Throw Callum, throw
Plays of the Day from the IPL game between Pune Warriors and Kolkata Knight Riders in Navi Mumbai
Nitin Sundar
19-May-2011
Sourav Ganguly has had better days against spin • AFP
Ganguly survives - I:
It wasn't Sourav Ganguly's most fluent innings against spin. In the seventh over, he tried to charge Shakib Al Hasan. The bowler saw him coming, dropped it short and got it to turn big. Ganguly went for a pull since he wasn't to the pitch of the ball, and got an edge that popped up behind. Shreevats Goswami probably did not notice the edge, and leapt out of his crouch without going for the catch or the stumping. He was hoping the ball would land on the stumps, but it landed close to leg stump and headed straight past where he had been standing. Ganguly recovered from his scramble back into the crease and sped away for a single, even as Gautam Gambhir let Goswami have a piece of his mind.
It wasn't Sourav Ganguly's most fluent innings against spin. In the seventh over, he tried to charge Shakib Al Hasan. The bowler saw him coming, dropped it short and got it to turn big. Ganguly went for a pull since he wasn't to the pitch of the ball, and got an edge that popped up behind. Shreevats Goswami probably did not notice the edge, and leapt out of his crouch without going for the catch or the stumping. He was hoping the ball would land on the stumps, but it landed close to leg stump and headed straight past where he had been standing. Ganguly recovered from his scramble back into the crease and sped away for a single, even as Gautam Gambhir let Goswami have a piece of his mind.
Ganguly survives - II:
Shakib foxed Ganguly again in the 13th over, lulling him out of the crease and then pushing the ball down the leg side. Ganguly was stranded down again as Goswami tumbled away to collect the ball that spun further down the leg side. Even as he fell, Goswami had a shy at the stumps but he missed and Ganguly again scurried to the non-striker's end.
Shakib foxed Ganguly again in the 13th over, lulling him out of the crease and then pushing the ball down the leg side. Ganguly was stranded down again as Goswami tumbled away to collect the ball that spun further down the leg side. Even as he fell, Goswami had a shy at the stumps but he missed and Ganguly again scurried to the non-striker's end.
The specialists
For 19 overs of the game, it seemed like Ryan ten Doeschate was playing as a specialist batsman, while L Balaji was playing as a specialist tail-ender. Until then, neither had got a bowl on a track where spin was Kolkata's weapon of choice. Jacques Kallis' finger injury, however, meant Balaji got the 20th over and he produced a memorable one. It had everything - a surprise bouncer that got rid of Yuvraj Singh, a beamer that slipped out of sweaty fingers, a perfect yorker to uproot Sachin Rana's leg stump, and the trademark Balaji smile to top it off. No smiles for ten Doeschate, though. The man with a T20 batting strike-rate of 130.40 and a bowling strike-rate of 17.0 was not needed in either discipline.
For 19 overs of the game, it seemed like Ryan ten Doeschate was playing as a specialist batsman, while L Balaji was playing as a specialist tail-ender. Until then, neither had got a bowl on a track where spin was Kolkata's weapon of choice. Jacques Kallis' finger injury, however, meant Balaji got the 20th over and he produced a memorable one. It had everything - a surprise bouncer that got rid of Yuvraj Singh, a beamer that slipped out of sweaty fingers, a perfect yorker to uproot Sachin Rana's leg stump, and the trademark Balaji smile to top it off. No smiles for ten Doeschate, though. The man with a T20 batting strike-rate of 130.40 and a bowling strike-rate of 17.0 was not needed in either discipline.
Ferguson misses, four overthrows
When Manoj Tiwary got a wicked bouncer from Wayne Parnell early in the chase, he edged it without conviction to point, and Callum Ferguson swooped in. Tiwary meanwhile hared away for a single, and Ferguson lined up a sharp throw at the bowler's end. He however missed, and the ball ran away for four overthrows. Ferguson looked gutted, and Parnell trotted across and clasped his hands around Ferguson's throat in mock fury. Parnell then smiled and patted him on the back, but Ferguson continued to look glum.
