Bravo loses a finger
Plays of the day from the second match of the Champions Trophy between Pakistan and West Indies
Andrew Fidel Fernando and Jarrod Kimber
07-Jun-2013
Before Pollard struck four boundaries, he took 18 deliveries to get off the mark • Getty Images
The ruse
Wicketkeepers don't often carry a reputation for exemplary honesty, and Denesh Ramdin didn't do glovemen any favours in the ninth over when he claimed a 'catch' that had seen more grass than a teenage rock band. Misbah-ul-Haq bottom-edged a chest-high delivery from Kemar Roach, and the ball just carried to Ramdin, who appeared to take it cleanly on first attempt, but allowed the ball to bobble out of his gloves and onto the turf. His team-mates all went up in appeal, and did not spot the blunder, but Ramdin did not acknowledge it himself and joined in the celebratory huddle. Fortunately, the square-leg umpire had sensed something was amiss and replays confirmed the misdeed.
Wicketkeepers don't often carry a reputation for exemplary honesty, and Denesh Ramdin didn't do glovemen any favours in the ninth over when he claimed a 'catch' that had seen more grass than a teenage rock band. Misbah-ul-Haq bottom-edged a chest-high delivery from Kemar Roach, and the ball just carried to Ramdin, who appeared to take it cleanly on first attempt, but allowed the ball to bobble out of his gloves and onto the turf. His team-mates all went up in appeal, and did not spot the blunder, but Ramdin did not acknowledge it himself and joined in the celebratory huddle. Fortunately, the square-leg umpire had sensed something was amiss and replays confirmed the misdeed.
The fake flying finger
When the ball hits the stumps at the bowler's end, there is almost always an appeal, whether the bowler has got close to it or not. Often it's almost impossible to work out if the bowler has touched it. Endless replays and rewind in super-slow motion follow hoping to see if there is any movement off the fingers or deviation of the ball. Dwayne Bravo made it far easier for the umpires when a drive from Misbah hit his hand, and the protective guard from his fingers came flying off. For a moment it looked like he'd lost an actual finger. Instead, the only thing Pakistan lost was their last chance to post a total of over 200 as Wahab Riaz had to walk off.
When the ball hits the stumps at the bowler's end, there is almost always an appeal, whether the bowler has got close to it or not. Often it's almost impossible to work out if the bowler has touched it. Endless replays and rewind in super-slow motion follow hoping to see if there is any movement off the fingers or deviation of the ball. Dwayne Bravo made it far easier for the umpires when a drive from Misbah hit his hand, and the protective guard from his fingers came flying off. For a moment it looked like he'd lost an actual finger. Instead, the only thing Pakistan lost was their last chance to post a total of over 200 as Wahab Riaz had to walk off.
The mango picker
Between the two sides, there were plenty of giants at The Oval, but Chris Gayle made the best use of his height, when he climbed high in the 41st over to dismiss Junaid Khan. A slower ball from Bravo took the top edge of the blade and seemed to be looping over Gayle, but he timed his jump brilliantly and intercepted the ball at the top of his leap. Standing next to the much shorter Ramdin, it was almost like Gayle was reaching up into the branches of a mango tree to get his little brother some fruit.
Between the two sides, there were plenty of giants at The Oval, but Chris Gayle made the best use of his height, when he climbed high in the 41st over to dismiss Junaid Khan. A slower ball from Bravo took the top edge of the blade and seemed to be looping over Gayle, but he timed his jump brilliantly and intercepted the ball at the top of his leap. Standing next to the much shorter Ramdin, it was almost like Gayle was reaching up into the branches of a mango tree to get his little brother some fruit.
The release
Seventeen balls of torture from the quicks and the spinners, preceded Kieron Pollard's first run of the match, and even when it eventually came, both he and his partner Marlon Samuels did their best to contrive a wicket from it. Pollard didn't pick the Saeed Ajmal doosra to begin with, but pushed hard enough with an angled bat to get the ball away on the off side. Understandably eager to get himself a run, he set off straight away, only to realise halfway down the wicket that Samuels had not yet begun. A stutter from Pollard induced a start from Samuels, who scampered quickly enough to the other end to prevent a run-out.
Seventeen balls of torture from the quicks and the spinners, preceded Kieron Pollard's first run of the match, and even when it eventually came, both he and his partner Marlon Samuels did their best to contrive a wicket from it. Pollard didn't pick the Saeed Ajmal doosra to begin with, but pushed hard enough with an angled bat to get the ball away on the off side. Understandably eager to get himself a run, he set off straight away, only to realise halfway down the wicket that Samuels had not yet begun. A stutter from Pollard induced a start from Samuels, who scampered quickly enough to the other end to prevent a run-out.
The battle
Riaz had been Pollard's chief tormentor early on and he was quick to remind the batsman of his troubles in between deliveries, with a volley of words. Riaz had the best of the first melee, bowling 14 dot balls out of 16 deliveries to Pollard, but when he returned for his next spell, Pollard blasted his first ball through the covers for four. Riaz emerged the victor though, two balls later, when he swung one slightly away from Pollard to take an edge, and the wicket briefly brought Pakistan back into the match.
Riaz had been Pollard's chief tormentor early on and he was quick to remind the batsman of his troubles in between deliveries, with a volley of words. Riaz had the best of the first melee, bowling 14 dot balls out of 16 deliveries to Pollard, but when he returned for his next spell, Pollard blasted his first ball through the covers for four. Riaz emerged the victor though, two balls later, when he swung one slightly away from Pollard to take an edge, and the wicket briefly brought Pakistan back into the match.
Andrew Fidel Fernando is ESPNcricinfo's Sri Lanka correspondent. He tweets here