Morgan asks Perera to go bare-knuckle
Plays from the IPL game between Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Kolkata
Sidharth Monga
14-Apr-2013
Eoin Morgan: watching the ball closely • BCCI
The mistake
Young Sunrisers Hyderabad batsman Hanuma Vihari might have got Chris Gayle with his first IPL delivery, but giving him the second over today - ahead of two specialist spinners - proved to be a mistake. Bowling to Indian opening batsmen, Vihari delivered from round the stumps and flat. Manvinder Bisla took him for two fours, Gautam Gambhir one. Kolkata Knight Riders never struggled for momentum after that.
Young Sunrisers Hyderabad batsman Hanuma Vihari might have got Chris Gayle with his first IPL delivery, but giving him the second over today - ahead of two specialist spinners - proved to be a mistake. Bowling to Indian opening batsmen, Vihari delivered from round the stumps and flat. Manvinder Bisla took him for two fours, Gautam Gambhir one. Kolkata Knight Riders never struggled for momentum after that.
The eye
Eoin Morgan had a Sachin Tendulkar moment when in the 18th over he asked the bowler Thisara Perera to remove all the bandages on the fingers of his bowling hand. Perera had no choice but to oblige. Morgan must have begun to sight the ball much better: the next four legal deliveries went for four, six, four, four.
Eoin Morgan had a Sachin Tendulkar moment when in the 18th over he asked the bowler Thisara Perera to remove all the bandages on the fingers of his bowling hand. Perera had no choice but to oblige. Morgan must have begun to sight the ball much better: the next four legal deliveries went for four, six, four, four.
The yorkers
Slower balls might be all the rage nowadays, but Sunrisers at least would have realised today that there is no substitute for a good old-fashioned yorker. They were assaulted ruthlessly by Morgan and Jacques Kallis in the last five overs as the bowlers went through the whole catalogue of their variations, but Ishant Sharma finally produced two yorkers to end the innings. Kallis faced both of them, and could manage only one run.
Slower balls might be all the rage nowadays, but Sunrisers at least would have realised today that there is no substitute for a good old-fashioned yorker. They were assaulted ruthlessly by Morgan and Jacques Kallis in the last five overs as the bowlers went through the whole catalogue of their variations, but Ishant Sharma finally produced two yorkers to end the innings. Kallis faced both of them, and could manage only one run.
The catch
The fielding in this IPL has been a bit of a mixed bag, but there has been a quite amazing highlight reel of some sensational catches. Yusuf Pathan added to it today with one overhead at long-on. Cameron White had just about got going with back-to-back fours in the 11th over of the chase, but Yusuf cut short that resurgence with his highness. White had thought he had hit Kallis for a six, but he hadn't reckoned for the tall Yusuf, who jumped about three feet in the air and caught it at full stretch.
The fielding in this IPL has been a bit of a mixed bag, but there has been a quite amazing highlight reel of some sensational catches. Yusuf Pathan added to it today with one overhead at long-on. Cameron White had just about got going with back-to-back fours in the 11th over of the chase, but Yusuf cut short that resurgence with his highness. White had thought he had hit Kallis for a six, but he hadn't reckoned for the tall Yusuf, who jumped about three feet in the air and caught it at full stretch.
The miss
It was inconsequential for the match, but could end up having a bearing on whether Sunil Narine gets the purple cap. Perera tried to hit Narine for a second straight six, but mis-hit flat for what looked like a sitter for Morgan at long-on. However, Morgan lost the ball in the lights, and instead ran for cover lest the ball lands on his head. After that, he seemed to point that the flood-light tower is a bit low. He will get a taste of lower lights when he plays in Mohali in two days' time.
It was inconsequential for the match, but could end up having a bearing on whether Sunil Narine gets the purple cap. Perera tried to hit Narine for a second straight six, but mis-hit flat for what looked like a sitter for Morgan at long-on. However, Morgan lost the ball in the lights, and instead ran for cover lest the ball lands on his head. After that, he seemed to point that the flood-light tower is a bit low. He will get a taste of lower lights when he plays in Mohali in two days' time.
The celebration
For a man who said before the start of the match he doesn't know why the hell injuries keep chasing him, Manoj Tiwary is not the most cautious player on the field. Twice he took catches in Sunrisers' chase, and twice he kicked the ball hard in jubilation. The last thing an injury-prone player would want to do is get hit by a hard cricket ball on the ankle when celebrating a catch.
For a man who said before the start of the match he doesn't know why the hell injuries keep chasing him, Manoj Tiwary is not the most cautious player on the field. Twice he took catches in Sunrisers' chase, and twice he kicked the ball hard in jubilation. The last thing an injury-prone player would want to do is get hit by a hard cricket ball on the ankle when celebrating a catch.
Sidharth Monga is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo