getting them cheaply in the duel that the hosts started to lose. At 86/4, it hit panic station for the 28,500 in the stands and millions flitting between channels to keep up with the blitzkriegs in two parts of London, free to air!
Overs 11 to 20 were about New Zealand and their astonishingly disciplined bowling, not allowing a partnership that England were praying for. At Centre Court, meanwhile, Federer lost the third set, again on tie breaker 6-7 (4-7). Wife Mirka in her colourfully white dress was breathing as hard as the Poms in the famed MCC pavilion, with equal ferocity. Federer vs Djokovic, England vs New Zealand, love all, advantage none, as the clock struck 5 pm through the Big Ben bell tolls.
If you could, you would split into two to be at both places if you were a sport lover. Federer came back in the fourth set with a 6-4 victory and the game going into the fifth set and tongues wagging about age vs youth, a vintage veteran testing the comparative youthfulness of a smiling assassin from Serbia.
Back at Lord's England needed 127 runs from 120 balls, with a Santner-Morgan duel in full swing, agony and ecstasy still voting for seats on the fence. Federer, meanwhile, brought Djokovic on deuce in the third game of the final set, with heart in the mouth moment shifting from Lord's to the grass court.
Englishmen, you see, love Federer as much as they have started loving their cricketers recently. Their heart was on both ends of London even as the British Grand Prix failed to generate similar pace and thrill, for once. There was only that much that the blood pipes of the Brits and sport lovers around the world could take, especially when their batsmen were battling their best fight for life in the middle.
The Morgan-Buttler partnership was building up, so was hope for the Blue shirts. Federer, on the other hand, was brought close to a life-taking break in the fourth game of the Final set, drawing in a deuce with brilliant strokeplay. The assassin was just starting to smile. Advantage Federer, advantage England. Game 4, Federer. Thirty-third over, Buttler on 22, Stokes 22 and New Zealand looking for a break.
Federer at Centre Court looked as strong and yet weak as England did at Lord's. Expectations and heartbeats were giving blood pressure pill warnings to even those not involved, across spectrums, across sports, across loyalties.
Deuce now in Federer's court, Djoker on backfoot, much like the Kiwis on the backfoot in Lord's. Djoker takes the game, Kiwis keeping the cordon but not getting a breakthrough, both players, both team holding on to everything, giving their everything to get to the finishing line.
Oh God, Federer broken! The assassin struck at death. Federer 2-4, Buttler under referral for LBW. Both survive, Federer holds serve, Stokes the stumps. Odds mounting both sides, Federer in a last-minute mess, England staring a mounting total and a Kiwi attack refusing to stray, 99 needed from 84, one break needed to get back into the Final set.
Impossibilities have a habit of testing Federer, and England, at the most delicate of stages. Just then Buttler's courageous swing of the bat gets a pressure releasing boundary. Pressure remains on England's Swiss sweetheart, eases somewhat on home boys fighting for glory and space on the sport calendar. Djokovic cordon, matching the Kiwi one. Headline story intros worldwide now giving up and growing up to wait and watch. 4-4 15/15 much too even for comfort, dangerous for Federer. 91 needed from 76 balls, runrate mounting dangerously to over 7 an over for England.
Public caught between fierceness from both ends of London. Just then The Piranhas started playing in the stands as Buttler hit a boundary over Neesham's right. Djoker, saves his game. It's 5-4 Final set in Wimbledon in Djoker's favour. It's a 7.27 run rate staring England with gladiator. Buttler fighting for surge and getting it too. Cut-throat gets new meaning in two sports at the same time. Skillsets fighting for space with staying power, pressure absorption and fightback for the golden chapters of history books.
Federer-Djoker 5-5, England-New Zealand fighting for every ball as a World Cup winning one. Agony becoming the ultimate enjoyment. How sadistic can these sporting icons get, really! And how masochistic too! Would you pay to be in this situation? One in a billion one, could merit a break of sanity and big ticket never before or after opportunity!
Buttler scoops to the boundary, pressure released. Federer 5-6, pressure builds. Heart is for Federer, mind for Djokovic. Heart is for England, mind still with the Kiwis. England will fight tooth and nail against Brexit, even though the Swiss is no European Union votary.
Federer in life and death situation. Has to win his 6th game or go down as runner-up. Djokovic smiling, Mirka looking for emotional first aid. 40-40! Death more than life for Federer. Engineers an advantage! Both game need pressure super soppers. Federer back to deuce! Buttler hits and misses a walk back. Advantage Federer again! Stands at Lord's singing for calm. Federer keeps his game and remember with 6-6 there's no tie in the Final set. England could get to a super over, though with 68 required from 51 balls.
