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Cricket PlayersTwitter goes bonkers as Wasim Jaffer trolls Lord's pitch with Salman Khan meme after 17 wickets fall on Day 1
Former India opener Wasim Jaffer shared a meme from a popular Salman Khan movie and said: "When 17 wkts fall in a day at Lord's, talk is about skills of the bowlers. When 17 wkts fall in a day at Ahmedabad, talk is about conditions."
Former Indian cricketers did not let the opportunity of taking a jibe at the Lord's pitch go abegging after 17 wickets fell on Day 1 of the England vs New Zealand first Test. Taking potshots at those who criticise Indian pitches on which spinners roll over the opposition, former India opener Wasim Jaffer and pacer Dodda Ganesh shared their thoughts on the Lord's pitch. While Ganesh said "hell would've broken loose" if so many wickets had fallen on the first day of a Test match in India, Jaffer trolled the Lord's pitch in his own style.
The former opener shared a meme from a popular Salman Khan movie and said: "When 17 wkts fall in a day at Lord's, talk is about skills of the bowlers. When 17 wkts fall in a day at Ahmedabad, talk is about conditions."
Jaffer's tweet went viral as netizens could not help comment and share the meme.
Under new captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, England looked to be putting a string of poor results behind them with a rousing bowling display on day one at the home of cricket.
They rattled through the Black Caps batting card, skittling them for 132 in just 40 overs as the bowling honours were shared by the 39-year-old great James Anderson and 23-year-old debutant Matthew Potts, who took four wickets apiece.
A day of outright dominance appeared to be in the offing when Alex Lees and Zak Crawley pieced together an opening partnership worth 59, but things fell apart as they lost seven for 41 after tea. After two sessions setting up a formidable position, they limped to the closing line at 116-7.
Stokes' first act as the country's 81st test captain was to lose the toss, but everything else quickly fell into place as the old firm of Anderson and Stuart Broad dominated the opening exchanges.
The pair had been controversially dropped for March's tour of the West Indies and Anderson took just seven deliveries to reopen his record wickets tally, challenging Will Young's judgement against the swinging ball and seeing an outside edge zip low towards third slip.
Jonny Bairstow leapt into action, diving low to his left to pull off a one-handed stunner. The Yorkshireman juggled the next attempt Anderson sent his way but clung on at the second go to see off Tom Latham and make it two for two.
Not to be outdone, Broad was rewarded for attacking the stumps when Devon Conway nicked one through to give Bairstow his third catch in a row.
The seasoned duo had made their point before the bustling Potts made a superb case for the next generation with standout figures of 4-13. His fifth delivery in the international arena had Kiwi captain and star batter Kane Williamson edging low to keeper Ben Foakes to leave his side in disarray at 12-4.
Potts' first spell stretched to eight impressive overs and included two more well-earned celebrations, Daryl Mitchell (13) playing into his own stumps and Tom Blundell (14) losing his off stump to one that nipped back.
New Zealand was in disarray at 39-6 and took plenty of risks in the afternoon as Colin de Grandhomme (42 not out) and Tim Southee (26) dragged them towards three figures with some chancey strokes.
But Anderson collected two more from short balls hooked to fine-leg, Potts trapped Ajaz Patel lbw and Stokes required just 10 deliveries to finish the job.
For 14 overs either side of tea, the contest remained one-sided as Lees and Crawley shared a stand of 59. The latter helped himself to seven boundaries and looked in control until he was caught behind for 43 off the nagging Kyle Jamieson.
Jamieson then made short work of Ollie Pope, whose bold promotion to No. 3 yielded just seven runs and ended with an edge to the wicketkeeper. The double strike had begun to take the shine off proceedings, but it was the loss of Joe Root — punching De Grandhomme to gully for 11 -- that really stung.
Suddenly England had a game on their hands. Lees soaked up 77 balls for his 25 but got his footwork badly wrong as he shuffled into an lbw shout against Southee, who was starting to hoop the ball dangerously.
His swing was too good for Stokes, whose hopes of a captain's innings lasted just nine balls and ended with a hopeful grope at one that curved away and into Blundell's gloves. Stumps could not come soon enough for a side who had spent most of the day in control, but there was still time enough for Boult to remove Bairstow and Potts in the space of three deliveries.
(With AP inputs)
