Bravo sets a trap
Plays of the day from the second day of the second Test between Sri Lanka and West Indies in Colombo
Andrew Fernando in Colombo
24-Nov-2010
Dwayne Bravo celebrates his triumph over Thilan Samaraweera • AFP
The trap of the day
After being ineffective for much of the match so far, Dwayne Bravo tried a new approach after lunch. With a leg gully, short leg, square leg and long leg in place, Bravo peppered Thilan Samaraweera with the short stuff, hoping the batsman would fall for it. Samaraweera was all too happy to oblige, pulling the first ball of Bravo's second over of the session straight into the hands of Shane Shillingford, who barely had to move. Cue a distraught Samaraweera lumbering off the pitch, aghast at how he could have succumbed to the ploy.
After being ineffective for much of the match so far, Dwayne Bravo tried a new approach after lunch. With a leg gully, short leg, square leg and long leg in place, Bravo peppered Thilan Samaraweera with the short stuff, hoping the batsman would fall for it. Samaraweera was all too happy to oblige, pulling the first ball of Bravo's second over of the session straight into the hands of Shane Shillingford, who barely had to move. Cue a distraught Samaraweera lumbering off the pitch, aghast at how he could have succumbed to the ploy.
The trap of the day part deux
Having seen Thilan Samaraweera fall to the leg trap, you'd think the new batsman in would refrain from making the same mistake. Angelo Mathews seemed to have missed the memo however, as he continued to pull unconvincingly. His closest call came off the bowling of Bravo, as he top edged a short ball to vacant mid wicket, only for it to fall inches short of the converging West Indies fielders.
Having seen Thilan Samaraweera fall to the leg trap, you'd think the new batsman in would refrain from making the same mistake. Angelo Mathews seemed to have missed the memo however, as he continued to pull unconvincingly. His closest call came off the bowling of Bravo, as he top edged a short ball to vacant mid wicket, only for it to fall inches short of the converging West Indies fielders.
The bat change of the day
On a day when Kumar Sangakkara repeatedly held up play with elaborate bat changes, Mathews showed his captain how it should be done. Where, for Sangakkara, the twelfth man had to run on with about five bats for him meticulously test before choosing the right one, for Mathews, the man arrived with just two, and he briskly grabbed one out of his hands before jogging back to the crease to take strike.
On a day when Kumar Sangakkara repeatedly held up play with elaborate bat changes, Mathews showed his captain how it should be done. Where, for Sangakkara, the twelfth man had to run on with about five bats for him meticulously test before choosing the right one, for Mathews, the man arrived with just two, and he briskly grabbed one out of his hands before jogging back to the crease to take strike.
Shot of the day
Sangakkara's innings today was, as always, characterised by nimble footwork and exquisite timing, but his six off Shane Shillingford showed him at his best. Waltzing down the track, Sangakkara languidly lifted the ball over mid on and it just continued sailing until it landed beyond the boundary ropes.
Sangakkara's innings today was, as always, characterised by nimble footwork and exquisite timing, but his six off Shane Shillingford showed him at his best. Waltzing down the track, Sangakkara languidly lifted the ball over mid on and it just continued sailing until it landed beyond the boundary ropes.
Andrew Fernando writes for The Pigeon and blogs here