Beer to Kitchen and other eccentricities
Plays of the day for the Champions League match between Auckland and Perth Scorchers in Centurion
Firdose Moonda in Centurion
23-Oct-2012
Herschelle Gibbs had another failure with the bat • Getty Images
Flop of the day
Herschelle Gibbs has had a tournament to forget. Despite starting with an unbeaten 66 in the warm-ups, the rest of his scores did not read very impressively. He managed 19, 0, 6 and 6 in the main draw with his latest failing coming against Auckland. Gibbs was the first wicket to fall today, hitting the ball straight to Colin Munro at mid-on.
Herschelle Gibbs has had a tournament to forget. Despite starting with an unbeaten 66 in the warm-ups, the rest of his scores did not read very impressively. He managed 19, 0, 6 and 6 in the main draw with his latest failing coming against Auckland. Gibbs was the first wicket to fall today, hitting the ball straight to Colin Munro at mid-on.
Chance of the day
Auckland's anchor Azhar Mahmood offered a rare chance early when he was hurried into playing a bouncer. The ball went high between wicket-keeper, slip and third man and all three called for "catch it," but none of them made any real effort. The ball may have come off the shoulder and there could have been no reason to risk a dive but the Scorchers' fielders didn't even go for the "just-in-case" effort.
Auckland's anchor Azhar Mahmood offered a rare chance early when he was hurried into playing a bouncer. The ball went high between wicket-keeper, slip and third man and all three called for "catch it," but none of them made any real effort. The ball may have come off the shoulder and there could have been no reason to risk a dive but the Scorchers' fielders didn't even go for the "just-in-case" effort.
Number of the day
Cricket is a game for the number crunchers and often there will be something quirky about them. Today's was fairly straightforward. After ten overs in each innings, both teams had an identical score - 62 for 2.
Cricket is a game for the number crunchers and often there will be something quirky about them. Today's was fairly straightforward. After ten overs in each innings, both teams had an identical score - 62 for 2.
Names of the day
Another one for the eccentrics. How often do you have a man called Beer bowling to someone called Kitchen? Maybe only once, because that's the number of balls Anaru Kitchen faced from Michael Beer.
Another one for the eccentrics. How often do you have a man called Beer bowling to someone called Kitchen? Maybe only once, because that's the number of balls Anaru Kitchen faced from Michael Beer.
Wicket of the day
Beer was the man responsible for Auckland's sometimes punch-drunk batting and he made his best statement when he snuck a yorker under captain Gareth Hopkins' bat. Hopkins tried to get the bat down in time but couldn't and off stump was uprooted. With that wicket, Auckland were 90 for 6 and victory was all but out of their grasp.
Beer was the man responsible for Auckland's sometimes punch-drunk batting and he made his best statement when he snuck a yorker under captain Gareth Hopkins' bat. Hopkins tried to get the bat down in time but couldn't and off stump was uprooted. With that wicket, Auckland were 90 for 6 and victory was all but out of their grasp.
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo's South Africa correspondent