A first-ball ripper, and Sreesanth's blues
Plays from the IPL game between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders in Bangalore
Abhishek Purohit
11-Apr-2013
Robin Uthappa cashed in on Sreesanth's problems • BCCI
The first-ball ripper
Bhuvneshwar Kumar troubled the Australia top order with his swing in his recent debut Test series. He was at it again this evening. The first ball of the match started across the left-handed Kusal Perera and swerved in sharply to catch him napping in the crease and plumb in front.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar troubled the Australia top order with his swing in his recent debut Test series. He was at it again this evening. The first ball of the match started across the left-handed Kusal Perera and swerved in sharply to catch him napping in the crease and plumb in front.
The blank moment
T Suman saved what would have been another Rahul Dravid boundary with a swift run and slide from long-on. Even as he recovered, he realised he had no clue where the ball had gone. He looked right, left and at the boundary, but it was nowhere to be seen. The long-off fielder was nearby, and he helpfully pointed out that the ball was safely lodged in the ground inches behind Suman.
T Suman saved what would have been another Rahul Dravid boundary with a swift run and slide from long-on. Even as he recovered, he realised he had no clue where the ball had gone. He looked right, left and at the boundary, but it was nowhere to be seen. The long-off fielder was nearby, and he helpfully pointed out that the ball was safely lodged in the ground inches behind Suman.
The catches
Angelo Mathews did the honours first time, plucking a stinging Ajinkya Rahane drive low at short extra cover. A few overs later, it was Ross Taylor's turn. Dravid fairly smashed one to Taylor's left at extra cover, but the fielder casually put his left hand out and converted a certain boundary into a big wicket. The sharpest take of the evening belonged to Dravid, though. With Warriors racing away in their chase, the 40-year old threw himself to his right at short midwicket to halt a Robin Uthappa rocket, coming down hard on the practice pitch, but holding onto the ball.
Angelo Mathews did the honours first time, plucking a stinging Ajinkya Rahane drive low at short extra cover. A few overs later, it was Ross Taylor's turn. Dravid fairly smashed one to Taylor's left at extra cover, but the fielder casually put his left hand out and converted a certain boundary into a big wicket. The sharpest take of the evening belonged to Dravid, though. With Warriors racing away in their chase, the 40-year old threw himself to his right at short midwicket to halt a Robin Uthappa rocket, coming down hard on the practice pitch, but holding onto the ball.
The meltdown
When Sreesanth loses it, he really does - his second over went for 21 runs. After already having been hit for six by Uthappa, Sreesanth bowled a no-ball, which was put away through extra cover for four. The free-hit was gift-wrapped as a high full toss on the pads, which Uthappa walloped over deep square leg for six more
When Sreesanth loses it, he really does - his second over went for 21 runs. After already having been hit for six by Uthappa, Sreesanth bowled a no-ball, which was put away through extra cover for four. The free-hit was gift-wrapped as a high full toss on the pads, which Uthappa walloped over deep square leg for six more
Abhishek Purohit is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo