No-balls, disrespect, and the maiden
ESPNcricinfo presents the Plays of the Day from the IPL match between Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals
Sidharth Monga
21-Apr-2011
Shane Warne's family and friends saw him get hit for three sixes by a man whose father he played with • AFP
The no-ball, part I
It was a strange move from Shane Warne to open the bowling with Siddharth Trivedi, who almost exclusively deals in slower balls nowadays. However, the move seemed to have worked when he bowled Adam Gilchrist with the fourth ball he bowled on the night; except it turned out to be a no-ball. Just to rub it in, Gilchrist pulled the free-hit for four.
It was a strange move from Shane Warne to open the bowling with Siddharth Trivedi, who almost exclusively deals in slower balls nowadays. However, the move seemed to have worked when he bowled Adam Gilchrist with the fourth ball he bowled on the night; except it turned out to be a no-ball. Just to rub it in, Gilchrist pulled the free-hit for four.
The awareness, or lack of it
Gamesmanship is all fine, but it can be a bit embarrassing if indulged in without proper awareness of the rules and regulations of the game. Gilchrist, unaware that the delivery that had bowled him was a no-ball, was walking off, but as soon as Dishant Yagnik realised it, he broke the stumps, and even appealed for a run-out. "How was that?" In gully cricket maybe. In official cricket, you cannot be run-out if you have left the crease to walk back, not knowing that you have been dismissed of an illegal delivery.
Gamesmanship is all fine, but it can be a bit embarrassing if indulged in without proper awareness of the rules and regulations of the game. Gilchrist, unaware that the delivery that had bowled him was a no-ball, was walking off, but as soon as Dishant Yagnik realised it, he broke the stumps, and even appealed for a run-out. "How was that?" In gully cricket maybe. In official cricket, you cannot be run-out if you have left the crease to walk back, not knowing that you have been dismissed of an illegal delivery.
The no-ball, part II
It was a perfect plan: Shaun Tait bowling at 150kph, getting menacing bounce, placing a slip and two gullies for Paul Valthaty. And it worked. A short ball got big on Valthaty, he failed to control the shot, and hit straight to the second gully. Except that the umpire wanted to check the legality of the delivery. Tait hadn't overstepped, but as it turned out, he had cut the return crease, and not for the first time in recent cricket.
It was a perfect plan: Shaun Tait bowling at 150kph, getting menacing bounce, placing a slip and two gullies for Paul Valthaty. And it worked. A short ball got big on Valthaty, he failed to control the shot, and hit straight to the second gully. Except that the umpire wanted to check the legality of the delivery. Tait hadn't overstepped, but as it turned out, he had cut the return crease, and not for the first time in recent cricket.
The disrespect
Shane Warne played Test cricket with Geoff Marsh. He had his own sons and a special friend watching from the stands when he came on to bowl to Marsh's son, Shaun. Marsh junior, though, was in no mood for niceties as he slog-swept the legend for three sixes in one over, bringing up Warne's half-century. After the game, though, Marsh was graceful in describing the events. "First time I have got a few off him, usually he gets me out pretty early," Marsh said. His old man would have approved.
Shane Warne played Test cricket with Geoff Marsh. He had his own sons and a special friend watching from the stands when he came on to bowl to Marsh's son, Shaun. Marsh junior, though, was in no mood for niceties as he slog-swept the legend for three sixes in one over, bringing up Warne's half-century. After the game, though, Marsh was graceful in describing the events. "First time I have got a few off him, usually he gets me out pretty early," Marsh said. His old man would have approved.
The maiden
With the score reading 77 for 1 after six overs, you would not believe a maiden over had been bowled. And it was no ordinary maiden over. It was one in which Shaun Tait consistently kept beating Paul Valthaty for pace. Never mind that Valthaty is in such good touch that he was 33 off 13 before the over started. Valthaty managed bat on ball only once in that over, digging a yorker out. Four other deliveries he tried to cut and was slow on them, and the sixth hit him in the hip area, and ran away for four leg-byes.
With the score reading 77 for 1 after six overs, you would not believe a maiden over had been bowled. And it was no ordinary maiden over. It was one in which Shaun Tait consistently kept beating Paul Valthaty for pace. Never mind that Valthaty is in such good touch that he was 33 off 13 before the over started. Valthaty managed bat on ball only once in that over, digging a yorker out. Four other deliveries he tried to cut and was slow on them, and the sixth hit him in the hip area, and ran away for four leg-byes.
Sidharth Monga is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo