Fawad Alam, the trend-setter
Plays of the day from the first ODI between Pakistan and Australia in Sharjah
Brydon Coverdale
07-Oct-2014
In six games prior to the first ODI, Shahid Afridi had taken a total of 0 for 253 • Getty Images
Trend-setter of the day
On the rare occasions you see players bowling in a cap, they're generally wearing it forwards. Not Fawad Alam in this match. When called on for three overs of spin, Alam bowled with his cap on backwards. It worked - he picked up the important wicket of George Bailey. And it turns out he is not the first. Though not a regular bowler, Geoffrey Boycott was, at times, asked to roll his arm over and often wore his cap backwards. "I bowled with my cap back to front not because I thought it was trendy but because I could see where I was going," Boycott once said. Perhaps Alam, with long hair to keep out of his face, had similar reasons. Whatever the case, it prompted someone on Twitter to suggest he should be called 'Backwad Alam'.
On the rare occasions you see players bowling in a cap, they're generally wearing it forwards. Not Fawad Alam in this match. When called on for three overs of spin, Alam bowled with his cap on backwards. It worked - he picked up the important wicket of George Bailey. And it turns out he is not the first. Though not a regular bowler, Geoffrey Boycott was, at times, asked to roll his arm over and often wore his cap backwards. "I bowled with my cap back to front not because I thought it was trendy but because I could see where I was going," Boycott once said. Perhaps Alam, with long hair to keep out of his face, had similar reasons. Whatever the case, it prompted someone on Twitter to suggest he should be called 'Backwad Alam'.
Duck of the day
There's nothing quite so frustrating as a golden duck for a batsman, unless perhaps it's the added annoyance of being dismissed from the first ball of a match. Such was the case in this game for Aaron Finch, who drove hard at the first ball from Mohammad Irfan and was caught at point. The last batsman to achieve the dubious honour in ODIs was Sri Lanka's Dimuth Karunaratne against New Zealand in Hambantota last November. And the one before him? Aaron Finch, against England in Cardiff last September.
There's nothing quite so frustrating as a golden duck for a batsman, unless perhaps it's the added annoyance of being dismissed from the first ball of a match. Such was the case in this game for Aaron Finch, who drove hard at the first ball from Mohammad Irfan and was caught at point. The last batsman to achieve the dubious honour in ODIs was Sri Lanka's Dimuth Karunaratne against New Zealand in Hambantota last November. And the one before him? Aaron Finch, against England in Cardiff last September.
Broken drought of the day
Shahid Afridi must have been desperate for a wicket. In his past six ODIs he had taken a total of 0 for 253 in matches in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, not a drought he wanted to continue in the desert. Fortunately for Afridi, David Warner obliged by pulling a catch straight to midwicket and Afridi managed to remember his celebratory pose. Another two wickets, and poses, followed.
Shahid Afridi must have been desperate for a wicket. In his past six ODIs he had taken a total of 0 for 253 in matches in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, not a drought he wanted to continue in the desert. Fortunately for Afridi, David Warner obliged by pulling a catch straight to midwicket and Afridi managed to remember his celebratory pose. Another two wickets, and poses, followed.
Audacious shot of the day
Sarfraz Ahmed was included for his first ODI for more than a year and was also promoted to open the batting. He did not look out of place at the top and struck three fours, but the shot that left the fans breathless was his slog sweep for six off James Faulkner. Ahmed stepped a couple of metres outside his crease, got down on one knee and timed his stroke to perfection as the ball flew onto the roof of one of the stands.
Sarfraz Ahmed was included for his first ODI for more than a year and was also promoted to open the batting. He did not look out of place at the top and struck three fours, but the shot that left the fans breathless was his slog sweep for six off James Faulkner. Ahmed stepped a couple of metres outside his crease, got down on one knee and timed his stroke to perfection as the ball flew onto the roof of one of the stands.
Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. @brydoncoverdale