Exocets from square-leg and butterfingers Gibbs
Andrew Miller in St Kitts
24-Mar-2007
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Shot of the Day
This is like trying to pick the haystack that's surrounding the needle. There were so many shots on offer today, some sublime, some brutal, some merely average. Matthew Hayden bludgeoned Shaun Pollock into the stands twice in two balls, and later did the same to Graeme Smith to bring up his World-Cup record fastest hundred from 66 balls. But the most smokin' stroke was Michael Clarke's on-drive off Jacques Kallis. A low full toss sailed clean over the pavilion and into the neighbouring basketball courts.
This is like trying to pick the haystack that's surrounding the needle. There were so many shots on offer today, some sublime, some brutal, some merely average. Matthew Hayden bludgeoned Shaun Pollock into the stands twice in two balls, and later did the same to Graeme Smith to bring up his World-Cup record fastest hundred from 66 balls. But the most smokin' stroke was Michael Clarke's on-drive off Jacques Kallis. A low full toss sailed clean over the pavilion and into the neighbouring basketball courts.
Ball of the Day
Much had been made of Shaun Tait's tendency to spray the ball to all parts, and during a leaky first spell, those doubts were quadrupled. But he pulled things back in a tidier second, and when he returned in the 39th over with the required rate up past ten, he shattered Mark Boucher's wicket with a perfect 140kph inswinging yorker. When you've got that weapon in your armoury, the fact that the pitch is a road is of little consequence.
Much had been made of Shaun Tait's tendency to spray the ball to all parts, and during a leaky first spell, those doubts were quadrupled. But he pulled things back in a tidier second, and when he returned in the 39th over with the required rate up past ten, he shattered Mark Boucher's wicket with a perfect 140kph inswinging yorker. When you've got that weapon in your armoury, the fact that the pitch is a road is of little consequence.
Drop of the Day
Herschelle Gibbs has held on to some screamers in his time as South Africa's point fieldsman, he even snaffled two more today - his 82nd and 83rd in 201 matches. But like the best umpires and wicketkeepers, it's only his howlers that stick in the memory, and today he dropped a sitter when Clarke had made only 56. Steve Waugh at Headingley it was not, but it wasn't exactly the super-sharp out-cricket that South Africa had been lauded for earlier in the group.
Herschelle Gibbs has held on to some screamers in his time as South Africa's point fieldsman, he even snaffled two more today - his 82nd and 83rd in 201 matches. But like the best umpires and wicketkeepers, it's only his howlers that stick in the memory, and today he dropped a sitter when Clarke had made only 56. Steve Waugh at Headingley it was not, but it wasn't exactly the super-sharp out-cricket that South Africa had been lauded for earlier in the group.
Throw of the Day
For that you needed to look at the men in canary-yellow. Much ado had been made of the viability of Andrew Symonds' throwing arm, but it was his fellow allrounder, Shane Watson, who produced the most incredible fling of the day. After sliding round the boundary's edge to cut off another four (a rare enough feat in itself), he picked himself up and, with one stump to aim at from square-leg, dead-eyed AB de Villiers with an exocet.
For that you needed to look at the men in canary-yellow. Much ado had been made of the viability of Andrew Symonds' throwing arm, but it was his fellow allrounder, Shane Watson, who produced the most incredible fling of the day. After sliding round the boundary's edge to cut off another four (a rare enough feat in itself), he picked himself up and, with one stump to aim at from square-leg, dead-eyed AB de Villiers with an exocet.
Impact of the Day
Seeing as the aforementioned press box is situated invitingly at long-off, most people were braced for a barrage of sixes landing in their laps (or laptops). Instead the only impact came from a drunken pigeon (of the feathered variety) which bounced off three panes of glass in a row before flying up and over the scoreboard.
Seeing as the aforementioned press box is situated invitingly at long-off, most people were braced for a barrage of sixes landing in their laps (or laptops). Instead the only impact came from a drunken pigeon (of the feathered variety) which bounced off three panes of glass in a row before flying up and over the scoreboard.
Hat-trick of the Day
When the runs are coming at a torrent, even the unusual breaks start going your way. Take the moment that Smith inside-edged a drive off Watson, for instance. With Adam Gilchrist standing up to the stumps, the ball eluded his gloves and instead clattered into his hat which had been dumped inopportunely behind him. For a brief instant umpire Benson was so bemused he was about to signal dead-ball, but a roar of disapproval from Smith and a quiet word in his shell from Steve Bucknor, and five penalty runs were rightly signaled.
When the runs are coming at a torrent, even the unusual breaks start going your way. Take the moment that Smith inside-edged a drive off Watson, for instance. With Adam Gilchrist standing up to the stumps, the ball eluded his gloves and instead clattered into his hat which had been dumped inopportunely behind him. For a brief instant umpire Benson was so bemused he was about to signal dead-ball, but a roar of disapproval from Smith and a quiet word in his shell from Steve Bucknor, and five penalty runs were rightly signaled.
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Throb of the Day
The massive great stack of subwoofing amplifiers in the Party Stand next to the press box. Every time a four or a six was struck (and there were rather a few of those), these burst into earth-shuddering life for ten deafening seconds. One journalist genuinely feared for his fillings as the vibrations buzzed their way up from the floor to the roof of his mouth.
The massive great stack of subwoofing amplifiers in the Party Stand next to the press box. Every time a four or a six was struck (and there were rather a few of those), these burst into earth-shuddering life for ten deafening seconds. One journalist genuinely feared for his fillings as the vibrations buzzed their way up from the floor to the roof of his mouth.
Double-teapotter of the Day
Today wasn't the day for being a lanky, ageing, seaming great. With the conditions and the boundaries stacked against them, Shaun Pollock and Glenn McGrath would rather have been anywhere else in the world. Pollock was spanked for 83 in ten overs - his most expensive analysis of all-time - while McGrath was greeted with three fours in a row. The greatest indignation came in his fifth over, when de Villiers twice mistimed loose drives over the head of mid-on. On each occasion they scuttled away to the fence unchallenged.
Today wasn't the day for being a lanky, ageing, seaming great. With the conditions and the boundaries stacked against them, Shaun Pollock and Glenn McGrath would rather have been anywhere else in the world. Pollock was spanked for 83 in ten overs - his most expensive analysis of all-time - while McGrath was greeted with three fours in a row. The greatest indignation came in his fifth over, when de Villiers twice mistimed loose drives over the head of mid-on. On each occasion they scuttled away to the fence unchallenged.
Untimely injury of the Day
Smith's full-body meltdown in the 26th over was the moment the match changed beyond all recognition. At that point, South Africa were 184 for 1, needing a further 194 - in other words they were cruising. But an attack of cramps in his back, legs and arms decimated his team's momentum, and gave Australia the sniff of a get-out they needed. From that moment on, nine wickets tumbled for 109 in 23 overs.
Smith's full-body meltdown in the 26th over was the moment the match changed beyond all recognition. At that point, South Africa were 184 for 1, needing a further 194 - in other words they were cruising. But an attack of cramps in his back, legs and arms decimated his team's momentum, and gave Australia the sniff of a get-out they needed. From that moment on, nine wickets tumbled for 109 in 23 overs.
Andrew Miller is UK editor of Cricinfo