ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 / Features
Kenya v Pakistan, World Cup 2011, Hambantota
Misbah does a Gooch, and school's out
ESPNcricinfo presents the Plays of the day of the match between Pakistan and Kenya in Hambantota
February 23, 2011
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Kenya v Pakistan at Hambantota
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Catch of the day
Seren Waters' effort to send back Mohammad Hafeez would've done the world's greatest goalkeepers proud. Hafeez's clip went well to the left of Waters at short midwicket, but a full length aerial dive saw him grasp on. Even then the job was half done; as he landed the ball bobbled out of his hand, bounced off his forearm, only for him to clutch it with his left. Less than a week into the tournament, it'll be difficult to better it.
Best Reverse 'Graham Gooch World Cup 1987 semi-final' impersonation of the day
In slightly less grand circumstances than the Wankhede, Misbah-ul-Haq reversed a leaf from Graham Gooch's strategy of the day by reverse-sweeping everything that came his way or at least every six balls or so. In a 69-ball innings, he reverse-swept seven times and attempted four conventional ones as well. Given the opposition, he probably didn't need to.
Favourite school lesson of the day
Given the hosts' absence and the fact that the stadium is as easy to reach as Atlantis, local authorities resorted to the oldest trick in the subcontinent, shipping in thousands of uniformed school children to occupy the tiered stands. A handy day off, bang in the middle of the week, beats geography any day. As the day progressed and the harshness of the sun lessened and the gates were opened for all, however, a handy trickle of older fans started coming through, including the arrival of Pakistan's Chacha Cricket.
Least attractive innings of the day
Extras. Pakistan's innings had four half-centuries of varying aesthetics, but the worst was the 46 directly contributed by Kenya's bowlers, of which a whopping 37 were wides. That is the joint-highest wides conceded in an innings ever, equaling the 37 the West Indies conceded, also against Pakistan in January 1989 in Brisbane. Forty-six is the fifth-highest score by extras.
Worst hat-trick ball of the day
Thomas Odoyo's wickets off two successive balls in the 49th over didn't make much of a difference to Pakistan's charge but a hat-trick would've been a nice, individual feat. Having had Umar Akmal caught at long-on and then a successful referral against Shahid Afridi for leg-before, things were nicely set up. In came Odoyo, glory in his eyes, and duly bowled a miserable wide two feet down the leg-side.
Osman Samiuddin is Pakistan editor of ESPNcricinfo
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Osman spent the first half of his life pretending he discovered reverse swing with a tennis ball half-covered with electrical tape. The second half of his life was spent trying, and failing, to find spiritual fulfillment in the world of Pakistani advertising and marketing. The third half of his life will be devoted to convincing people that he did discover reverse swing. And occasionally writing about cricket. And learning mathematics.
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He did mean Gooch, i think many have been fooled by Osman's wordplay... Gatting did indeed play the 'reverse sweep', but in the final. Gooch, employed the conventional sweep for everything in the semi-final'... thus Misbah, 'reversed' Gooch's strategy... instead of (conventionally) sweeping everything, Misbah reversed swept everything... therefore 'The Best Reverse-Gooch Impersation'...
Posted by Vivek.Bhandari on (February 24, 2011, 7:19 GMT)#1: All of you must know that Gatting reverse swept England to defeat in the Final of '87. But, it was Gooch who swept the Indian spinners to defeat India. #2: Misbah didn't reverse swept when India won the T20 World Cup. It was a paddle sweep like Mariiler(spelling incorrect)...
Posted by Petaboyz on (February 24, 2011, 6:53 GMT)To all those confused between 1987 finals and Semi-finals - Osman is referring Gooch's semifinal innings where he swept most balls to boot India out of the tournament. The article is not referring to the more famous (or infamous) Gatting reverse sweep in the final of the same edition to be dismissed, opening the flood gates for an Australian victory !!!
Posted by xuberie on (February 24, 2011, 6:45 GMT)Guys Osman is Right, It was semi Final of 1987 world Cup , england Vs india, when Graham Gooch swept everything from indian left arm spinners regardless of there length and speed and negated them marvelously, the incident u guys are referring is the final when getting Reverse swept Allan Border to get out,,, Osman is right by saying "Misbah-ul-Haq reversed a leaf from Graham Gooch's strategy of the day by reverse-sweeping everything that came his way"
Posted by rizindia on (February 23, 2011, 22:40 GMT)who is this Mr. Gooch btw?....
Posted by asadkshaikh on (February 23, 2011, 22:07 GMT)@aisha we didnt lose it to reverse sweep
Posted byi dont under stand the logic behind Misbah's Reverse sweep v have already lost T20 world cup because of this reverse sweep...........
Posted bywell done - kenya for holding the wide record
Posted byLeast attractive innings of the day : Extras.............. lol
Posted byI might have only been 3 years old in 1987 but I'm sure it was Mike Gatting and now Graham Gooch! It was the final as well...not the semi.
Posted byPakistan is on its way to Win the World Cup.
Posted by sundarc on (February 23, 2011, 16:36 GMT)It nice was to see a clinical performance from the Pakistanis. looking at the performance of the associate members in this world cup so far except Netherland's performance against Eng. It seems to be a gr8 mismatch sort of a thing in a WC. ICC I feel should arrange more matches between the associate countries and the lower ranked one day sides which will give the associate members more international quality matches and more international exposure. Another option which can be considered is making the major team's A teams play against them to improve the level of competition of the associate teams and the second string sides of major teams. I believe this is the way to go forward rather than reducing the no of participating teams to ten from the current 14 in the next world cup. This definitely will be a step backward for the development of the game. Hope the ICC comes out with this kind of solutions to improve the standard of cricket globally.We Will have to wait and see what ICC does.
Posted byi think u wanted to say mike gatting there osman
Posted by PeterCook on (February 23, 2011, 15:53 GMT)It was Mike Gatting with the reverse sweep, no?