Bopara enjoys all-round good day
ESPNcricinfo presents the plays of the day from the second ODI at The Oval
Andrew McGlashan at The Oval
01-Jul-2012
There was more DRS controversy after Michael Clarke trapped Eoin Morgan lbw • Getty Images
Bowling change of the day
Ravi Bopara has not had much work yet this summer with the ball for England; an over against West Indies at The Oval and one against Australia at Lord's was the sum total before today. On this occasion, though, he was given a chance before Graeme Swann and the move paid off handsomely for both bowler and captain as he nipped one back at Michael Clarke to find the inside edge. Bopara will never be picked for his bowling, but it is an underused - and often underestimated - part of his game.
Ravi Bopara has not had much work yet this summer with the ball for England; an over against West Indies at The Oval and one against Australia at Lord's was the sum total before today. On this occasion, though, he was given a chance before Graeme Swann and the move paid off handsomely for both bowler and captain as he nipped one back at Michael Clarke to find the inside edge. Bopara will never be picked for his bowling, but it is an underused - and often underestimated - part of his game.
Giveaway of the day
Shane Watson had gone to a run-a-ball fifty but, perhaps in fear of wasting another start, he seized up just when Australia needed to find another gear. His next 30 deliveries brought 16 runs while the team added 24 between overs 20 and 30. Something had to give, and it did. Trying to break the shackles he aimed to launch Swann over deep midwicket but only got as far as Steven Finn who just about judged the catch as he took it by his ankles.
Shane Watson had gone to a run-a-ball fifty but, perhaps in fear of wasting another start, he seized up just when Australia needed to find another gear. His next 30 deliveries brought 16 runs while the team added 24 between overs 20 and 30. Something had to give, and it did. Trying to break the shackles he aimed to launch Swann over deep midwicket but only got as far as Steven Finn who just about judged the catch as he took it by his ankles.
Aggro of the day
Swann could have had another wicket in a very similar way when George Bailey, who played a curious innings during which he laboured against Swann, followed the same route as Watson and tried to clear cow corner. This time it was Tim Bresnan in the position and it was a far harder catch than Finn's as he had to make considerable ground around the boundary to get under the chance. He managed to reach the ball but could not hold on much to Swann's anger. Swann has never been one to take dropped catches well - and has come close to over-stepping the mark on occasions - and chuntered all the way back to the deep at the end of his over.
Swann could have had another wicket in a very similar way when George Bailey, who played a curious innings during which he laboured against Swann, followed the same route as Watson and tried to clear cow corner. This time it was Tim Bresnan in the position and it was a far harder catch than Finn's as he had to make considerable ground around the boundary to get under the chance. He managed to reach the ball but could not hold on much to Swann's anger. Swann has never been one to take dropped catches well - and has come close to over-stepping the mark on occasions - and chuntered all the way back to the deep at the end of his over.
Run-out of the day
One of the many impressive attributes of England's fast bowlers is how good they are in the field. The team does not carry anyone. Finn showed that being tall does not mean you cannot be agile when he completed the nifty run-out of David Hussey. The batsman had squeezed a yorker back towards Finn who parried the ball but scrambled after it from his follow through and then proceeded to flick the ball back onto the stumps with Hussey well short. However, it was a good job he had not clattered the stumps with his knee - as is becoming a habit - because then the stump would have needed to be uprooted to complete the dismissal.
One of the many impressive attributes of England's fast bowlers is how good they are in the field. The team does not carry anyone. Finn showed that being tall does not mean you cannot be agile when he completed the nifty run-out of David Hussey. The batsman had squeezed a yorker back towards Finn who parried the ball but scrambled after it from his follow through and then proceeded to flick the ball back onto the stumps with Hussey well short. However, it was a good job he had not clattered the stumps with his knee - as is becoming a habit - because then the stump would have needed to be uprooted to complete the dismissal.
Comeback of the day
Out went Pat Cummins (for the rest of this tour) and in came Mitchell Johnson. There were almost cheers from the English fans when the team was announced. To be fair to Johnson he has had some good days - mainly in coloured clothes - since he was serenaded with "He bowls to left, he bowls the right" during the last Ashes series, but the home support was not going to let that get in the way. His first spell gave them plenty of ammunition to restart the chants; 2-0-20-0 were the nasty figures at the end of it, including two no-balls the free-hits from which were cracked away by Ian Bell and Alastair Cook.
Out went Pat Cummins (for the rest of this tour) and in came Mitchell Johnson. There were almost cheers from the English fans when the team was announced. To be fair to Johnson he has had some good days - mainly in coloured clothes - since he was serenaded with "He bowls to left, he bowls the right" during the last Ashes series, but the home support was not going to let that get in the way. His first spell gave them plenty of ammunition to restart the chants; 2-0-20-0 were the nasty figures at the end of it, including two no-balls the free-hits from which were cracked away by Ian Bell and Alastair Cook.
Failed imitation of the day
Bell is in such fine form that it did not come as much of a surprise when he danced down the pitch and drove Watson straight for six. What did come as a bit of a surprise was that Jonathan Trott, who had moved nicely to 17 off 21 balls, tried to emulate him. Trott has many wonderful attributes as a batsman, but lofted straight drives off the medium-pacers is not top of that list and his attempt ended with an ugly inside edge against Watson.
Bell is in such fine form that it did not come as much of a surprise when he danced down the pitch and drove Watson straight for six. What did come as a bit of a surprise was that Jonathan Trott, who had moved nicely to 17 off 21 balls, tried to emulate him. Trott has many wonderful attributes as a batsman, but lofted straight drives off the medium-pacers is not top of that list and his attempt ended with an ugly inside edge against Watson.
Review of the day
Two balls after removing the in-form Bell with his first delivery, Michael Clarke appeared to have given England more than just a minor jolt when he won an lbw decision against Eoin Morgan two deliveries later. Morgan, though, immediately asked for a review and, on close inspection, there was the faintest mark on the inside edge from Hot Spot. It was far from bright white and Aleem Dar, in the TV chair, took his time and also used the sound from the stump microphone before advising Richard Illingworth there was conclusive evidence to overturn the decision.
Two balls after removing the in-form Bell with his first delivery, Michael Clarke appeared to have given England more than just a minor jolt when he won an lbw decision against Eoin Morgan two deliveries later. Morgan, though, immediately asked for a review and, on close inspection, there was the faintest mark on the inside edge from Hot Spot. It was far from bright white and Aleem Dar, in the TV chair, took his time and also used the sound from the stump microphone before advising Richard Illingworth there was conclusive evidence to overturn the decision.
Andrew McGlashan is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo