Audacious shots, and mis-matched pads
Cricinfo presents the Plays of the day from the match between Bangalore and Kolkata at the Chinnaswamy
Brendon McCullum unfurled the ramp shot, which proved so damaging against Australia • Indian Premier League
Mis-matched pads
In the eighth over of Kolkata Knight Riders' innings, Sourav Ganguly became unhappy with one of his pads - the left one - and wanted a change. The umpires weren't pleased with the mid-over interruption but Ganguly seemed to insist, and beckoned towards the dugout. He had been wearing lustreless pads but one of the reserves ran in with gold replacements. Perhaps to save time, Ganguly decided to replace only the offending pad and continued with a dull one on his right leg and a shiny one of his left. By the time he was dismissed, Ganguly had a shiny one on his right leg too.
In the eighth over of Kolkata Knight Riders' innings, Sourav Ganguly became unhappy with one of his pads - the left one - and wanted a change. The umpires weren't pleased with the mid-over interruption but Ganguly seemed to insist, and beckoned towards the dugout. He had been wearing lustreless pads but one of the reserves ran in with gold replacements. Perhaps to save time, Ganguly decided to replace only the offending pad and continued with a dull one on his right leg and a shiny one of his left. By the time he was dismissed, Ganguly had a shiny one on his right leg too.
Hot one day, cold the next
Ganguly's fielding had been inspirational in Kolkata's victory against Delhi. He ran out Gautam Gambhir with a direct hit, made several diving saves, and held a sharp catch at cover. He had the opportunity to lift his team once again in the first over of Bangalore's chase. The tournament's highest run-scorer, Jacques Kallis, drove powerfully towards mid-off, the ball sped towards Ganguly at head height but he let it burst through his hands. The lapse cost Kolkata only eight runs but it began the defense on a low note.
Ganguly's fielding had been inspirational in Kolkata's victory against Delhi. He ran out Gautam Gambhir with a direct hit, made several diving saves, and held a sharp catch at cover. He had the opportunity to lift his team once again in the first over of Bangalore's chase. The tournament's highest run-scorer, Jacques Kallis, drove powerfully towards mid-off, the ball sped towards Ganguly at head height but he let it burst through his hands. The lapse cost Kolkata only eight runs but it began the defense on a low note.
Hodiyo, hodiyo Uthappa
They were clamouring for him to hit it into the stands and Robin Uthappa obliged spectacularly. He switched stances, lifted his bat high as a left-hander and reverse-swept Ajantha Mendis over Ishant Sharma's head on the boundary. And to prove it wasn't a one-off, he played another reverse sweep into delirious fans beyond the point boundary. The second shot was an improvement on the first and it brought up Uthappa's half-century off 22 balls. Sitting in the dug out Kevin Pietersen, who famously reverse-swept Muttiah Muralitharan for six, would have been proud.
They were clamouring for him to hit it into the stands and Robin Uthappa obliged spectacularly. He switched stances, lifted his bat high as a left-hander and reverse-swept Ajantha Mendis over Ishant Sharma's head on the boundary. And to prove it wasn't a one-off, he played another reverse sweep into delirious fans beyond the point boundary. The second shot was an improvement on the first and it brought up Uthappa's half-century off 22 balls. Sitting in the dug out Kevin Pietersen, who famously reverse-swept Muttiah Muralitharan for six, would have been proud.
Bustling Baz
Brendon McCullum was on the move today. He walked down the pitch to his first ball, had to evade a Kallis bouncer, and continued the approach against other deliveries. It wasn't long before he attempted the ramp shot that proved so damaging against Australia. He tried it against Kallis and Vinay Kumar but wasn't successful. McCullum eventually found rhythm through more conventional means and was desperate for the strike. When Manoj Tiwary skied a catch, he gave up hope and didn't attempt to cross. McCullum, however, was haring towards the striker's end and managed to cross before the catch was taken.
Brendon McCullum was on the move today. He walked down the pitch to his first ball, had to evade a Kallis bouncer, and continued the approach against other deliveries. It wasn't long before he attempted the ramp shot that proved so damaging against Australia. He tried it against Kallis and Vinay Kumar but wasn't successful. McCullum eventually found rhythm through more conventional means and was desperate for the strike. When Manoj Tiwary skied a catch, he gave up hope and didn't attempt to cross. McCullum, however, was haring towards the striker's end and managed to cross before the catch was taken.
If at first you don't succeed …
In S Sriram's first over, McCullum rocked back and pulled the ball hard and flat towards the square-leg boundary. His New Zealand team-mate Ross Taylor was patrolling the region and he saved five runs by sprinting to his right, leaping high in the air at full length and slamming the ball back inside the rope. In Sriram's next over, however, McCullum pulled harder and higher, and Taylor's leap on the midwicket line was ceremonial.
In S Sriram's first over, McCullum rocked back and pulled the ball hard and flat towards the square-leg boundary. His New Zealand team-mate Ross Taylor was patrolling the region and he saved five runs by sprinting to his right, leaping high in the air at full length and slamming the ball back inside the rope. In Sriram's next over, however, McCullum pulled harder and higher, and Taylor's leap on the midwicket line was ceremonial.
George Binoy is a senior sub-editor at Cricinfo