Australia’s current tour of India looked a nightmare for Australian supporters until Tuesday morning. After losing the ODIs 1-4, Australia was 0-1 in T20 when the second T20 international commenced in Guwahati.
It all changed due to a stunning spell by Australia’s new left-arm fast-medium bowler, Jason Behrendorff.
Playing only his second international he took four for 21 as India was dismissed for 118. Australia won by eight wickets and the new face was adjudged man of the match.
This is how the 27-year-old ‘Jason Behrendorff who?’ pressed the destruction button, making the overconfident Indian batsmen fumble their footwork.
Given the new ball, Jason trapped the aggressive Rohit Sharma for eight off his fourth ball. Two balls later he caught and bowled skipper Virat Kohli for a duck. But that was just a start.
Off the second ball of his second over he had Manish Pande caught behind by Tim Paine for six. Thus he had captured three wickets for 12 runs in his first eight balls.
But he was not finished yet. He had the attacking Shikar Dhawan caught brilliantly by captain David Warner for two to grab four for 12 in his 15 balls. Indian batsmen found his seam and swing as difficult to read as the commentators found his surname difficult to pronounce.
Behrendorff’s match-winning spell came as a surprise to many, but not to those who follow Sheffield Shield. In February this year Jason Behrendorff had captured nine for 37 for Western Australia against Victoria in Perth. These were the fifth-best figures in Sheffield Shield history and the best since Western Australia’s Ian Brayshaw’s all ten for 44, also against Victoria in Perth in 1967-68.
That February match was one to remember for Jason. He took five for 52 in the second innings to end with stunning match figures of 14 for 89. These are ninth-best Sheffield Shield match figures and the best since another Western Australia quickie Terry Alderman’s 14 for 87 – seven for 59 and seven for 28 – against New South Wales in Perth in 1981-82.
For the best match figures in Sheffield Shield we have to go back 123 years when medium pacer George Giffin took 16 for 186 for South Australia against New South Wales at Adelaide in 1894-95.
Will Jason repeat his success in the final T20 against India at Hyderabad on Friday?
He has yet to play in an ODI or a Test match. Will he make his Test debut in the Ashes this summer? Perhaps it’s too early to predict after one success in a T20 international.
But to me, ‘Behrendorff who?’ has become Behrendorff when?’.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
Behrendorff has been excellent for the Scorchers and WA...when he's not injured. Really good quality bowler.
TheCunningLinguistic
Guest
Posted this on another article, apologies for the cut'n'paste... How good is the WA bowler production line?! In no particular order, these bowlers are all available (at different times) for WA: NCN, Behrendorff, M. Marsh, Paris, Cartwright, Stoinis, Tye, Agar, Turner, Mackin, Richardson, D’Arcy Short, plus relative newcomers, Moody and Kelly. That’s bloody impressive depth!
Adsa
Guest
Watching a left quick deliver a fast and aggressive spell of bowling is one of the delights of watching cricket Kersi and it adds so much to an attack. Oz have been spoiled recently to have Starc replace Jonston and Behrendorff is coming good at just the right time if Starc still gets some back ache. Was their ever a better left quick than Waqar Younis?
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Thanks, JohnB for the explanation. Would Don adopt the WAugh twins, Shane WArne, Doug WAlters, WAqar Younis, WAsim Bari and WAsim Akram as of WA linkage?!!!
BurgyGreen
Guest
Yep Joel Paris in particular looks to be a huge talent. Hope to see him get some games under his belt soon. I'd forgotten that he's played 2 ODIs - I'm sure he'll get a chance to improve his 93 bowling average.
JohnB
Guest
Don is a passionate supporter and advocate for anything WA cricket connected. I think you can then go on and add the normal form of words "in general and Jason Behrendorff in particular", although at different times you could have inserted quite a number of WA names there. Good luck to Don - there are a lot of very good prospects in WA at the moment - Bancroft, Cartwright, Turner, Stoinis and a bunch of bowlers (and a couple of Marsh family members).
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Interesting information, JohnB. Didn't get the Don Freo joke.
JohnB
Guest
Don't go saying things like "Behrendorff who?" if Don Freo is around Kersi! He's been on the cusp of higher honours for a while, but seemed to get one injury or another each time. Incidentally, that's some sort of pace bowling lineup WA is assembling - all the pace bowling (if you count Stoinis) for Australia in that last T20, and the next day a one-day lineup for the state including Richardson, Mackin and Moody plus a newcomer Matthew Kelly picking up a handy 4 for, including 2 test players. Mildly amusing that Kelly is such a newcomer that when you clicked on his name on Cricinfo it linked to the page for an English player, Marie Kelly (and yes, Marie is female). Cricinfo has a page for Matthew now. And that's not counting Joel Paris who also looked a real prospect if he could stay on the park, Cameron Green or even Mitch Marsh or Hilton Cartwright
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
I had not seen the stone throwing incident news. Just looked it up. Cricketers, particularly Aussie cricketers are very well loved in India. This was very unfortunate indeed clearly by a hooligan. Absolutely condemn it and it has been condemned widely. It is particularly unfortunate that it had to happen in Guwahati which was hosting an international match after a while and its a truly lovely stadium where the Aussies played so well. I am sure this wont be repeated.
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
Thanks so much Ouch. Will put it out here when I have the link live for the Amazon Australia store. While I am not sure if I have any influence on how the publisher (or Amazon) runs the discounts, you have got me thinking maybe I can get a couple of copies of the book signed by VVS Laxman and myself for a giveaway to a couple of lucky Roarers who buy the book! Let me speak to VVS when I see him in a few weeks and swing that if he is agreeable!
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Shukriya (thanks) Rajesh. Praise from you, my stats guru, is a big compliment.
Rajesh
Guest
Superb, informative and interesting article, Kersi. Regards Rajesh
Ouch
Guest
Looks like a good read Anindya. Congrats. Discount for Roar posters?? Great to see Berendorff finally getting some game time. Good player. Has definitely earned it.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Thank you, Peter. I wholeheartedly condemn the act of a goon throwing a stone at the Aussie team bus. Shameful.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
All the best for your new book, Anindya. Can't wait to read it. And VVS Laxman writing the Foreword, wow!
dan ced
Guest
Only because Starc can be wayward, and go missing. I think Dorff is more accurate and consistent.. but Starc definitely more dangerous when he's on.
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
Hi Kersi. The picture is of my new book which will be released next week. It's on the best bowling spells in the history of cricket. It's called 'Spell-binding Spells'. Here is a bit about it. It's on pre-order on qmazon india this week. Will be available in Australia in a few days. https://www.amazon.in/Spell-binding-Spells-Crickets-magnificent-bowling/dp/1947988840/
Peter Grove
Guest
Great article, Kersi. I also had not heard much about Behrendorff, except he occasionally played good games for W.A when he wasn't injured. I too hope he continues to goes well. Quite a few Cricketing nations, besides India, seem to have trouble against accurate left arm swing/ seamers. And maybe commentator Brad Hogg will learn to pronounce his name properly to assist his fellow commentators. Or maybe he gets instructions from Harsha. Also good to see Harsha Bhogle condemn the potentially dangerous stone throwing incident to the Australian team bus.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Thanks Anindya. Hope it is this summer. But a single performance in T20 is not enough. Of course he did well in Sheffield Shield also. A question. What does the picture of SPELLS before your name signify? It appears spell-binding!
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Better than Starc, dan ced? Too early to say. Behrendorff has a long way to go. Hope for the best.