Dev Lakra's allround show powers Dwarka Warriors to semifinals

Dev Lakra, the 21-year-old all-rounder who bowls pace and bats in the top-order, has been scoring runs at a brisk pace over the last week. He is part of the Bal Bhavan Cricket Academy and has been representing the academy and its affiliate teams like NK Khanna Club in DDCA League, and Dwarka Warriors in the ongoing 50th Goswami Ganesh Dutt Memorial Cricket Tournament. That apart, he also represented Sahgal Cricket Club in the Tyagmurti GG Dutt at the start of the Hot Weather season.

After having a mediocre outing at Tyagmurti GG Dutt Memorial in mid-May where his highest was 45 off 21 balls in the semi-finals, Lakra has run into a glut.

He hammered 137 off 52 for Bal Bhavan against Sporting Club in the Lala Raghubir Singh Memorial Final on Saturday and followed it up with 40 off 23 balls for Dwarka Warriors against LB Shastri Club the next day, on Sunday, 12 off five against East Delhi Warriors on Monday (both in the Goswami Ganesh Dutt Memorial), and 88 off 34 balls for NK Khanna Club in DDCA League on Wednesday before turning up on Thursday in the fourth and final quarterfinal of the Goswami Ganesh Dutt Memorial to show the other facets of himself.

If anything, Thursday's performance where he took the new ball and picked four wickets and then played a patient, circumspect knock of 44 (29 balls; 3x4s, 2x6s) in a tricky chase on a tacky pitch, showed Lakra as one of those rare individuals who can become a complete cricketer.

Lakra picked four wickets in his first 10 deliveries, sending back the top four batsmen of Haryana Cricket Academy-Pioneer team and reducing them to 45/4 in the fourth over. Those scalps included the talented Swastik Chikara and skipper Himanshu Rana, a seasoned first-class batsman.

Opener Akshay Dubey was the first to go, caught at fine leg off the ramp shot on Lakra's second ball of his first over. Two balls later, Lakra had skipper Himanshu Rana caught at deep long-off.

But the best was yet to come. Just as Swastik Chikara (6 off 7 balls) was looking to settle in, having scored a four off a ramped bat over slips, and Jayant Lakhlan hitting back, Lakra bowled a delivery that moved in enough to beat Chikara's defence and knocking down his middle stump.

Lakra then had Lakhlan (15 off 5) caught at mid-wicket by Hrithik Shokeen off a short ball.

"I tried to dig the ball into the surface to extract some bounce and hurry the batsman (to get Lakhlan)," said Lakra, who has a smooth action and can generate pace and bounce due to his height.

Only Shubham Lamba's 31 off 32 balls (1x4, 3x6s) and Ashwini Chillar's 20 off 8 balls (3x6s) saw HCA-Pioneer get to 157 all out in 18.3 overs.

Lakra finished with 4/24 in his four overs.

The target wasn't that challenging and skipper Yash Dhull could experiment with his batting line-up. Even while on the field, Dhull signalled to Lakra that he will bat at No. 3.

Dwarka Warriors got off to a flying start with Arpit Rana (42 off 21 balls; 8x4s, 1x6) and Yajas Sharma (20 off eight balls; 2x4s, 2x6s) adding 45 for the first wicket. Both the openers fell inside the powerplay.

It was severely hot and the heat broke the pitch. The ball wasn't coming on to the bat.

The left-handed Rana, who had scored well, fell to one of the deceptive balls and was caught in the deep. Pace bowler Luv Budhwar picked 4/20, using slower ones to great effect.

Dhull then sent in Abhinav Tej Rana and Karan Garg for exposure holding back himself, Mayank Rawat, Hrithik Shokeen and Mayank Dagar back.

Both fell and it was left for Lakra to drop anchor and see the innings through. He switched from the game he had playing over the past few days and batted with patience.

"The pitch was dry and the ball was not coming onto the bat well. I had to bat with patience," said Lakra.

He added 41 with Shokeen (17 off 15) for the fifth wicket and 36 with Dagar (21 not out off 10; 2x4s, 2x6s) for the sixth wicket.

Lakra only opened his shoulders towards the end, hitting two big sixes and then falling in the deep for 44.

Dagar saw the team through with some lusty blows.

Tags : Dev Lakra, Swastik Chikara, Yash Dhull, Himanshu Rana, Delhi cricket