Was in disbelief after dismissing Sachin Tendulkar, recalls Dillon du Preez
Du Preez recalls dismissing Sachin Tendulkar
|South African pacer Dillon du Preez, who played two games for Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2009, recalled his disbelief in dismissing Sachin Tendulkar and joked that the latter āinvented cricketā. Du Preez further shed light on the chilling bomb blast that occurred before an IPL game in 2010.
An accurate right-arm pacer who could give the ball a tonk with the bat, Dillon du Preez was a part of Royal Challengers Bangaloreās 2009 campaign, where the Reds reached the final before losing out to Deccan Chargers. And while he was expected to warm the bench for the entirety of the season, Du Preez was, however, handed a surprise debut against Mumbai Indians at the Wanderers, and the all-rounder made sure that he grabbed the chance with both hands, claiming a three-wicket haul on debut.
However, the highlight of that very night for the man himself was not the three-wicket-haul but picking the wicket of the great Sachin Tendulkar, and the 38-year-old revealed how he was in disbelief once he dismissed the Master Blaster.
"I remember running through to the guys and celebrating, and on my way back to my mark I thought, 'What just happened?'. I mean, that guy invented cricket! I couldn't believe it,ā du Preez told Cricbuzz.Ā
The dream debut for du Preez resulted in RCB winning the game by 9 wickets and the South African pacer revealed how he felt he needed to put up a show in order to prove that he belonged in a dressing room that had the likes of Kohli, Dravid and Kallis.
"You're playing with some big guns - Kumble, Dravid, Kohli was still casual - so when you get a game you feel like you have to perform to prove that you're part of this; that you fit in and are on par."
Despite not getting a game in IPL 2010, du Preez was still a part of the squad and it was in that very season that the South African encountered a chilling, harrowing incident that left all the players in the stadium in horror. April 17, 2010, was witness to two bomb blasts right outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, before a game versus Mumbai Indians, before a third bomb was identified and diffused soon after. Interestingly, the game did eventually go on, albeit with a one-hour delay, and du Preez gave his account of the whole incident and recalled how even Kevin Pietersen refused to walk onto the field.
"Before a game against Mumbai in Bangalore there was a massive bang. We were told to go into the changeroom, and that a generator had blown up. But on the TV next to the officials while they were telling us that it was reported as a bomb. Kevin Pietersen said, 'This is not my bread and butter, so that's it - I'm done, I'm not going onto the field'.Ā
āI was 12th-man but I didn't walk around the field. I stayed in the changeroom. Dale Steyn played a loose shot and got out, and on his way back to the changeroom - while I was looking out at the field - he smacked his bat onto the steps next to me. I thought it was another bomb!"
Unfortunately, two matches were all du Preez ended up playing in the IPL, with his last appearance coming against Rajasthan Royals at the SuperSport Park in Centurion in 2009.
