An edge the umpire missed
Plays of the Day from the first day of the first Test between India and Australia in Chennai
Brydon Coverdale
22-Feb-2013
Michael Clarke went on to make a hundred after getting a life on 39 • BCCI
Edge of the day
Test matches can turn on moments like this. Shortly before tea, when Michael Clarke and Moises Henriques were rebuilding Australia's innings, R Ashwin should have had his sixth wicket when Clarke, on 39, pushed forward and inside-edged onto his leg and up to the fielder at bat-pad. Vociferous appeals from the Indians were unable to sway the ICC's Umpire of the Year Kumar Dharmasena, who ruled not out as Clarke nonchalantly re-marked his guard and settled in for a longer stay. With no DRS in place, there was nothing India could do about the decision, which saved Australia from becoming 206 for 6.
Test matches can turn on moments like this. Shortly before tea, when Michael Clarke and Moises Henriques were rebuilding Australia's innings, R Ashwin should have had his sixth wicket when Clarke, on 39, pushed forward and inside-edged onto his leg and up to the fielder at bat-pad. Vociferous appeals from the Indians were unable to sway the ICC's Umpire of the Year Kumar Dharmasena, who ruled not out as Clarke nonchalantly re-marked his guard and settled in for a longer stay. With no DRS in place, there was nothing India could do about the decision, which saved Australia from becoming 206 for 6.
Drop of the day
India could consider themselves unlucky not to have had Clarke, but they had nobody to blame but themselves earlier in the day for allowing David Warner a life. On 18, Warner was beaten in flight by Ashwin and his edge sailed towards Virender Sehwag at slip. But Sehwag's reflexes deserted him and he didn't manage to get his hands in the right position, spilling the chance and giving Warner what proved to be a somewhat costly reprieve. Warner went on to make 59.
India could consider themselves unlucky not to have had Clarke, but they had nobody to blame but themselves earlier in the day for allowing David Warner a life. On 18, Warner was beaten in flight by Ashwin and his edge sailed towards Virender Sehwag at slip. But Sehwag's reflexes deserted him and he didn't manage to get his hands in the right position, spilling the chance and giving Warner what proved to be a somewhat costly reprieve. Warner went on to make 59.
Unexpected six of the day
If a market had been framed for the first Australian to hit a six in this Test series, Ed Cowan might have been the ninth or tenth favourite. In a two-way market between Cowan and his opening partner Warner, Cowan would have still been a massive long-shot. So it was quite a surprise to see that when a batsman advanced to Harbhajan Singh and lofted the ball cleanly over the long-off boundary early in the day's play, it was not Warner but Cowan who had taken the risk. Unfortunately for Cowan, a second attempt at a similar stroke off Ashwin brought about his downfall.
If a market had been framed for the first Australian to hit a six in this Test series, Ed Cowan might have been the ninth or tenth favourite. In a two-way market between Cowan and his opening partner Warner, Cowan would have still been a massive long-shot. So it was quite a surprise to see that when a batsman advanced to Harbhajan Singh and lofted the ball cleanly over the long-off boundary early in the day's play, it was not Warner but Cowan who had taken the risk. Unfortunately for Cowan, a second attempt at a similar stroke off Ashwin brought about his downfall.
Caps of the day
On a pitch that was clearly going to favour the spinners, it was interesting that both teams named medium-pacers to make their Test debuts. Moises Henriques became the second Portugal-born Test cricketer after the South African Dick Westcott and received his baggy green from Steve Rixon, the former Australia wicketkeeper and current assistant coach. Bhuvneshwar Kumar collected his cap from his team-mate and the only other seamer in the Indian outfit, Ishant Sharma.
On a pitch that was clearly going to favour the spinners, it was interesting that both teams named medium-pacers to make their Test debuts. Moises Henriques became the second Portugal-born Test cricketer after the South African Dick Westcott and received his baggy green from Steve Rixon, the former Australia wicketkeeper and current assistant coach. Bhuvneshwar Kumar collected his cap from his team-mate and the only other seamer in the Indian outfit, Ishant Sharma.
Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. He tweets here