Miller's bludgeon, and a near miss for Mustafizur
Plays of the day from the second T20 between Bangladesh and South Africa in Mirpur
Mohammad Isam in Mirpur
07-Jul-2015
The big bounce
After much talk about the lack of bounce in the pitch for the first Twenty20, the first over of the second game showed the track had more bounce to go with the spin. Arafat Sunny pitched the third delivery outside the off stump and it took off past AB de Villiers. Wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim had no chance to gather the ball and it was up to Shakib Al Hasan, at slip, to hold on to it.
After much talk about the lack of bounce in the pitch for the first Twenty20, the first over of the second game showed the track had more bounce to go with the spin. Arafat Sunny pitched the third delivery outside the off stump and it took off past AB de Villiers. Wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim had no chance to gather the ball and it was up to Shakib Al Hasan, at slip, to hold on to it.
The cutter that nearly did it
Bangladesh had their first chance of the game in the sixth over. Mustafizur Rahman bowled his first cutter to De Villiers. He couldn't keep the ball down, but it still fell short of the point and cover fielders, who were running in. It was the only chance they had before de Kock's dismissal in the 11th over, but, by then, the South Africa openers had done significant damage.
Bangladesh had their first chance of the game in the sixth over. Mustafizur Rahman bowled his first cutter to De Villiers. He couldn't keep the ball down, but it still fell short of the point and cover fielders, who were running in. It was the only chance they had before de Kock's dismissal in the 11th over, but, by then, the South Africa openers had done significant damage.
The off-balance bludgeon
David Miller struggled to show off his power game for most of his innings but when he finally got it right, in the last over, it was magnificent. Miller went after a wide one from Mustafizur and, although off-balance, he timed it very well. So well, in fact, that it went over the fencing on the cover boundary and into the stands. It was the best shot of the day.
David Miller struggled to show off his power game for most of his innings but when he finally got it right, in the last over, it was magnificent. Miller went after a wide one from Mustafizur and, although off-balance, he timed it very well. So well, in fact, that it went over the fencing on the cover boundary and into the stands. It was the best shot of the day.
Red-faced, then red hot
Watching a big, hulking fast bowler go about his business can be quite invigorating. Perhaps not quite so when he's fielding. Kyle Abbott was on the fine-leg boundary in the 11th over when a top-edged sweep from Mushfiqur Rahim came his way. Most players would have accounted for the ball to hit the turf and turn finer, but Abbott didn't. Having run full tilt to his left, he flung his right hand out but couldn't reach the ball and fell face-first into the turf. Back at the bowling crease in the final over, he hurled down two perfect reverse swinging yorkers to save himself some blushes.
Watching a big, hulking fast bowler go about his business can be quite invigorating. Perhaps not quite so when he's fielding. Kyle Abbott was on the fine-leg boundary in the 11th over when a top-edged sweep from Mushfiqur Rahim came his way. Most players would have accounted for the ball to hit the turf and turn finer, but Abbott didn't. Having run full tilt to his left, he flung his right hand out but couldn't reach the ball and fell face-first into the turf. Back at the bowling crease in the final over, he hurled down two perfect reverse swinging yorkers to save himself some blushes.
Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo's Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84