Boult's blows, and Warner's wings
Plays of the Day from the IPL match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Chinnaswamy Stadium
Karthik Krishnaswamy
13-Apr-2015
David Warner was the at the center of attention after pulling off the catch of the season • BCCI
Gayle's falling flick
It was the second over of the match, and Virat Kohli had already demonstrated how quick the Chinnaswamy Stadium outfield was, sending an on-the-up punch off Bhuvneshwar Kumar screaming to the extra-cover boundary. Now Chris Gayle was on strike. Seeing him advance, Bhuvneshwar bowled it full and straight, and found a bit of swing into the left-hander as well. Gayle's head was nearly falling over, but he opened up his front foot just enough to make room for his bat to come down and dig out the near-yorker. He ended up timing the ball far better than he might have imagined, and it sped away between short midwicket and mid-on, giving neither fielder any chance to stop the ball.
It was the second over of the match, and Virat Kohli had already demonstrated how quick the Chinnaswamy Stadium outfield was, sending an on-the-up punch off Bhuvneshwar Kumar screaming to the extra-cover boundary. Now Chris Gayle was on strike. Seeing him advance, Bhuvneshwar bowled it full and straight, and found a bit of swing into the left-hander as well. Gayle's head was nearly falling over, but he opened up his front foot just enough to make room for his bat to come down and dig out the near-yorker. He ended up timing the ball far better than he might have imagined, and it sped away between short midwicket and mid-on, giving neither fielder any chance to stop the ball.
Warner takes flight
Ravi Bopara had struck a crucial blow off the previous ball, taking out a dangerous looking Kohli. He now sent down a fuller ball to Mandeep Singh, angling in towards middle and leg stump. Mandeep looked to work him with the angle, through the leg side, but the bowler had rolled his fingers over the ball and got it to grip and turn like a legbreak. It popped into the off side, off Mandeep's leading edge, but it looked to be falling safely into no-man's land. That was until David Warner appeared out of nowhere, flying full-length to his right from short cover to pluck the ball out of the air, one-handed.
Ravi Bopara had struck a crucial blow off the previous ball, taking out a dangerous looking Kohli. He now sent down a fuller ball to Mandeep Singh, angling in towards middle and leg stump. Mandeep looked to work him with the angle, through the leg side, but the bowler had rolled his fingers over the ball and got it to grip and turn like a legbreak. It popped into the off side, off Mandeep's leading edge, but it looked to be falling safely into no-man's land. That was until David Warner appeared out of nowhere, flying full-length to his right from short cover to pluck the ball out of the air, one-handed.
The near-collision
Wickets were falling around him, but AB de Villiers was batting beautifully. At the start of the 19th over, he was on 42 off 26 balls. First ball of the over, Trent Boult saw de Villiers jumping across his crease, presumably to play his favourite scoop over fine leg, and bowled a low full-toss wide outside off stump. 'Where are you going to hit that?' Boult seemed to be asking. De Villiers, as always, had an excellent retort. He swiped the ball with a powerful roll of his wrists, and sent it racing through straight midwicket. Two fielders converged on the ball, KL Rahul running full-tilt from long-on, Kane Williamson doing likewise from deep midwicket. The ball pierced the gap to perfection, producing a moment of theatre as both fielders, sliding desperately to try and stop it, came inches within crashing into each other.
Wickets were falling around him, but AB de Villiers was batting beautifully. At the start of the 19th over, he was on 42 off 26 balls. First ball of the over, Trent Boult saw de Villiers jumping across his crease, presumably to play his favourite scoop over fine leg, and bowled a low full-toss wide outside off stump. 'Where are you going to hit that?' Boult seemed to be asking. De Villiers, as always, had an excellent retort. He swiped the ball with a powerful roll of his wrists, and sent it racing through straight midwicket. Two fielders converged on the ball, KL Rahul running full-tilt from long-on, Kane Williamson doing likewise from deep midwicket. The ball pierced the gap to perfection, producing a moment of theatre as both fielders, sliding desperately to try and stop it, came inches within crashing into each other.
Boult's lightning strikes
Next ball, Boult bowled full and wide again, and de Villiers, who hadn't moved as far across his stumps, reached out to slice the ball over the off side. All he could do, however, was pick out Shikhar Dhawan at sweeper cover. With de Villiers gone, it felt as if Royal Challengers would have to lower their sights considerably. Boult hammered the point home. Next ball, seeing Sean Abbott making himself room, he banged it in short, and the left-armer's angle forced the batsman to fetch his big swipe from wide outside off stump. Cover settled nicely under the steepling top-edge. Two balls later, Boult tested the middle of the pitch again, and Harshal Patel, cramped for room, top-edged an attempted pull and was caught at midwicket.
Next ball, Boult bowled full and wide again, and de Villiers, who hadn't moved as far across his stumps, reached out to slice the ball over the off side. All he could do, however, was pick out Shikhar Dhawan at sweeper cover. With de Villiers gone, it felt as if Royal Challengers would have to lower their sights considerably. Boult hammered the point home. Next ball, seeing Sean Abbott making himself room, he banged it in short, and the left-armer's angle forced the batsman to fetch his big swipe from wide outside off stump. Cover settled nicely under the steepling top-edge. Two balls later, Boult tested the middle of the pitch again, and Harshal Patel, cramped for room, top-edged an attempted pull and was caught at midwicket.
Adding injury to insult
Sunrisers Hyderabad were cruising, with eight wickets in hand and 16 to get from 15 balls, and the bowlers were making it easy for them. Abu Nechim's previous ball had been a wide down the leg side, and Dinesh Karthik, throwing himself to his left behind the stumps, hadn't been able to prevent it from running away for four more. Now KL Rahul went on the back foot and worked Nechim into the leg side. De Villiers, chasing from midwicket, stretched out his right foot to stop the ball. He managed to do this, but landed on the outside of his foot after stopping the ball. He was clearly in discomfort, but hobbled around gamely for the rest of the over before finally deciding to go off the field.
Sunrisers Hyderabad were cruising, with eight wickets in hand and 16 to get from 15 balls, and the bowlers were making it easy for them. Abu Nechim's previous ball had been a wide down the leg side, and Dinesh Karthik, throwing himself to his left behind the stumps, hadn't been able to prevent it from running away for four more. Now KL Rahul went on the back foot and worked Nechim into the leg side. De Villiers, chasing from midwicket, stretched out his right foot to stop the ball. He managed to do this, but landed on the outside of his foot after stopping the ball. He was clearly in discomfort, but hobbled around gamely for the rest of the over before finally deciding to go off the field.
Karthik Krishnaswamy is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo