Simmons' volleyball spike
Plays of the Day from the Brisbane Heat v Trinidad & Tobago Champions League T20 match, in Ranchi
Andrew Fidel Fernando
22-Sep-2013
Lendl Simmons put on some boundary-side acrobatics • BCCI
The surprise dismissal
Five balls into Alister McDermott's first over, Lendl Simmons appeared to have his measure. Simmons had charged to carve McDermott's third ball over cover for four, then lofted him over mid-on before swatting a legside delivery to the fine fence. With three fours having come off his last three balls and fourteen already scored off the over, McDermott could not gather himself well enough to deliver a strong riposte, but finished the over with a wicket anyway. He pitched it wide of Simmons at a length suited to the cut but, strangely, Simmons misjudged the length and bottom-edged the ball, which then dislodged his bails.
Five balls into Alister McDermott's first over, Lendl Simmons appeared to have his measure. Simmons had charged to carve McDermott's third ball over cover for four, then lofted him over mid-on before swatting a legside delivery to the fine fence. With three fours having come off his last three balls and fourteen already scored off the over, McDermott could not gather himself well enough to deliver a strong riposte, but finished the over with a wicket anyway. He pitched it wide of Simmons at a length suited to the cut but, strangely, Simmons misjudged the length and bottom-edged the ball, which then dislodged his bails.
The slow-motion bowled
An inside edge onto pad is rarely cause for concern when playing fast-bowling, but James Hopes was made to watch haplessly in the third over, as the ball he mis-hit dribbled out of reach and affected his demise. Hopes came forward to a length ball on the stumps from Ravi Rampaul, and looked to hit it straight, but his shot was late and the ball made contact higher on the bat than he anticipated. It then deflected backwards, likely off his pads, and though he turned around well before the ball reached the stumps, he was too far outside his crease to stop it. He watched the ball strike the stumps with enough force to displace the leg bail, and started for the dressing room.
An inside edge onto pad is rarely cause for concern when playing fast-bowling, but James Hopes was made to watch haplessly in the third over, as the ball he mis-hit dribbled out of reach and affected his demise. Hopes came forward to a length ball on the stumps from Ravi Rampaul, and looked to hit it straight, but his shot was late and the ball made contact higher on the bat than he anticipated. It then deflected backwards, likely off his pads, and though he turned around well before the ball reached the stumps, he was too far outside his crease to stop it. He watched the ball strike the stumps with enough force to displace the leg bail, and started for the dressing room.
The fruitful crouch
The softest wicket in the match was Sherwin Ganga's first-ball duck, where, having deceived the batsman with flight, Nathan Hauritz needed only to complete the dismissal with a leisurely squat. Ganga attempted to clip Hauritz through the offside but played too early, and the leading edge looped shin-height back to the bowler. Hauritz bent down, as if to pet a puppy or pick a lotus from a pond, and rose again just as casually, having taken his second scalp in as many deliveries.
The softest wicket in the match was Sherwin Ganga's first-ball duck, where, having deceived the batsman with flight, Nathan Hauritz needed only to complete the dismissal with a leisurely squat. Ganga attempted to clip Hauritz through the offside but played too early, and the leading edge looped shin-height back to the bowler. Hauritz bent down, as if to pet a puppy or pick a lotus from a pond, and rose again just as casually, having taken his second scalp in as many deliveries.
The volleyball spike
Some of their most electric players may be missing from this T&T side, but Lendl Simmons pulled off an aerial manoeuver that would have done Kieron Pollard proud, in the 13th over. Joe Burns had already struck Sunil Narine for six in the over and, though he hit the ball well on his second attempt to clear the ropes, he could not power it beyond the reach of Simmons. The fielder timed his jump perfectly, intercepting the ball at the top of his leap, but as he fell back towards the turf, he realised he would fall onto the boundary rope and so threw the ball back into the field. Replays confirmed Simmons had released the ball before his foot touched the boundary, and what should have been a six for Burns became just two.
Some of their most electric players may be missing from this T&T side, but Lendl Simmons pulled off an aerial manoeuver that would have done Kieron Pollard proud, in the 13th over. Joe Burns had already struck Sunil Narine for six in the over and, though he hit the ball well on his second attempt to clear the ropes, he could not power it beyond the reach of Simmons. The fielder timed his jump perfectly, intercepting the ball at the top of his leap, but as he fell back towards the turf, he realised he would fall onto the boundary rope and so threw the ball back into the field. Replays confirmed Simmons had released the ball before his foot touched the boundary, and what should have been a six for Burns became just two.
The double run-out
Ben Cutting struck a six in the 18th over to keep Heat's hopes alive, but T&T made very sure he would not stick around to do more damage when they ran him out off the last ball of the over, twice. Cutting missed Rayad Emrit's slower delivery and set off for a run, hoping to get on strike for the next over. Before he could get far though, Denesh Ramdin threw at the stumps, and when Cutting saw the ball heading for its target, he dived back towards the batting crease. Having hit one set of wickets, the ball dribbled onto the pitch, where it was picked up by the bowler in his follow-through. Non-striker Nathan Hauritz, by this time, had arrived at the striker's end, so Cutting picked himself up and now sprinted towards the other crease. He dived again as Emrit underarmed the ball, and while the on-field umpire had no qualms giving Cutting out at the non-striker's end, replays showed he had already been run out at the striker's end.
Ben Cutting struck a six in the 18th over to keep Heat's hopes alive, but T&T made very sure he would not stick around to do more damage when they ran him out off the last ball of the over, twice. Cutting missed Rayad Emrit's slower delivery and set off for a run, hoping to get on strike for the next over. Before he could get far though, Denesh Ramdin threw at the stumps, and when Cutting saw the ball heading for its target, he dived back towards the batting crease. Having hit one set of wickets, the ball dribbled onto the pitch, where it was picked up by the bowler in his follow-through. Non-striker Nathan Hauritz, by this time, had arrived at the striker's end, so Cutting picked himself up and now sprinted towards the other crease. He dived again as Emrit underarmed the ball, and while the on-field umpire had no qualms giving Cutting out at the non-striker's end, replays showed he had already been run out at the striker's end.
Andrew Fidel Fernando is ESPNcricinfo's Sri Lanka correspondent. He tweets here