Kneading it out and McGrath the record-setter
Plays of the Day for Australia v Bangladesh, Super Eights, March 31, 2007
Andrew Miller in Antigua
31-Mar-2007
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Lost cause of the Day
Just when it seemed the groundstaff were completely devoid of ideas about how to sort Antigua's sodden outfield, one of their number proved it beyond all doubt. Out he came to the middle with a shredded piece of sponge, a square metre's worth at most, and began kneading it hopelessly, as if crushing grapes in a vat. By the time he had wrung it out on the boundary's edge, the whole exercise has taken him approximately four minutes. A quick piece of arithmetic suggested that to cover the remaining 16,000 square metres would have taken 1066 hours, or 44 days.
Just when it seemed the groundstaff were completely devoid of ideas about how to sort Antigua's sodden outfield, one of their number proved it beyond all doubt. Out he came to the middle with a shredded piece of sponge, a square metre's worth at most, and began kneading it hopelessly, as if crushing grapes in a vat. By the time he had wrung it out on the boundary's edge, the whole exercise has taken him approximately four minutes. A quick piece of arithmetic suggested that to cover the remaining 16,000 square metres would have taken 1066 hours, or 44 days.
Brainwave of the Day
At about 1.50pm local time, after a delay of nearly four-and-a-half hours, some bright spark finally realised that the best solution to the bogging great quagmire on the fine-leg boundary was to pour some of Antigua's finest sand all over it. Astonishing it took that long really, seeing as there is a beach for every day of the year out here. Maybe the March 31 one was closed or something.
At about 1.50pm local time, after a delay of nearly four-and-a-half hours, some bright spark finally realised that the best solution to the bogging great quagmire on the fine-leg boundary was to pour some of Antigua's finest sand all over it. Astonishing it took that long really, seeing as there is a beach for every day of the year out here. Maybe the March 31 one was closed or something.
Ball Game of the Day
The Aussie fans in the Eastern Stand had very little to cheer about for most of the day. They could only look on enviously as their Western counterparts cavorted in the paddling pool and larged it under the big screen. But they did at least enjoy a celebrity kick-about during the interminable delay, when one of the Australian players (from a distance it looked like Michael Clarke) joined them for an impromptu game of Aussie rules.
The Aussie fans in the Eastern Stand had very little to cheer about for most of the day. They could only look on enviously as their Western counterparts cavorted in the paddling pool and larged it under the big screen. But they did at least enjoy a celebrity kick-about during the interminable delay, when one of the Australian players (from a distance it looked like Michael Clarke) joined them for an impromptu game of Aussie rules.
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Old Dog's New Trick of the Day
Glenn McGrath is a bit long in the tooth to have to adapt his game for a 22-over slogfest. So he didn't. He just bowled exactly as he has done for the entirety of his career, brushing aside the feisty attacking intent of Tamim Iqbal and friends to pick up the superb figures of 3 for 16 in five overs. In doing so, of course, he went past Wasim Akram to become the leading wicket-taker in World Cup history, with 57 victims.
Glenn McGrath is a bit long in the tooth to have to adapt his game for a 22-over slogfest. So he didn't. He just bowled exactly as he has done for the entirety of his career, brushing aside the feisty attacking intent of Tamim Iqbal and friends to pick up the superb figures of 3 for 16 in five overs. In doing so, of course, he went past Wasim Akram to become the leading wicket-taker in World Cup history, with 57 victims.
Shot of the Day
Australia's openers clobbered 11 fours and four sixes as they hunted down Bangladesh's meager total with nine overs to spare, including three maximums in 11 balls as the last rites were swiftly administered. But the most eye-catching stroke was that of Mashrafe Mortaza in the first innings, whose straight drive off Andrew Symonds almost crashed into the windows of the press box in the Northern Stand.
Australia's openers clobbered 11 fours and four sixes as they hunted down Bangladesh's meager total with nine overs to spare, including three maximums in 11 balls as the last rites were swiftly administered. But the most eye-catching stroke was that of Mashrafe Mortaza in the first innings, whose straight drive off Andrew Symonds almost crashed into the windows of the press box in the Northern Stand.
Andrew Miller is UK editor of Cricinfo