A costly drop, and Trego's revenge
Plays of the Day from the Champions League T20 match between Somerset and Royal Challengers Bangalore
Roelof van der Merwe bowled Tillakaratne Dilshan around his legs, and hit off stump • Associated Press
The drop
Jos Buttler had plenty of attention in the run-up to his participation in the Champions League T20 but his first contribution to Somerset's campaign was reprieving Chris Gayle in the second over. When on 4, Gayle lunged down the track and top-edged a slice over cover. Buttler had to sprint back to get under the skier, and never looked like catching it as he tentatively moved around when the ball hurtled downwards. He got both hands on it but spilled it, and Gayle went on to waylay the Somerset attack.
Jos Buttler had plenty of attention in the run-up to his participation in the Champions League T20 but his first contribution to Somerset's campaign was reprieving Chris Gayle in the second over. When on 4, Gayle lunged down the track and top-edged a slice over cover. Buttler had to sprint back to get under the skier, and never looked like catching it as he tentatively moved around when the ball hurtled downwards. He got both hands on it but spilled it, and Gayle went on to waylay the Somerset attack.
The double-miss
That drop wasn't the only life Gayle had early on. In the fourth over, he clipped a full ball on leg stump towards square leg and set off for a single. The non-striker, Tillakaratne Dilshan, took his time before deciding he didn't want one, by which time Gayle was several yards down the pitch and had given up on making it back. Arul Suppiah rifled in the throw, which was wide, but with Gayle only beginning to run back to his crease, there was still time for the fielder backing up, Nick Compton, to have another go from point. Compton also missed. Two overs later, Somerset had two directs hits but Gayle completed the scrambled singles on both occasions.
That drop wasn't the only life Gayle had early on. In the fourth over, he clipped a full ball on leg stump towards square leg and set off for a single. The non-striker, Tillakaratne Dilshan, took his time before deciding he didn't want one, by which time Gayle was several yards down the pitch and had given up on making it back. Arul Suppiah rifled in the throw, which was wide, but with Gayle only beginning to run back to his crease, there was still time for the fielder backing up, Nick Compton, to have another go from point. Compton also missed. Two overs later, Somerset had two directs hits but Gayle completed the scrambled singles on both occasions.
The turner
Roelof van der Merwe isn't known for getting the ball to spin big. When he came on in the fifth over, Dilshan and Gayle were hammering the bowling. He got his first one to spin a mile outside off, and beat Dilshan with his second. The third was the best of the lot: it was a fullish delivery that pitched on leg, Dilshan moved across the stumps and tried to sweep. He missed and the ball ripped off the turf to take off stump. Hitting off stump while bowling a batsman around his legs? No wonder van der Merwe was thrilled, letting out an impassioned scream and pumping his fists to celebrate the wicket.
Roelof van der Merwe isn't known for getting the ball to spin big. When he came on in the fifth over, Dilshan and Gayle were hammering the bowling. He got his first one to spin a mile outside off, and beat Dilshan with his second. The third was the best of the lot: it was a fullish delivery that pitched on leg, Dilshan moved across the stumps and tried to sweep. He missed and the ball ripped off the turf to take off stump. Hitting off stump while bowling a batsman around his legs? No wonder van der Merwe was thrilled, letting out an impassioned scream and pumping his fists to celebrate the wicket.
The straight six
For the third consecutive match in Bangalore, the press box at the Chinnaswamy Stadium was in the line of a massive six. Kieron Pollard's just missed on Friday, a cameraman deflected Colin Ingram's on Sunday but there was no stopping a howitzer from Gayle. The brutal hit off George Dockrell comfortably cleared the sightscreen and headed straight for the glass-front of the media enclosure. A journalist in the front row made a panicky dive as the ball approached but the glass proved sturdy enough to withstand the full impact of the powerful shot.
For the third consecutive match in Bangalore, the press box at the Chinnaswamy Stadium was in the line of a massive six. Kieron Pollard's just missed on Friday, a cameraman deflected Colin Ingram's on Sunday but there was no stopping a howitzer from Gayle. The brutal hit off George Dockrell comfortably cleared the sightscreen and headed straight for the glass-front of the media enclosure. A journalist in the front row made a panicky dive as the ball approached but the glass proved sturdy enough to withstand the full impact of the powerful shot.
The revenge
Peter Trego was clobbered for 50 runs in his three overs - the worst bowling analysis in his Twenty20 career - and Gayle played a big part in it, clouting two sixes and a four. Trego had his revenge later in the match, though, clubbing two sixes and two fours in the one over Gayle bowled. That over went for 24 and Somerset were back in the game as their run-rate rocketed beyond 10.
Peter Trego was clobbered for 50 runs in his three overs - the worst bowling analysis in his Twenty20 career - and Gayle played a big part in it, clouting two sixes and a four. Trego had his revenge later in the match, though, clubbing two sixes and two fours in the one over Gayle bowled. That over went for 24 and Somerset were back in the game as their run-rate rocketed beyond 10.
Siddarth Ravindran is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo