Jadeja's punt, and Sammy's punch
Plays of the day from the sixth match of the Champions Trophy between India and West Indies
Andrew Fidel Fernando and Nagraj Gollapudi
11-Jun-2013
Darren Sammy punches the air after reaching his fifty • AFP
The punt
Ravindra Jadeja had bowled the delivery into the pads of Marlon Samuels, who responded with a bat-pad defence on the front foot. Although the Indian captain MS Dhoni had joined the chorus of appeals from the close-in fielders and the bowler, he was not entirely sure whether to opt for the one review given to each team. The doubt was whether it had hit bat or pad first. Once he got a firm nod from Jadeja, however, Dhoni signaled to Aleem Dar for the review. Jadeja's hunch proved correct as ball had just brushed the pad plumb in front before it hit the bat.
Ravindra Jadeja had bowled the delivery into the pads of Marlon Samuels, who responded with a bat-pad defence on the front foot. Although the Indian captain MS Dhoni had joined the chorus of appeals from the close-in fielders and the bowler, he was not entirely sure whether to opt for the one review given to each team. The doubt was whether it had hit bat or pad first. Once he got a firm nod from Jadeja, however, Dhoni signaled to Aleem Dar for the review. Jadeja's hunch proved correct as ball had just brushed the pad plumb in front before it hit the bat.
The stop
If you make Dhoni jog to you and shake your hand, you clearly must have done something special. The Indian captain is not a man for big gestures on the field, but today he was forced to acknowledge Rohit Sharma's agility at point. Against a short and wide ball from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Darren Bravo moved swiftly into position to unleash a dashing square cut which was travelling fast towards the point boundary. However, Rohit was equally quick to move to his right and then dive to interrupt the passage of ball and convert a certain boundary into just a single.
If you make Dhoni jog to you and shake your hand, you clearly must have done something special. The Indian captain is not a man for big gestures on the field, but today he was forced to acknowledge Rohit Sharma's agility at point. Against a short and wide ball from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Darren Bravo moved swiftly into position to unleash a dashing square cut which was travelling fast towards the point boundary. However, Rohit was equally quick to move to his right and then dive to interrupt the passage of ball and convert a certain boundary into just a single.
The punch
As soon as he had charged Jadeja to slap a powerful inside-out six over cover to get to his half-century, an ecstatic Darren Sammy turned to the West Indies change room and punched his right hand, a gesture loaded with significance. Ahead of the Champions Trophy, Sammy had been replaced by Dwayne Bravo as the ODI captain, and was dropped in the first match against Pakistan. Bravo had said one reason for Sammy's exclusion was to strengthen the batting order. Sammy is no doubt a bowling allrounder, but on evidence so far he is a better batsman than at least Ramnaresh Sarwan, who has had a horrid tournament. So Sammy's excited celebration was clear in its message: don't you dare drop me next time. I am a good batsman too.
As soon as he had charged Jadeja to slap a powerful inside-out six over cover to get to his half-century, an ecstatic Darren Sammy turned to the West Indies change room and punched his right hand, a gesture loaded with significance. Ahead of the Champions Trophy, Sammy had been replaced by Dwayne Bravo as the ODI captain, and was dropped in the first match against Pakistan. Bravo had said one reason for Sammy's exclusion was to strengthen the batting order. Sammy is no doubt a bowling allrounder, but on evidence so far he is a better batsman than at least Ramnaresh Sarwan, who has had a horrid tournament. So Sammy's excited celebration was clear in its message: don't you dare drop me next time. I am a good batsman too.
The drop
India's openers motored to 72 by the end of the 11th over, but when West Indies finally had an opportunity to break the stand, Kemar Roach allowed it to slip through his fingers. Spotting a Shikhar Dhawan top edge off Dwayne Bravo in the 12th over, Roach stepped off the boundary rope at fine leg and set himself for the catch, but misjudged the trajectory slightly, and had planted himself a foot short of where he needed to be. He could have still comfortably taken the catch falling forward, but perhaps put off by a raucous India crowd, could not get his hands around the ball, and the batsmen continued to progress swiftly.
India's openers motored to 72 by the end of the 11th over, but when West Indies finally had an opportunity to break the stand, Kemar Roach allowed it to slip through his fingers. Spotting a Shikhar Dhawan top edge off Dwayne Bravo in the 12th over, Roach stepped off the boundary rope at fine leg and set himself for the catch, but misjudged the trajectory slightly, and had planted himself a foot short of where he needed to be. He could have still comfortably taken the catch falling forward, but perhaps put off by a raucous India crowd, could not get his hands around the ball, and the batsmen continued to progress swiftly.
The lazy fielder
Often at slip, Chris Gayle has one of the least taxing jobs in the field, but if there is any way someone else can do his work for him, Gayle will not pass up the opportunity. In the 28th over, Dinesh Karthik edged Marlon Samuels safely towards third man, and initially, it seemed as if Gayle, running back from slip, would haul the ball in. He caught up with it just before the 30-yard circle, but as he did, saw Ravi Rampaul also approaching from third man. Instead of bending down to pick up the ball, which had stopped no more than a foot away from his boot, Gayle gestured to Rampaul to collect it and throw it in himself. Amused, Rampaul obliged him, and Gayle returned to his position with a broad grin as the crowd cheered his lethargy.
Often at slip, Chris Gayle has one of the least taxing jobs in the field, but if there is any way someone else can do his work for him, Gayle will not pass up the opportunity. In the 28th over, Dinesh Karthik edged Marlon Samuels safely towards third man, and initially, it seemed as if Gayle, running back from slip, would haul the ball in. He caught up with it just before the 30-yard circle, but as he did, saw Ravi Rampaul also approaching from third man. Instead of bending down to pick up the ball, which had stopped no more than a foot away from his boot, Gayle gestured to Rampaul to collect it and throw it in himself. Amused, Rampaul obliged him, and Gayle returned to his position with a broad grin as the crowd cheered his lethargy.
Andrew Fidel Fernando is ESPNcricinfo's Sri Lanka correspondent. He tweets here