Hello Hussey, and second chances
Plays of the day from the IPL match between Delhi Daredevils and Kings XI Punjab at Feroz Shah Kotla
Siddarth Ravindran
23-Apr-2011
Virender Sehwag greeted David Hussey with three sixes • AFP
A warm welcome
Kings XI Punjab's most expensive signing, David Hussey, got his first game in the tournament today. Delhi Daredevils were already at 128 for 0 in 11 overs when Hussey came on to bowl, and Virender Sehwag greeted him with three massive sixes in an arc between long-on and midwicket. Hussey couldn't have expected a more fiery beginning to his IPL season. He did win that battle though by getting Sehwag to hole out off his fourth ball.
Kings XI Punjab's most expensive signing, David Hussey, got his first game in the tournament today. Delhi Daredevils were already at 128 for 0 in 11 overs when Hussey came on to bowl, and Virender Sehwag greeted him with three massive sixes in an arc between long-on and midwicket. Hussey couldn't have expected a more fiery beginning to his IPL season. He did win that battle though by getting Sehwag to hole out off his fourth ball.
Second chance saloon
Yogesh Nagar was promoted to No. 3 as Delhi looked to keep the run-rate around 12. He belted a couple of boundaries but his third attempt, a low, powerful blast headed straight for Ryan Harris at long-off; the ball burst through Harris' fingers, though fortunately for him, it bounced off the chest and popped up to give him a simpler opportunity to send back Nagar.
Yogesh Nagar was promoted to No. 3 as Delhi looked to keep the run-rate around 12. He belted a couple of boundaries but his third attempt, a low, powerful blast headed straight for Ryan Harris at long-off; the ball burst through Harris' fingers, though fortunately for him, it bounced off the chest and popped up to give him a simpler opportunity to send back Nagar.
The fortunate ones
Adam Gilchrist and Paul Valthaty survived against Rajasthan Royals after being dismissed off no-balls early in the innings. This time, it was the Delhi fielders who extended the pair's stay: in the first over Naman Ojha dived across first slip to deny Sehwag a regulation catch off Gilchrist; in the next, Venugopal Rao put down a chance at square leg off Valthaty.
Adam Gilchrist and Paul Valthaty survived against Rajasthan Royals after being dismissed off no-balls early in the innings. This time, it was the Delhi fielders who extended the pair's stay: in the first over Naman Ojha dived across first slip to deny Sehwag a regulation catch off Gilchrist; in the next, Venugopal Rao put down a chance at square leg off Valthaty.
This ain't over yet
With Delhi running up a massive total, and Morne Morkel probing away with the new ball, the asking-rate quickly spiralled past 13. Gilchrist and Shaun Marsh, though, showed Delhi it wasn't going to be a cruise by lashing seven boundaries in a row - Marsh began with two fours and a six to finish Nagar's over, before Gilchrist drilled four fours off Ajit Agarkar's first four deliveries
With Delhi running up a massive total, and Morne Morkel probing away with the new ball, the asking-rate quickly spiralled past 13. Gilchrist and Shaun Marsh, though, showed Delhi it wasn't going to be a cruise by lashing seven boundaries in a row - Marsh began with two fours and a six to finish Nagar's over, before Gilchrist drilled four fours off Ajit Agarkar's first four deliveries
Shot of the day
In a match in which 433 runs were plundered, there were plenty of big hits but one in particular stood out. In the 16th over, with Punjab's chances nearly gone, Hussey revived their hopes with a monster hit off James Hopes: it was a length ball that was sledge-hammered over long-on, clearing several tiers of stands to land on the roof.
In a match in which 433 runs were plundered, there were plenty of big hits but one in particular stood out. In the 16th over, with Punjab's chances nearly gone, Hussey revived their hopes with a monster hit off James Hopes: it was a length ball that was sledge-hammered over long-on, clearing several tiers of stands to land on the roof.
Ambitious shot of the day
There were plenty of sixes and fours in the match, and most were power-drives or swipes towards midwicket. In the final over of the game, Abhishek Nayar brought out the reverse-sweep - the first of the day - and earned a boundary. The next ball, though, he attempted something even more spectacular, a reverse-scoop - he scuttled across the stumps, shaping for the reverse-sweep before deciding to try to send the ball over the wicket-keeper. Innovative, though he couldn't quite pull it off.
There were plenty of sixes and fours in the match, and most were power-drives or swipes towards midwicket. In the final over of the game, Abhishek Nayar brought out the reverse-sweep - the first of the day - and earned a boundary. The next ball, though, he attempted something even more spectacular, a reverse-scoop - he scuttled across the stumps, shaping for the reverse-sweep before deciding to try to send the ball over the wicket-keeper. Innovative, though he couldn't quite pull it off.
Siddarth Ravindran is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo