Feature

No escaping Malinga's yorker

Plays of the day from the IPL match between Pune Warriors and Mumbai Indians in Pune

Glenn Maxwell not quite justifying his million-dollar worth  •  BCCI

Glenn Maxwell not quite justifying his million-dollar worth  •  BCCI

The do-over
Lasith Malinga has not been as effective with the tailing yorkers this season, but in his third ball today he bowled a superb inswinging delivery that struck Robin Uthappa in front of middle and off. As he turned around to bellow an appeal though, he saw the umpire's outstretched arm and learnt a foot fault had robbed him of a wicket. He couldn't get Uthappa next ball, which was a free hit, but delivered an almost identical yorker the ball after, this time from behind the crease, and he got his man.
The drop
Glenn Maxwell, Mumbai Indians' million-dollar signing, has done little more than twiddle his thumbs at matches this IPL, as he sat on the sideline for his franchise's first 12 games. He finally debuted against Warriors, but when he came on to bowl in the 16th over, he struggled to prove why he was such a vaunted commodity at the auction. He bowled a cheap over - conceding just six runs, but was unable to hold on to a straightforward return chance from Kane Richardson, which had come to him at chest height.
The recovery
With Kieron Pollard having been rested for this match due to illness, it fell to another West Indian to provide an impressive take on the boundary, and Dwayne Smith did so - only he made it tough for himself by misjudging the strength of the stroke initially. Bhuvneshwar Kumar aimed a six over long-off from the last ball of the innings, and Smith, who had been stationed on the ropes, began running in as soon as he saw the ball leave the bat. He quickly realised he had underestimated the shot, and started to back-pedal as the ball descended from the top of its arc. Still not having made enough ground, he stuck out his left hand and managed to reel the ball in, essentially preventing a last-ball six.
The delivery
Warriors needed early wickets to have any chance of defending their paltry total, and having been recalled to the XI, Ashok Dinda delivered a peach to give his side the best possible start. Angling it in and shaping it away slightly in the air, Dinda's first ball pitched on a length and moved a little more - enough to beat Smith's blade and collect the off stump, which went cartwheeling towards the keeper.

Andrew Fidel Fernando is ESPNcricinfo's Sri Lanka correspondent. He tweets here