T20 WC 2021: James Neesham and the over that ended England’s World Cup

16 runs needed to win from six balls. James Neesham is on the strike. Just 20 minutes ago, he had delivered the penultimate over of a World Cup final. He snared two wickets and brought New Zealand on the cusp of lifting the coveted trophy. But it was not to be. Here he is, 16 runs away from realising that dream again. Wide, 2, 6, 2, 2, 1 – 14 runs of the first five balls. He loses the strike and New Zealand fall short by a run on the last ball. The dream ends. Two years later, on 10th November 2021, Neesham finds himself in similar circumstances.

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It’s not the last over or a Super Over, but all Neesham has are the final four overs of a T20 World Cup semi-final against England. As he walks in, the game is drifting away from New Zealand’s grasp. They need 59 runs from 25 balls, the required run rate stands at 14.16. Neesham takes a single off Liam Livingstone’s final ball of his spell. Up next is Chris Jordan – earmarked as England’s best death bowler, albeit in the absence of Jofra Archer and Tymal Mills.

Jordan’s plan to lure Neesham is simple. Of the five fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle, four men patrol the leg-side boundary. All in-ring fielders are on the off-side with a deep point in place. With the target being so steep, Neesham has no other option than gunning for boundaries and his challenge will be to clear this field. The all-rounder obliges.

Field setting for Chris Jordan’s first ball to James Neesham (Image Credit: Hotstar)

The first ball from Jordan is right into Neesham’s arc. It’s a short of length delivery bowled from round the wicket which angles into the batsman. Neesham does not have the best connection but the power is enough to dispatch the ball over the boundary ropes. It’s a six. The bowler is immediately under the pump. He overcorrects his length on the next ball but Neesham fails to optimise it. Two leg byes are collected nevertheless. Jordan tries to repeat the previous delivery but ends up bowling a leg-side wide. Time to change the plan.

The deep fine leg comes in and the mid-off goes back. England decide to bowl straight but Neesham is ready for it. Another mighty swipe of his bat and the ball races past the Long-on fielder, it’s a four. Jordan follows it up with a wide outside off-stump. The next ball is eventful. Another outside off-stump delivery, Neesham gets under it, it’s high but not far, Bairstow at Long-on attempts a relay catch but as he falls, his left knee touches the boundary. England’s celebrations end in agony as a wicket turns into a six.

The over has already been a disaster. Jordan switches the angle and bowls over the wicket. Another leg-side hoick from Neesham but this time it falls between Bairstow and Livingstone, the batsmen run two. It’s already England’s most expensive over of the tournament. Thankfully for them, Jordan finds a yorker and closes the torture with a single. But the 23-run over has already swung the momentum New Zealand’s way.

Adil Rashid steps up to bowl the next over. He ends up bowling four deliveries at Neesham, only one of them spins into the left-handed batsman. Neesham tonks it away for a six. The remaining three deliveries (1st, 3rd and 6th of the over) are all short of length googlies, turning away from the leftie. The first of them ends up in a dot ball, the next results in a single and the final one ends Neesham’s innings. He smashes it in the hands of England captain, Eoin Morgan, who completes a fantastic catch.

James Neesham’s wagon wheel

The whirlwind knock is over. Neesham is back with 27 runs off 11 balls with 3 sixes and a four. The target now is just 20 runs from 12 balls. Daryl Mitchell manages these runs in the next six balls as New Zealand enter their maiden T20 World Cup final.

In the post-match conference, Mitchell said, “I thought the way that Neesh (Neesham) came out and really dominated that one over really set the momentum heading into those last few, so yeah, take my cap off to him. He played a hell of a knock.”

And a hell of a knock it was. While that 2019 Super Over will forever be in Neesham’s mind, it is this match-winning knock that will soothe him. He can sit quietly and savour the occasion as long as he wants.

Jimmy Neesham is still sitting there…#T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/LNZemm4t1y

— Aadya Sharma (@Aadya_Wisden) November 10, 2021