Welcome back, the chainsaw
Plays of the Day for the third final of the CB Series between Australia and Sri Lanka, in Adelaide
Sidharth Monga at Adelaide Oval
08-Mar-2012
Farveez Maharoof and David Warner exchange pleasantries • AFP
The interaction
In the 14th over, Farveez Maharoof induced from a rampaging David Warner an outside edge that Kumar Sangakkara held on to his left. Maharoof was so pumped he got a little in Warner's face, and Warner turned around and returned pleasantries too. Maharoof quietly walked away, Warner too. The umpires, however, made it a point to make their presence felt, and pulled up the only partner-in-crime left out there in the middle. Maharoof reacted by snatching his cap away at the end of the over.
In the 14th over, Farveez Maharoof induced from a rampaging David Warner an outside edge that Kumar Sangakkara held on to his left. Maharoof was so pumped he got a little in Warner's face, and Warner turned around and returned pleasantries too. Maharoof quietly walked away, Warner too. The umpires, however, made it a point to make their presence felt, and pulled up the only partner-in-crime left out there in the middle. Maharoof reacted by snatching his cap away at the end of the over.
The catch
Rangana Herath has now made it a habit of being part of catching drama. In the first final he misjudged one before pulling it off spectacularly. In the second he similarly misjudged one, tried a similar stunner, but couldn't manage it. Today, though, he judged a low catch at the boundary perfectly, ran in, caught it while diving forward, but it almost popped out on impact with ground. Herath kept it under control all the while, though.
Rangana Herath has now made it a habit of being part of catching drama. In the first final he misjudged one before pulling it off spectacularly. In the second he similarly misjudged one, tried a similar stunner, but couldn't manage it. Today, though, he judged a low catch at the boundary perfectly, ran in, caught it while diving forward, but it almost popped out on impact with ground. Herath kept it under control all the while, though.
The interaction, part II
The batsman who gave Herath that catch, Shane Watson, wasn't quite sure the take from Herath was clean because the view was obscured as he took the tumble. As Watson deliberated over staying or not staying, Tillakaratne Dilshan, the bowler, didn't like that his fielder's word was not being trusted. Twice he waved his finger to let Watson know which way to walk. No umpire involvement this time. Perhaps they just want distance between confronting players.
The batsman who gave Herath that catch, Shane Watson, wasn't quite sure the take from Herath was clean because the view was obscured as he took the tumble. As Watson deliberated over staying or not staying, Tillakaratne Dilshan, the bowler, didn't like that his fielder's word was not being trusted. Twice he waved his finger to let Watson know which way to walk. No umpire involvement this time. Perhaps they just want distance between confronting players.
The push
In the 20th over of the Australian innings, Watson seemed to have been done in by a Lasith Malinga slower ball. The ball seemed to loop towards mid-on, everybody shouted "catch it" only to find out that what seemed as a limp push was so well timed it went one-bounce into the boundary.
In the 20th over of the Australian innings, Watson seemed to have been done in by a Lasith Malinga slower ball. The ball seemed to loop towards mid-on, everybody shouted "catch it" only to find out that what seemed as a limp push was so well timed it went one-bounce into the boundary.
The return
When Brett Lee dismissed Dilshan with one that lifted at him outside off, he brought back from the vault his trademark celebration. The right hand formed into a fist, and he went as if punching someone to death. Welcome back, the chainsaw.
When Brett Lee dismissed Dilshan with one that lifted at him outside off, he brought back from the vault his trademark celebration. The right hand formed into a fist, and he went as if punching someone to death. Welcome back, the chainsaw.
Edited by Siddarth Ravindran
Sidharth Monga is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo