A visual aid and a ballet dancer
Plays of the Day from the Group A match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Perth Scorchers in Hyderabad
Alagappan Muthu
24-Sep-2014
Robin Uthappa was nearly past the stumps but had not grounded his bat • BCCI
The ballet dancer
A Kolkata Knight Riders chase is never short of oddities. Robin Uthappa provided the latest entry in search of a quick single. He did everything right, a deft tuck to the right of the mid-on fielder to give himself enough time to nip across to the non-strikers' end. Craig Simmons hammered in a direct throw but the batsman was past the stumps by this point. But no one had noticed that Uthappa hadn't grounded his bat. The replays did though, catching him a la a ballet dancer would be poised, with both feet in the air as the stumps were in disarray. Perth Scorchers might have assumed it was too silly a mistake to be committed at this level and did not appeal. Not in a Knight Riders' chase.
A Kolkata Knight Riders chase is never short of oddities. Robin Uthappa provided the latest entry in search of a quick single. He did everything right, a deft tuck to the right of the mid-on fielder to give himself enough time to nip across to the non-strikers' end. Craig Simmons hammered in a direct throw but the batsman was past the stumps by this point. But no one had noticed that Uthappa hadn't grounded his bat. The replays did though, catching him a la a ballet dancer would be poised, with both feet in the air as the stumps were in disarray. Perth Scorchers might have assumed it was too silly a mistake to be committed at this level and did not appeal. Not in a Knight Riders' chase.
The better blooper
In the clash of who forgot the fundamentals, Ashton Agar took a massive lead when he let a straightforward save slip through his legs. Manish Pandey had bludgeoned a front-foot pull quite solidly but Agar made good ground to his left - first part of the challenge aced - but when it came to bending down and collecting the ball Agar's hands suffered an embarrassing malfunction. He was sprawled in the turf for a few seconds, having realised the ball had trickled to the boundary and needed the tap of a team-mate to get his spirits up.
In the clash of who forgot the fundamentals, Ashton Agar took a massive lead when he let a straightforward save slip through his legs. Manish Pandey had bludgeoned a front-foot pull quite solidly but Agar made good ground to his left - first part of the challenge aced - but when it came to bending down and collecting the ball Agar's hands suffered an embarrassing malfunction. He was sprawled in the turf for a few seconds, having realised the ball had trickled to the boundary and needed the tap of a team-mate to get his spirits up.
The visual aid
Bradd Hogg would always be key for Scorchers if they were to defend a total of 151. He came very close to a chase-complicating dismissal in the 12th over when Yusuf Pathan was pinned on the front pad. The bowler sunk to his knees and launched into an impressive appeal, but umpire Anil Chaudhary was unmoved. The impact was marginal on off stump and though the ball was turning in there was enough doubt to hand the decision to the batsman. Hogg wasn't quite convinced as he whipped out the handkerchief stuck to his waist band and offered to clean the umpire's light-enhancing glasses.
Bradd Hogg would always be key for Scorchers if they were to defend a total of 151. He came very close to a chase-complicating dismissal in the 12th over when Yusuf Pathan was pinned on the front pad. The bowler sunk to his knees and launched into an impressive appeal, but umpire Anil Chaudhary was unmoved. The impact was marginal on off stump and though the ball was turning in there was enough doubt to hand the decision to the batsman. Hogg wasn't quite convinced as he whipped out the handkerchief stuck to his waist band and offered to clean the umpire's light-enhancing glasses.
The redemption
One of the Scorchers' biffs was heading his way. Suryakumar Yadav had some ground to cover from long-on, but he wasn't too keen. In the end, a clumsy waft of the hands meant Craig Simmons was not caught, and instead got to add to his tally of fours. It almost seemed like that miss was playing on Suryakumar's mind when another loft sought him out in the 11th over. This time he ruled against attempting the catch and took it on the bounce. Adam Voges enjoyed the reprieve and went on to score nearly half his side's runs. A chance of redemption came in the 16th over and it was the toughest of the lot. Suryakumar had to rush to his left from long-on, adjust to a steepler and dive to hold on. A bone-crushing hug to team-mate Manish Pandey indicated his relief.
One of the Scorchers' biffs was heading his way. Suryakumar Yadav had some ground to cover from long-on, but he wasn't too keen. In the end, a clumsy waft of the hands meant Craig Simmons was not caught, and instead got to add to his tally of fours. It almost seemed like that miss was playing on Suryakumar's mind when another loft sought him out in the 11th over. This time he ruled against attempting the catch and took it on the bounce. Adam Voges enjoyed the reprieve and went on to score nearly half his side's runs. A chance of redemption came in the 16th over and it was the toughest of the lot. Suryakumar had to rush to his left from long-on, adjust to a steepler and dive to hold on. A bone-crushing hug to team-mate Manish Pandey indicated his relief.
The customary fielding miracle
Most batsmen contemplate a six if the ball had lobbed the fielder and was in the air space beyond the boundary rope. Those rules apparently don't apply in T20s as Suryakumar found out in the 19th over. He had clubbed a Nathan Coulter-Nile no-ball down the ground. Ashton Agar, from long-on, lined up it up and positioned himself at the edge of the advertising triangles. He leaped off the ground, caught the ball with his hands stretched well above his head, realised he would fall beyond the boundary and flicked the ball back onto the field of play and then hit the turf. Possibly the best way to make amends after his earlier mishap.
Most batsmen contemplate a six if the ball had lobbed the fielder and was in the air space beyond the boundary rope. Those rules apparently don't apply in T20s as Suryakumar found out in the 19th over. He had clubbed a Nathan Coulter-Nile no-ball down the ground. Ashton Agar, from long-on, lined up it up and positioned himself at the edge of the advertising triangles. He leaped off the ground, caught the ball with his hands stretched well above his head, realised he would fall beyond the boundary and flicked the ball back onto the field of play and then hit the turf. Possibly the best way to make amends after his earlier mishap.
Alagappan Muthu is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo