Sam Billings scores 50 on his IPL debut
Saturday 30th April 2016
Kent and England wicketkeeper-batsman Sam Billings scored a fine half-century in a win on his Indian Premier League debut.
After sitting out the first five fixtures, the 24-year-old Kent Cricket Academy graduate hit three fours and two sixes in a score of 54 off 34 balls for the Delhi Daredevils against Kolkata Knight Riders.
Arriving at the crease as a specialist batsman with the score on 32-3 in front of a capacity crowd at home, he showed maturity in rotating the strike without taking too many early risks in a 105-run stand with Karun Nair (68).
He struck Umesh Yudav through midwicket for four in the eighth over before hitting boundaries past cover and midwicket off Piyush Chawla in the 12th over.
The Kent man struck a sweetly swept six over square leg in the 16th over before muscling Brad Hogg over long-off in the following over to pass 50 before being bowled by a slower ball as he looked to sweep the ball.
In reply, Delhi restricted KKR to 159 to seal a 27-run to put them in contention for the playoffs.