Fancy gloves and unusual stumpings
Plays of the Day from the third day of the first Test between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Galle
Andrew Fernando in Galle
19-Nov-2012
James Franklin was stumped, after the ball ricocheted off Prasanna Jayawardene's chest onto the stumps • Associated Press
The ominous dismissal
Martin Guptill had missed the limited-overs leg of the tour so he could be well rested for the Tests, but it may not be a match he will want to remember, having made only 24 across both innings. He was the first domino to fall on the third morning, and the vexing nature of his dismissal befitted the chaos that was to follow. Nuwan Kulasekara angled a fullish ball into the stumps, and despite the ball not taking any deviation off the pitch, Martin Guptill played completely down the wrong line to a delivery that crashed into middle and off.
Martin Guptill had missed the limited-overs leg of the tour so he could be well rested for the Tests, but it may not be a match he will want to remember, having made only 24 across both innings. He was the first domino to fall on the third morning, and the vexing nature of his dismissal befitted the chaos that was to follow. Nuwan Kulasekara angled a fullish ball into the stumps, and despite the ball not taking any deviation off the pitch, Martin Guptill played completely down the wrong line to a delivery that crashed into middle and off.
The unintentional stumping
Prasanna Jayawardene was once perhaps the best keeper to spin bowling in the world, and though his keeping form has dipped of late, his chest did the work his hands were supposed to do, when he stumped an advancing James Franklin. Rangana Herath had fired the ball in down the leg side, and Jayawardene was unsighted by Franklin's moving frame until the ball came through between Franklin's legs, making it difficult for him to collect cleanly. The ball ricocheted up into his chest, and fell onto the stumps in an instant - and Jayawardene was celebrating before Franklin had even returned to the crease.
Prasanna Jayawardene was once perhaps the best keeper to spin bowling in the world, and though his keeping form has dipped of late, his chest did the work his hands were supposed to do, when he stumped an advancing James Franklin. Rangana Herath had fired the ball in down the leg side, and Jayawardene was unsighted by Franklin's moving frame until the ball came through between Franklin's legs, making it difficult for him to collect cleanly. The ball ricocheted up into his chest, and fell onto the stumps in an instant - and Jayawardene was celebrating before Franklin had even returned to the crease.
The field placement
Sri Lanka were so keen to have left-hander Daniel Flynn playing against Herath's turn, they employed a 7-2 leg-side field, with the only slip and mid-off positioned on the off side. For two overs, Flynn played along, collecting runs only into the leg side. But he perished the first time he tried to play the ball into the off side, a gentle push though it was, missing the ball that turned sharply into him and hit the top of off stump.
Sri Lanka were so keen to have left-hander Daniel Flynn playing against Herath's turn, they employed a 7-2 leg-side field, with the only slip and mid-off positioned on the off side. For two overs, Flynn played along, collecting runs only into the leg side. But he perished the first time he tried to play the ball into the off side, a gentle push though it was, missing the ball that turned sharply into him and hit the top of off stump.
The wander
Tim Southee became the second victim of an unconventional stumping on day three, when was dismissed for 16. He had attempted to whip a full Suraj Randiv delivery through the leg side, but had only managed a toe-edge, but despite not knowing where the ball had dribbled to, decided to stroll out of the crease, as if he had been dispatched in a search party to locate it. The ball had rolled slowly behind him, and Prasanna Jayawardene picked it up off the pitch and whipped off the bails before the batsman was any the wiser.
Tim Southee became the second victim of an unconventional stumping on day three, when was dismissed for 16. He had attempted to whip a full Suraj Randiv delivery through the leg side, but had only managed a toe-edge, but despite not knowing where the ball had dribbled to, decided to stroll out of the crease, as if he had been dispatched in a search party to locate it. The ball had rolled slowly behind him, and Prasanna Jayawardene picked it up off the pitch and whipped off the bails before the batsman was any the wiser.
The equipment
Opener Dimuth Karunaratne arrived at the crease wearing fluorescent orange gloves, and given it was his debut, perhaps it was an attempt to get the New Zealand bowlers to go easy on him, the way a beginner driver would with fluorescent 'L' plates. After a nervy start, he began striking confident square boundaries, and before too long, he got rid of the learner's gloves and donned some proper ones.
Opener Dimuth Karunaratne arrived at the crease wearing fluorescent orange gloves, and given it was his debut, perhaps it was an attempt to get the New Zealand bowlers to go easy on him, the way a beginner driver would with fluorescent 'L' plates. After a nervy start, he began striking confident square boundaries, and before too long, he got rid of the learner's gloves and donned some proper ones.
Andrew Fernando is ESPNcricinfo's correspondent in Sri Lanka