Salt takes down Archer's leg-side trap

Royals had a plan against Salt and it went okay for a while but then it all went downhill

Sidharth Monga13-Apr-20251:43

Rapid fire: Is Salt RCB’s best addition at the auction?

Rajasthan Royals (RR) had one of those days against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) where they didn’t seem to be able to get anything right on the field. Catches went down, a bowler disgusted at the fielding wasn’t in place to collect a throw for a run-out, their two big Sri Lankan spinners kept missing their lengths, and they bowled seven wides. Those innocuous down-the-leg-side ones and not the ones where you overcook defensive lines. That, though, is an execution problem. You can count on them to come out with plans that push the batters.One such plan, which was also executed for a while, was for Phil Salt. In particular, his contest against team-mate and friend at England, Sussex and Barbados when they were growing up, Jofra Archer. They had faced each other in the nets for sure, but never in a match. Salt teased some plans that he didn’t want to reveal. Archer’s hand was obvious: both deep fielders on the leg side, and Archer’s natural movement back in for the right-hand batter.Related

• Kohli makes chasing a total 'look so easy', says Chawla

• RCB extend winning run away from home

• Technical changes unlock Padikkal's ball-striking

A high-risk plan but one that makes sense for Salt, who loves to stay leg side of the ball and crash it through the off side: Archer’s pace, movement back in, and a 5-4 leg-side field. In the first over, Archer took away moral victories. The first ball nipped back in sharply, brushed the back pad and flew wide of wicketkeeper Sanju Samson. The next ball followed him again and hit him in the body. The fourth flew off the top edge on the hook for a six. The next one hit the pad even before he could react. The last ball of the over nearly had him lbw but Salt had moved across just enough for the umpire to rule the ball hit him outside the line. DRS would have returned an umpire’s call.Phil Salt peppered the leg side•Associated PressIn Archer’s next over, though, Salt took away both runs and moral victories. On air, Ian Bishop said he had never seen Salt do what he did. He said Salt’s coach at The Hundred, Simon Katich, hadn’t seen anything like this from either. Salt started to jump across to well outside off even before Archer released the ball, and kept hitting into the leg side. He kept taking on the two deep leg-side fielders. The first shot evaded deep square leg narrowly. The six, though, was majestic: way into the stands behind square leg.»I gave it a chance early doors, you know, try to hit him through the off side, but he was swinging it quite a long way so I realised there’s only one area of the ground I can try and hit the ball,» Salt said at the presentation. «Me and Jof have had a lot of battles in the nets. He’s bowled at me more than he’s bowled at anyone else and I’ve faced him more than anyone else. So, nice to have the wood on him, but we’ll play him again in a few days’ time.»Now Salt was unstoppable. RR tried to cramp him and make him hit into the leg side, but Salt kept taking the fielders on and kept clearing them. In all, Salt scored 51 runs in the leg side, the second-most he has managed in any IPL innings. When he scored 52 leg-side runs for Delhi Capitals against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2023, it was part of an 87-run innings. Here he scored 51 out of 65 on the leg side, easily the highest percentage of leg-side runs for him in an IPL innings.