Sehwag's wizardry and Dhoni's edginess
Plays of the Day from the tri-series match between Sri Lanka and India in Dambulla
Siddarth Ravindran in Dambulla
22-Aug-2010
Each of MS Dhoni's boundaries were edged past third man • AFP
Raina's reprieve
The Sri Lankan seamers were all over India during the Powerplays, and the visitors were struggling at 59 for 3 by the 17th over. Angelo Mathews then thought he had Suresh Raina caught behind, pumping his fists and setting off in celebration before asking the umpire's view. Mathews was behind the slip cordon by the end of Sri Lanka's extended appeal but Asad Rauf was unmoved, though Snicko suggested an edge. The Sri Lankans weren't disappointed for too long. Raina was given out caught-behind four deliveries later by Kumar Dharmasena, with nothing registering on Snicko.
The Sri Lankan seamers were all over India during the Powerplays, and the visitors were struggling at 59 for 3 by the 17th over. Angelo Mathews then thought he had Suresh Raina caught behind, pumping his fists and setting off in celebration before asking the umpire's view. Mathews was behind the slip cordon by the end of Sri Lanka's extended appeal but Asad Rauf was unmoved, though Snicko suggested an edge. The Sri Lankans weren't disappointed for too long. Raina was given out caught-behind four deliveries later by Kumar Dharmasena, with nothing registering on Snicko.
Dhoni on the edge
MS Dhoni was one of the many Indian batsmen seeing it like a table-tennis ball on Sunday. Eight of his 10 runs came off boundaries in the 20th over, both edged to third man. The lone slip was initially wide, and looked on as the first four went between him and the wicketkeeper. Kumar Sangakkara moved the fielder to orthodox first slip, and four deliveries later when the edge came, the slip fielder could only watch the ball fly towards where he was at the start of the over.
MS Dhoni was one of the many Indian batsmen seeing it like a table-tennis ball on Sunday. Eight of his 10 runs came off boundaries in the 20th over, both edged to third man. The lone slip was initially wide, and looked on as the first four went between him and the wicketkeeper. Kumar Sangakkara moved the fielder to orthodox first slip, and four deliveries later when the edge came, the slip fielder could only watch the ball fly towards where he was at the start of the over.
A bit of Sehwag magic
When the almighty Indian collapse was still some way away, Virender Sehwag showed a touch of wizardry that makes his batting a treat to watch. Knowing how strong he is square on the off side, Sri Lanka packed the region with a deep gully, short point and backward point. In the fifth over of the day, from Lasith Malinga, Sehwag still managed to place it between the miniscule gap between Tillakaratne Dilshan at backward point and Chamara Kapugedera at short point for four.
When the almighty Indian collapse was still some way away, Virender Sehwag showed a touch of wizardry that makes his batting a treat to watch. Knowing how strong he is square on the off side, Sri Lanka packed the region with a deep gully, short point and backward point. In the fifth over of the day, from Lasith Malinga, Sehwag still managed to place it between the miniscule gap between Tillakaratne Dilshan at backward point and Chamara Kapugedera at short point for four.
Silencing the crowd
A sizeable crowd had turned up for Sunday's match and was delighted to see their team steamroller the opposition. Among the few times the partying fans were kept quiet was after Thisara Perera's hat-trick ball. Ashish Nehra faced it, after receiving plenty of advice from non-striker Yuvraj Singh. The crowd's roars reverberated around the ground as Perera charged in, but the volume was turned down after Nehra dead-batted to deny him.
A sizeable crowd had turned up for Sunday's match and was delighted to see their team steamroller the opposition. Among the few times the partying fans were kept quiet was after Thisara Perera's hat-trick ball. Ashish Nehra faced it, after receiving plenty of advice from non-striker Yuvraj Singh. The crowd's roars reverberated around the ground as Perera charged in, but the volume was turned down after Nehra dead-batted to deny him.
Jayawardene 1 Praveen 0
By the time the dinner interval came round, there was no doubt about the result of the match. Still, Praveen Kumar was charged up when play resumed. The first two deliveries were dispatched for boundaries by Mahela Jayawardene. On the third, Jayawardene played it back to the bowler, who pretended to throw down the stumps and glared at the batsman, much to the crowd's delight. Jayawardene was unfazed, though, and when Praveen followed up with a short ball, the batsman swung it down to fine leg for four more.
By the time the dinner interval came round, there was no doubt about the result of the match. Still, Praveen Kumar was charged up when play resumed. The first two deliveries were dispatched for boundaries by Mahela Jayawardene. On the third, Jayawardene played it back to the bowler, who pretended to throw down the stumps and glared at the batsman, much to the crowd's delight. Jayawardene was unfazed, though, and when Praveen followed up with a short ball, the batsman swung it down to fine leg for four more.
Siddarth Ravindran is a sub-editor at Cricinfo