AB's gift, and Munaf surprises
ESPNcricinfo presents the Plays of the day of the third ODI between South Africa and India in Cape Town
Sidharth Monga in Cape Town
18-Jan-2011
A change of angle worked immediately for Zaheer Khan, as he castled Hashim Amla • AFP
The celebrations
They were two special catches and featured two special celebrations. Virat Kohli went low to his left at first slip to take a sharp catch to remove Colin Ingram, and threw the ball so high in the air that Ingram, walking back dejected and expectedly slowly, had reached extra cover by the time the ball came down. Dale Steyn took a slightly easier catch, diving to his right in his follow-through, celebrated in the opposite fashion after removing M Vijay: he threw the ball almost as forcefully, but straight into the ground.
They were two special catches and featured two special celebrations. Virat Kohli went low to his left at first slip to take a sharp catch to remove Colin Ingram, and threw the ball so high in the air that Ingram, walking back dejected and expectedly slowly, had reached extra cover by the time the ball came down. Dale Steyn took a slightly easier catch, diving to his right in his follow-through, celebrated in the opposite fashion after removing M Vijay: he threw the ball almost as forcefully, but straight into the ground.
The angle
In his first spell Zaheer Khan beat the edge on numerous occasions without finding the edge, and once missed out on an lbw because of the extra bounce. Soon after getting pulled away disdainfully by Hashim Amla, Zaheer went round the stumps, and Amla's overconfidence had him driving at a straight ball away from the body. Immediate results, if ever there were some.
In his first spell Zaheer Khan beat the edge on numerous occasions without finding the edge, and once missed out on an lbw because of the extra bounce. Soon after getting pulled away disdainfully by Hashim Amla, Zaheer went round the stumps, and Amla's overconfidence had him driving at a straight ball away from the body. Immediate results, if ever there were some.
The long hop
In three matches in this series, AB de Villiers has chosen short, hit-me deliveries from part-timers to get out to. If it was Rohit Sharma that he was Santa to in Durban, todays gift went to Yusuf Pathan, who was bowling his first over. The ball was short, it was there to be hit, but he was perhaps a bit tight after having been tied down by the main bowlers until then, and hence a little late into the shot, lofting it to long-on.
In three matches in this series, AB de Villiers has chosen short, hit-me deliveries from part-timers to get out to. If it was Rohit Sharma that he was Santa to in Durban, todays gift went to Yusuf Pathan, who was bowling his first over. The ball was short, it was there to be hit, but he was perhaps a bit tight after having been tied down by the main bowlers until then, and hence a little late into the shot, lofting it to long-on.
The reversal
On the India tour, JP Duminy must have grown quite used to getting out lbw to straighter deliveries bowled by Harbhajan Singh from round the stumps. For the way he got Yuvraj Singh out, in the first over of part-time spin again, was almost identical. The ball pitched just outside off, Yuvraj defended, expecting some turn away, but the ball went straight on and trapped him right in front.
On the India tour, JP Duminy must have grown quite used to getting out lbw to straighter deliveries bowled by Harbhajan Singh from round the stumps. For the way he got Yuvraj Singh out, in the first over of part-time spin again, was almost identical. The ball pitched just outside off, Yuvraj defended, expecting some turn away, but the ball went straight on and trapped him right in front.
The wrong fielder
It is often said that batsmen pick their fielders when they are running the twos. Considering that, Wayne Parnell perhaps did the right thing coming back for the second having hit the ball softly towards third man, Munaf Patel, not the quickest and most co-ordinated man on the field. However, this one proved to be too clever by half and Munaf swooped in sharply, picked up and threw the ball in one motion, right by the stumps. Run-out.
It is often said that batsmen pick their fielders when they are running the twos. Considering that, Wayne Parnell perhaps did the right thing coming back for the second having hit the ball softly towards third man, Munaf Patel, not the quickest and most co-ordinated man on the field. However, this one proved to be too clever by half and Munaf swooped in sharply, picked up and threw the ball in one motion, right by the stumps. Run-out.
Sidharth Monga is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo