The near hokey pokey
Plays of the Day from the match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad
Andrew Fidel Fernando
04-May-2015
The near hokey pokey
Tim Southee and Karun Nair have already combined to turn a probable six into a dismissal this season. Eoin Morgan and Hanuma Vihari did their best to pull off a repeat, but didn't manage to read each other's movements well enough. Morgan backpedalled and leapt backwards over the boundary to intercept Manish Pandey's strike over wide long-on. Though he managed to palm it back infield while airborne, he also deflected it to the left of Vihari, who had run in from deep midwicket. Vihari was at least able to prevent the ball from hitting the ropes again, however, and the pair saved four runs.
Tim Southee and Karun Nair have already combined to turn a probable six into a dismissal this season. Eoin Morgan and Hanuma Vihari did their best to pull off a repeat, but didn't manage to read each other's movements well enough. Morgan backpedalled and leapt backwards over the boundary to intercept Manish Pandey's strike over wide long-on. Though he managed to palm it back infield while airborne, he also deflected it to the left of Vihari, who had run in from deep midwicket. Vihari was at least able to prevent the ball from hitting the ropes again, however, and the pair saved four runs.
The dual predetermination
Reverse shots, they say, are largely predetermined, and when Johan Botha shaped to hit a successive reverse off Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the 18th over, the bowler got him out with what seemed to be a planned move of his own. Expecting Botha to switch his stance again, Bhuvneshwar fired a length ball down the leg side. Having already committed to the shot, Botha tried to shovel the ball away, knowing it would not be called a wide, but only succeeded in deflecting it onto his stumps.
Reverse shots, they say, are largely predetermined, and when Johan Botha shaped to hit a successive reverse off Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the 18th over, the bowler got him out with what seemed to be a planned move of his own. Expecting Botha to switch his stance again, Bhuvneshwar fired a length ball down the leg side. Having already committed to the shot, Botha tried to shovel the ball away, knowing it would not be called a wide, but only succeeded in deflecting it onto his stumps.
The bashful bowler
Brad Hogg had bowled four decent balls to begin his spell, but it would be his woeful fifth delivery that brought a wicket. Shikhar Dhawan ran down the track, and Hogg dragged his googly down a little too much to deliver a half-tracker. Having read the length, and the direction of spin, Dhawan nailed a flat pull shot, only when he looked around, saw that he had put it into Pandey's lap at square leg. When he glanced back at Hogg, the bowler wore an embarrassed grin, knowing he'd taken a wicket with his worst delivery so far.
Brad Hogg had bowled four decent balls to begin his spell, but it would be his woeful fifth delivery that brought a wicket. Shikhar Dhawan ran down the track, and Hogg dragged his googly down a little too much to deliver a half-tracker. Having read the length, and the direction of spin, Dhawan nailed a flat pull shot, only when he looked around, saw that he had put it into Pandey's lap at square leg. When he glanced back at Hogg, the bowler wore an embarrassed grin, knowing he'd taken a wicket with his worst delivery so far.
The race between ball and glove
The best wicketkeepers can collect the ball while their gloves are already en route to the stumps. Robin Uthappa did this so well in the 12th over, it actually proved somewhat counterproductive. Ryan ten Doeschate's throw from deep midwicket came in close to the stumps, and though batsman Bipul Sharma was caught well short attempting a second run, Uthappa had taken the bails off so quickly, it raised suspicion that he had disturbed the stumps before he was in possession of the ball. The third umpire looked at endless replays of the dismissal, but in the end, Uthappa appears to have played his piece flawlessly. The bail came off split seconds after the ball entered his gloves, and the batsman was deemed out.
The best wicketkeepers can collect the ball while their gloves are already en route to the stumps. Robin Uthappa did this so well in the 12th over, it actually proved somewhat counterproductive. Ryan ten Doeschate's throw from deep midwicket came in close to the stumps, and though batsman Bipul Sharma was caught well short attempting a second run, Uthappa had taken the bails off so quickly, it raised suspicion that he had disturbed the stumps before he was in possession of the ball. The third umpire looked at endless replays of the dismissal, but in the end, Uthappa appears to have played his piece flawlessly. The bail came off split seconds after the ball entered his gloves, and the batsman was deemed out.
Andrew Fidel Fernando is ESPNcricinfo's Sri Lanka correspondent. @andrewffernando