Federer breaks, 8-7!! Buttler brings in half century!! Federer breathes, England too! Federer needs to hold and go beyond glory! England need to hold too, and get into glory! Djoker gets to long rallies, trying to sap the veteran. New Zealand make England sweat for runs, now 57 from 33 balls.
Federer just 2 points away from title! England some way to go. Federer serving for championship! Oh, my God, Djoker deuces him and takes advantage too! Buttler smashes a boundary. Federer battling chemical locha of big moment! Djoker 8-8, breaks. New Zealand do not.
Oh no! England lose a heartbeat! Buttler miscues, goes for 59, again to a brilliant catch, this time it's substitute Tim Southee, running in, stretching and holding on to a low one.
Outsiders on top for now, both in Wimbledon and Lord's! Games lurch, either way! Animation gets gargantuan, heart-pressing. Rallies get bigger for Federer, the finish line for England. Djoker, New Zealand testing the elasticity limit, testing sanity, testing steeliness.
It's 9-9 at Wimbledon, 39 runs in 24 balls needed at Lord's. Nerves come nibbling the home tissue, Woakes croaks, why you ask, as you did not a very long time ago when Federer was at US Open! Plunkett in. Djoker fighting, New Zealand holding their excitement. Calm gets banished seemingly forever from the country. 10-9 vs 38 from 21 for England. Dot is an assassin at Lord's. There's the boundary to make up for it but then another dot!
Its fitness, mental and physical at Wimbledon, same at Lord's. 10-10 vs "We will we will get you" resounding the stands at Lord's! Getting to the wire? New meaning, new break points! 40-30 Federer to break Djoker, England hit a boundary, Kiwis on break point. But no! Djoker holds with 11-10, as do the Kiwis with 27 needed from 14 balls.
Just under two overs left between agony and ecstasy, just a difference of two games for the same at Wimbledon. At 11-11, Federer fights the battle of his life, as does England, 22 from 10. Plunkett gone! Who is going to get who? No one knows, though Kiwis are on top of betting stations now.
Archer comes in. Straightaway it is a six! England breathes again at 16 for 8 balls. Federer 11-11 deuce on Djoker. Advantage Federer! Archer goes! It's 15 from 7 for England. Advantage Djoker now! 15 needed from last over. Deuce! Stokes lifts a six! It's 9 from 3 now. Piranhas singing again! Advantage Federer! Lord's explodes. New Zealand misfield! It is another six runs! A total freak this one but New Zealand seems to have given the match away!
England now 3 of 2. The entire 28,500 standing! 12-11, Djoker-Federer. Rashid run out! It is 2 runs from 1 ball now, maybe a tie, a super over! Yes, super over it is! 12-12 at Wimbledon, and in for a tie-breaker there too! When did the rules change? Never mind! Going Serbian way at 3-1! 4-1! Federer losing it! 4-2, 4-3! It's 5-3, 6-3 Djoker. Federer loses both points. Alas! Djoker is the Champion, 16th title for him, Federer has to wait for another day for another one!
Stokes, meanwhile, walks in for the super over. First ball from Boult, three runs. Only one run, 4 for no wicket for now. Nails have been chewed collectively. Stokes finds the gap into the boundary. 8 for no wicket! Piranhas back to sing. One run in the next. Buttler on strike. 9 for no loss, 2 balls left. Two more with one to go. Another 4! Fifteen from the over.
Kiwis staring mountain much bigger than Mt Cook amid an avalanche! Morgan mulls who to bowl. Jofra Archer is the chosen one.
Amazing moment, amazing sports, amazing sportsmen, everybody a winner here but for the books it is England and Novak Djokovic! Kiwis need 16 to win. Guptill, despite the bad run, and Neesham it is! Brave decision. Archer turning arm. It is the Kiwis chasing now. Sun comes out in anticipation. A wide. Neesham on strike, takes two, hits 6, takes 2. 5 needed from 3 balls. 3 it is from 2 balls for the Kiwis. One more sneaked in! 2 from one, staring at a super sharing of title! Huddle in the middle, both sides. England exploding. England win! Kiwis devastated! Jofra the new hero from Barbados, throws accurately.
ENGLAND WIN. Heartbreak at Wimbledon. History at Lord's. Sorry New Zealand, sorry Federer, you won but you lost.
Incredible England! Incredible day. Incredible fights. Incredible sports. Incredible sportsperson. Where was there any place for convention!