The trip of a chase
Plays of the day from the fourth ODI between Pakistan and New Zealand in Abu Dhabi
Abhishek Purohit
17-Dec-2014
Ross Taylor: Almost holed out • Getty Images
The near-catch
Ahmed Shehzad could have had his second ODI wicket off his first ball of the match. It was a terrible delivery - a high full toss. Ross Taylor swung it towards the man on the deep-midwicket boundary and had Sohail Tanvir stayed where he was, it would have probably come straight to him. But he hurried in, and then realised the ball was going to clear him. He jumped and managed to get a hand to it, but it was too late, and instead of getting out, Taylor picked up four runs.
Ahmed Shehzad could have had his second ODI wicket off his first ball of the match. It was a terrible delivery - a high full toss. Ross Taylor swung it towards the man on the deep-midwicket boundary and had Sohail Tanvir stayed where he was, it would have probably come straight to him. But he hurried in, and then realised the ball was going to clear him. He jumped and managed to get a hand to it, but it was too late, and instead of getting out, Taylor picked up four runs.
The near-bowled
Haris Sohail bowled tidily overall but his opening over was anything but as he alternated between full tosses and long hops. He had already gone for nine off four deliveries when he bowled another full toss, which nearly fetched him a wicket. Martin Guptill almost missed it before managing a thin inside edge. He could have still gone had the ball rolled on to the stumps off his right boot, but it hurried past leg stump for four.
Haris Sohail bowled tidily overall but his opening over was anything but as he alternated between full tosses and long hops. He had already gone for nine off four deliveries when he bowled another full toss, which nearly fetched him a wicket. Martin Guptill almost missed it before managing a thin inside edge. He could have still gone had the ball rolled on to the stumps off his right boot, but it hurried past leg stump for four.
The near-collision
Kane Williamson was regularly hitting the ball over extra cover at the death and making the Pakistan fielders work hard on the big outfield. Shehzad and Sohail chased one in the 45th over. Shehzad reached it first but Sohail wasn't far behind. His momentum caused him to trip over Shehzad and Pakistan ended up conceding three runs. The fielders escaped a full-on collision but could not avoid some angry words from their captain.
Kane Williamson was regularly hitting the ball over extra cover at the death and making the Pakistan fielders work hard on the big outfield. Shehzad and Sohail chased one in the 45th over. Shehzad reached it first but Sohail wasn't far behind. His momentum caused him to trip over Shehzad and Pakistan ended up conceding three runs. The fielders escaped a full-on collision but could not avoid some angry words from their captain.
The near-one-two
Adam Milne, steaming in and consistently hitting 150 kph, almost did the one-two on Younis Khan in the sixth over of the chase. He had the batsman swaying away from a searing bouncer and pitched the next ball up. Younis was squared up as he prodded from the crease and the edge flew low to Taylor's left at first slip, only to be spilled.
Adam Milne, steaming in and consistently hitting 150 kph, almost did the one-two on Younis Khan in the sixth over of the chase. He had the batsman swaying away from a searing bouncer and pitched the next ball up. Younis was squared up as he prodded from the crease and the edge flew low to Taylor's left at first slip, only to be spilled.
Abhishek Purohit is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo