McCullum defies laws of physics again

Suresh Raina's short ball problems have been laid threadbare. In the previous encounter between these two sides, Chris Morris, from over the wicket, bowled a shortish-length delivery at Raina's body. Hustled for pace, Raina got inside the line but failed to keep his flick down. A well-positioned leg gully completed the catch.

Daredevils and Morris opted for the same plan again. In the fifth over, Raina's uppish nudge went past the leg-gully fielder. Daredevils did not deviate from their scheme. But Raina had to. Morris, reintroduced in the eighth over, hit the same length. Raina anticipated the bouncer and used a cross-batted swat to dispatch the ball to the backward square leg boundary.

Unlike some of the other grounds in India, the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium's large dimensions help batsmen utilise empty pockets to accumulate runs. In the 16th over of Lions' innings, Ravindra Jadeja clipped a full delivery towards the fielder running in from deep square leg, and called 'two' immediately. He slipped as he turned, but quickly recovered and scurried back. But it amounted to nothing despite him completing the run easily as Karthik, over-eager for the second run, failed to slide his bat into the crease at the striker's end while turning. Umpire Chris Gaffaney, at square leg, spotted that with his hawk-eyes and immediately signalled one short.

In the 16th over of the chase, Jadeja bowled an in-drifter that spun past the outside edge and had Sanju Samson stumped. At least, that's what Karthik thought. As the batsman over-balanced, Karthik whipped the bails off and indulged in muted celebrations with his team-mates. However, replays showed Jadeja had overstepped, by less than an inch. The foot was on the line, and after multiple replays, the right decision was made.

With eight required off three overs, Samson heaved Jadeja towards long-on. It looked like the swipe had enough power to clear the boundary, before a spectacular effort reversed the direction of the ball. It was Brendon McCullum. Again.

A foot inside the boundary, McCullum backtracked slowly with his eyes peeled on the trajectory of the ball. As it descended, McCullum leapt. With both feet in the air, he stuck out his right hand, and hung on. Just before meeting the ground - over the boundary - he threw the ball back into the field of play to save four runs. Samson hammered the next ball into the stands over midwicket, just to make sure.