When Manoj Tiwary got a wicked bouncer from Wayne Parnell early in the chase, he edged it without conviction to point, and Callum Ferguson swooped in. Tiwary meanwhile hared away for a single, and Ferguson lined up a sharp throw at the bowler's end. He however missed, and the ball ran away for four overthrows. Ferguson looked gutted, and Parnell trotted across and clasped his hands around Ferguson's throat in mock fury. Parnell then smiled and patted him on the back, but Ferguson continued to look glum.
Ferguson hits, four more overthrows:
You don't often get five runs off one ball thanks to overthrows. You rarely get ten runs off two successive balls thanks to overthrows. You almost never get those runs off the same fielder, firing in identical throws from the same position in the field. Tiwary dabbed the first ball of the next over to point, where the familiar figure of Ferguson emerged to collect and have another go. This time, he hit the stumps but Tiwary was well in, and the ricochet sped away to the boundary. Jesse Ryder broke into an uncontrollable giggle, and even Yuvraj began to laugh. Ferguson, however, continued to look glum.
You don't often get five runs off one ball thanks to overthrows. You rarely get ten runs off two successive balls thanks to overthrows. You almost never get those runs off the same fielder, firing in identical throws from the same position in the field. Tiwary dabbed the first ball of the next over to point, where the familiar figure of Ferguson emerged to collect and have another go. This time, he hit the stumps but Tiwary was well in, and the ricochet sped away to the boundary. Jesse Ryder broke into an uncontrollable giggle, and even Yuvraj began to laugh. Ferguson, however, continued to look glum.
Ferguson hits, no more overthrows:
You need to be very persistent to keep throwing at the stumps even after conceding eight overthrows. Later in Thomas' over, Ferguson charged in from point as Gambhir dabbed to the off side and took off. He again hit the stumps, but Gambhir was again safely inside the crease. Ferguson looked more relieved at not having conceded more freebies, than disappointed that he hadn't got the wicket. He looked up sheepishly at Yuvraj, who also looked thankful that the ball stopped near the stumps. Ryder continued to laugh at poor Ferguson's expense, and was joined by Parnell. Three throws, three outcomes. It was like watching the cricketing equivalent of Run Lola, Run.
You need to be very persistent to keep throwing at the stumps even after conceding eight overthrows. Later in Thomas' over, Ferguson charged in from point as Gambhir dabbed to the off side and took off. He again hit the stumps, but Gambhir was again safely inside the crease. Ferguson looked more relieved at not having conceded more freebies, than disappointed that he hadn't got the wicket. He looked up sheepishly at Yuvraj, who also looked thankful that the ball stopped near the stumps. Ryder continued to laugh at poor Ferguson's expense, and was joined by Parnell. Three throws, three outcomes. It was like watching the cricketing equivalent of Run Lola, Run.
Ryder v Tiwary
After recovering from his bouts of mirth, Ryder realised Kolkata were motoring away to an easy win. He decided to do something about it at the end of the sixth over, and indulged in some good old banter with Tiwary. In a scene straight out of WWE, Ryder and Tiwary stood face-to-face, barely inches away from each other, exchanging pleasantries. Thomas and Yuvraj raced to the scene and pulled the two adversaries away. A little later, Tiwary was bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Ryder moved swiftly to get in Tiwary's way and give him a parting piece of advice. It's fair to say Pune weren't too concerned about the fair-play award today.
After recovering from his bouts of mirth, Ryder realised Kolkata were motoring away to an easy win. He decided to do something about it at the end of the sixth over, and indulged in some good old banter with Tiwary. In a scene straight out of WWE, Ryder and Tiwary stood face-to-face, barely inches away from each other, exchanging pleasantries. Thomas and Yuvraj raced to the scene and pulled the two adversaries away. A little later, Tiwary was bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Ryder moved swiftly to get in Tiwary's way and give him a parting piece of advice. It's fair to say Pune weren't too concerned about the fair-play award today.
Nitin Sundar is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo