Boult v McCullum II
Plays of the Day from the match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings
Abhishek Purohit
02-May-2015
David Warner smashed the Chennai Super Kings bowels to all parts of the ground • BCCI
Boult v McCullum II
Trent Boult had troubled Dwayne Smith with the first three balls of the chase, all pitched up. But when his New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum came on strike, Boult went short. McCullum promptly cut and pulled for successive fours. Boult finally corrected himself, pitching up the last ball of the over. But McCullum was not to be stopped. He charged out and cracked it through covers for four more, making it three fours off Boult, the same number he had taken off his national team-mate when these two teams had met earlier this season.
Trent Boult had troubled Dwayne Smith with the first three balls of the chase, all pitched up. But when his New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum came on strike, Boult went short. McCullum promptly cut and pulled for successive fours. Boult finally corrected himself, pitching up the last ball of the over. But McCullum was not to be stopped. He charged out and cracked it through covers for four more, making it three fours off Boult, the same number he had taken off his national team-mate when these two teams had met earlier this season.
The appetizer
At the toss, both captains had said that the Hyderabad pitch would have some assistance for fast bowlers. MS Dhoni gave the new ball to Mohit Sharma. Probably eager to test out the track, Mohit ran in and banged the first ball short. He found that there was carry available alright, but the batsman at the other end was David Warner, who has been raised on bouncy pitches. He easily pulled it for four, and went on to make a 20-ball half-century, taking advantage of several more short balls.
At the toss, both captains had said that the Hyderabad pitch would have some assistance for fast bowlers. MS Dhoni gave the new ball to Mohit Sharma. Probably eager to test out the track, Mohit ran in and banged the first ball short. He found that there was carry available alright, but the batsman at the other end was David Warner, who has been raised on bouncy pitches. He easily pulled it for four, and went on to make a 20-ball half-century, taking advantage of several more short balls.
The defence
Warner had carried Sunrisers to 76 for 0 in the first six overs when Suresh Raina came on to bowl a tight over. After Shikhar Dhawan struggled to rotate strike, Warner came on to face the last ball of the over. Raina angled it in from round the stumps, affording little room. On 60 off 24 at the point, Warner went back and across in the crease and played a watchful defensive push down the track.
Warner had carried Sunrisers to 76 for 0 in the first six overs when Suresh Raina came on to bowl a tight over. After Shikhar Dhawan struggled to rotate strike, Warner came on to face the last ball of the over. Raina angled it in from round the stumps, affording little room. On 60 off 24 at the point, Warner went back and across in the crease and played a watchful defensive push down the track.
The blackout
Chennai Super Kings had got rid of the Sunrisers openers and had also sneaked in a couple of overs when their fightback was cut short. One of the floodlight towers at the ground went off completely, in Hyderabad's first game of the IPL season, and the players had to go off the field. Play was suspended for about 15 minutes before the tower was brought back to life.
Chennai Super Kings had got rid of the Sunrisers openers and had also sneaked in a couple of overs when their fightback was cut short. One of the floodlight towers at the ground went off completely, in Hyderabad's first game of the IPL season, and the players had to go off the field. Play was suspended for about 15 minutes before the tower was brought back to life.
The run-out
Faf du Plessis and MS Dhoni had got a partnership going when the former was caught short of his ground in bizarre fashion. Dhoni swung Ashish Reddy straight into du Plessis at the other end. The ball ricocheted into the umpire and rolled away. The momentum of trying to avoid the ball, and then being hit, had du Plessis teetering on the pitch for a while. Amid all this, du Plessis thought about a single. Reddy had enough time to pick up the ball and lob it on to the stumps. He did not miss.
Faf du Plessis and MS Dhoni had got a partnership going when the former was caught short of his ground in bizarre fashion. Dhoni swung Ashish Reddy straight into du Plessis at the other end. The ball ricocheted into the umpire and rolled away. The momentum of trying to avoid the ball, and then being hit, had du Plessis teetering on the pitch for a while. Amid all this, du Plessis thought about a single. Reddy had enough time to pick up the ball and lob it on to the stumps. He did not miss.
Abhishek Purohit is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo