Bowden's bit part role and AB's record
ESPNcricinfo presents the plays of the day from the first ODI in Perth
Brydon Coverdale
14-Nov-2014
Faf du Plessis took a tumbling catch but it was otherwise a poor day in the field from South Africa • Getty Images
Billy of the day
It had to be, didn't it? The first time the ICC has approved the broadcasting of third-umpire communications and the man in the chair had to be Billy Bowden. Twice during the match, batsmen reviewed lbw decisions given by umpire Simon Fry, which led to viewers hearing the Kiwi accent. Not that it revealed much, except that he calls Real-Time Snicko "RTS", and likes to be extra-double-triple sure the ball has not hit the bat before moving on to Eagle Eye. Fry's two "out" decisions had to be overturned, as did a pair of not out caught-behind decisions later in the evening, one made by Fry and one by Nigel Llong. Bowden used RTS and Hot Spot to overturn them both, telling the on-field umpires "you're on screen now, change your decision".
It had to be, didn't it? The first time the ICC has approved the broadcasting of third-umpire communications and the man in the chair had to be Billy Bowden. Twice during the match, batsmen reviewed lbw decisions given by umpire Simon Fry, which led to viewers hearing the Kiwi accent. Not that it revealed much, except that he calls Real-Time Snicko "RTS", and likes to be extra-double-triple sure the ball has not hit the bat before moving on to Eagle Eye. Fry's two "out" decisions had to be overturned, as did a pair of not out caught-behind decisions later in the evening, one made by Fry and one by Nigel Llong. Bowden used RTS and Hot Spot to overturn them both, telling the on-field umpires "you're on screen now, change your decision".
Record of the day
An lbw reprieve meant AB de Villiers could stay at the crease and eventually move past 7000 ODI runs with a boundary off Shane Watson. He was the 34th player to reach that milestone and also the fastest. Sourav Ganguly held the record, having reached 7000 runs from 174 one-day international innings, but de Villiers made it in 166.
An lbw reprieve meant AB de Villiers could stay at the crease and eventually move past 7000 ODI runs with a boundary off Shane Watson. He was the 34th player to reach that milestone and also the fastest. Sourav Ganguly held the record, having reached 7000 runs from 174 one-day international innings, but de Villiers made it in 166.
Drops of the day
Take your pick. South Africa dropped George Bailey four times, twice on 2 and then on 38 and 47. The two later chances were not easy, but the two early opportunities were both sitters. First, David Miller at point grassed a cut that Bailey had played off Morne Morkel. Then in the next over, Bailey got a leading edge off Imran Tahir and the ball lobbed back up to the bowler, who got his hands in an awkward position and couldn't hold on. For the (lack of) speed, Tahir's would have to go down as the easiest chance.
Take your pick. South Africa dropped George Bailey four times, twice on 2 and then on 38 and 47. The two later chances were not easy, but the two early opportunities were both sitters. First, David Miller at point grassed a cut that Bailey had played off Morne Morkel. Then in the next over, Bailey got a leading edge off Imran Tahir and the ball lobbed back up to the bowler, who got his hands in an awkward position and couldn't hold on. For the (lack of) speed, Tahir's would have to go down as the easiest chance.
Catches of the day
Not that South Africa's fielding was all poor. McLaren and Morkel both took impressive catches diving forward, but the most impressive was one taken by Faf du Plessis to finally get rid of Bailey. Running back from mid-off, du Plessis managed to hang on to the ball over his head, while falling down, and Bailey's innings ended due to a tougher chance than any of the four from which he was dropped.
Not that South Africa's fielding was all poor. McLaren and Morkel both took impressive catches diving forward, but the most impressive was one taken by Faf du Plessis to finally get rid of Bailey. Running back from mid-off, du Plessis managed to hang on to the ball over his head, while falling down, and Bailey's innings ended due to a tougher chance than any of the four from which he was dropped.
Footwear of the day
When Dale Steyn came to the crease late in South Africa's innings, he clearly hadn't done his shoelaces up properly. He played off the back foot to a shortish ball from Nathan Coulter-Nile and as he started to move forward again his right foot slipped clean out of his shoe. It's a shame Mitchell Johnson wasn't bowling; the Australians could have said Steyn was scared out of his boots.
When Dale Steyn came to the crease late in South Africa's innings, he clearly hadn't done his shoelaces up properly. He played off the back foot to a shortish ball from Nathan Coulter-Nile and as he started to move forward again his right foot slipped clean out of his shoe. It's a shame Mitchell Johnson wasn't bowling; the Australians could have said Steyn was scared out of his boots.
Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. @brydoncoverdale