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DILSCOOP

The term Dilscoop is a popular term used in Cricket and associated with batting. This stroke was developed by Sri Lankan right handed batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan during the ICC World Twenty20 held during June 2009 in England.

The basis of the stroke is to go on one knee to a good length or slightly short of length delivery off a fast bowler and scoop the ball over the heads of the wicket keeper. The ball travels straight towads the boundary behind the wicket keeper where no fielders are usually stationed.

According to Dilshan he started practising this stroke against a bowling machine during his tenure for Delhi Daredevills at the 2009 Indian Premier League [IPL] held in South Africa between April/May 2009.

Much discussion has been made whether the Dilscoop is identical to the Marriler or Paddle Scoop. However according to former Australian captain Ian Chappell who was commentating during the above ICC World Twenty20, he had never seen any batsman play the ball straight over the wicket keeper's head as Dilshan does, hence its originality. Chappell having seen both the Marrillier popularised by former Zimbabwe player Douglas Marriler and Dilshan therefore presents a credible view.

While the Dilscoop travels straight over the wicket keeper, the Marrilier travels towards fine leg or deep fine leg and similerly the Paddle Scoop preferred by many players including Moin Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq among others is played against a yorker length ball [note the Dilscoop is played against a good length or slightly short of length ball] 

Richard Hobson, Deputy Cricket Correspondent of The Times in London writing on the Dilscoop states that it is the only cricket stroke named after a player.

The Dilscoop is best illustrated and contrasted via action photos: