Honest Kohli, Smith's effortless punch
Plays of the day for the match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Super Kings in Bangalore
Kanishkaa Balachandran
24-May-2014
Vijay Zol swung and missed to give Mohit Sharma his first wicket in four games • BCCI
The confusion
Ashish Nehra fired the first ball of the final over down the leg side to Kohli, who made room but decided against playing a shot. The umpire immediately signalled wide but Kohli was honest enough to admit that the ball had brushed his pad. The square-leg umpire too gestured that the wide call was incorrect but the original decision stood. Nehra wasn't sure himself what was going on and batsman and bowler exchanged smiles.
Ashish Nehra fired the first ball of the final over down the leg side to Kohli, who made room but decided against playing a shot. The umpire immediately signalled wide but Kohli was honest enough to admit that the ball had brushed his pad. The square-leg umpire too gestured that the wide call was incorrect but the original decision stood. Nehra wasn't sure himself what was going on and batsman and bowler exchanged smiles.
The end of the drought
Earlier this season, Mohit Sharma wore the purple cap briefly as the leading wicket-taker in the competition, but suddenly, the wickets had dried up. He had gone wicketless in his last three games, not bowling his full quota in any of them. He ended the wicket drought at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, though he owed it to the batsman for gifting his wicket. Bowling round the wicket, he bowled a length ball and angled it in towards the left-handed Vijay Zol. Zol swung too early and missed the ball completely, losing his middle stump. Mohit was finally back among the wickets but his celebration was muted.
Earlier this season, Mohit Sharma wore the purple cap briefly as the leading wicket-taker in the competition, but suddenly, the wickets had dried up. He had gone wicketless in his last three games, not bowling his full quota in any of them. He ended the wicket drought at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, though he owed it to the batsman for gifting his wicket. Bowling round the wicket, he bowled a length ball and angled it in towards the left-handed Vijay Zol. Zol swung too early and missed the ball completely, losing his middle stump. Mohit was finally back among the wickets but his celebration was muted.
The boundary save
The IPL has seen some breathtaking catches at the edge of the boundary rope and some exemplary saves too. Kohli slogged Ravindra Jadeja down to deep midwicket and a boundary looked certain. However, David Hussey sprinted quickly to his left and held out his left hand and caught the ball at it bounced over him. The momentum took him towards the rope but he quickly released the ball inside the boundary to save two runs. For a natural right-hander (he bowls offspin), he showed his skills with his left hand too.
The IPL has seen some breathtaking catches at the edge of the boundary rope and some exemplary saves too. Kohli slogged Ravindra Jadeja down to deep midwicket and a boundary looked certain. However, David Hussey sprinted quickly to his left and held out his left hand and caught the ball at it bounced over him. The momentum took him towards the rope but he quickly released the ball inside the boundary to save two runs. For a natural right-hander (he bowls offspin), he showed his skills with his left hand too.
The punch
Dwayne Smith is known for his quick bat speed that has sent the ball rocketing over the ropes in a matter of seconds. He smashed five boundaries in his 34 but the one that stood out was not his solitary six, but his first four. It was a length ball from Ravi Rampaul that wasn't exactly a driving length, but Smith merely stood at the crease and drilled it down the ground wide of mid-off. It looked like a defensive push but before Rampaul could turn around, the ball was already near the rope. The shot had bat speed, timing and placement and minimal follow-through.
Dwayne Smith is known for his quick bat speed that has sent the ball rocketing over the ropes in a matter of seconds. He smashed five boundaries in his 34 but the one that stood out was not his solitary six, but his first four. It was a length ball from Ravi Rampaul that wasn't exactly a driving length, but Smith merely stood at the crease and drilled it down the ground wide of mid-off. It looked like a defensive push but before Rampaul could turn around, the ball was already near the rope. The shot had bat speed, timing and placement and minimal follow-through.
Kanishkaa Balachandran is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo