Sreesanth's flawed impact, Southee's missed chance
Plays of the Day from the second day of the second Test between India and New Zealand in Hyderabad
ESPNcricinfo staff
13-Nov-2010
A sedate 2 off 23 deliveries; a change of bat, and Virender Sehwag raced to 96 off 120 before he was dismissed • AFP
Transformation of the day
Virender Sehwag was not batting like he usually does. The New Zealand bowlers had pinned him to the crease and cramped him for room with their lengths and lines. Unable to get the ball off the square, Sehwag had scored 2 off 23 deliveries when, before facing the second delivery of the eighth over from Tim Southee, he gestured urgently to the dressing room. Out came a substitute carrying several bats. Sehwag chose one and whipped his next ball for two to deep square leg, crashed the one after that to the cover boundary and played the third off his hips to long leg. Sehwag was away and he eventually got to 50 off 70 balls and to 96 off 120.
Virender Sehwag was not batting like he usually does. The New Zealand bowlers had pinned him to the crease and cramped him for room with their lengths and lines. Unable to get the ball off the square, Sehwag had scored 2 off 23 deliveries when, before facing the second delivery of the eighth over from Tim Southee, he gestured urgently to the dressing room. Out came a substitute carrying several bats. Sehwag chose one and whipped his next ball for two to deep square leg, crashed the one after that to the cover boundary and played the third off his hips to long leg. Sehwag was away and he eventually got to 50 off 70 balls and to 96 off 120.
Painful moment of the day
It took Sreesanth one ball to make an impact on the second morning, but unfortunately for India, it was on MS Dhoni's hand. He sent his first delivery wide down leg side, forcing Dhoni to dive to his left to prevent four byes. The ball dipped and crashed into the little finger of Dhoni's left hand and he needed treatment immediately. The discomfort lingered, and at the end of the over the physio had to come out for a second time to help ease the pain.
It took Sreesanth one ball to make an impact on the second morning, but unfortunately for India, it was on MS Dhoni's hand. He sent his first delivery wide down leg side, forcing Dhoni to dive to his left to prevent four byes. The ball dipped and crashed into the little finger of Dhoni's left hand and he needed treatment immediately. The discomfort lingered, and at the end of the over the physio had to come out for a second time to help ease the pain.
Aggressive over of the day
After bowling two wayward overs this morning, Sreesanth was replaced by Pragyan Ojha, and the fast bowler wasn't pleased at being taken off so early. Ojha's spell lasted only one seven-run over, though, and Sreesanth was back and was fired up. He let rip a succession of bouncers and short balls that had Daniel Vettori swerving and ducking out of the way. He hit Jesse Ryder on the thigh and feigned a throw at him at the end of the over. When Sreesanth tried another short ball at Vettori in his next over, though, it was one too many and he watched it disappear to the deep midwicket boundary.
After bowling two wayward overs this morning, Sreesanth was replaced by Pragyan Ojha, and the fast bowler wasn't pleased at being taken off so early. Ojha's spell lasted only one seven-run over, though, and Sreesanth was back and was fired up. He let rip a succession of bouncers and short balls that had Daniel Vettori swerving and ducking out of the way. He hit Jesse Ryder on the thigh and feigned a throw at him at the end of the over. When Sreesanth tried another short ball at Vettori in his next over, though, it was one too many and he watched it disappear to the deep midwicket boundary.
Opportunist of the day
Gautam Gambhir defended the last ball before the tea break towards the non-striker on the off side. Vettori, seeing that Sehwag was marginally out of his crease, ambled to intercept the ball and then quickly attempted a blind flick between his legs to try and run the batsman out at the bowler's end. He missed the stumps and the ball rolled towards mid-on, giving the Indian batsmen an overthrow.
Gautam Gambhir defended the last ball before the tea break towards the non-striker on the off side. Vettori, seeing that Sehwag was marginally out of his crease, ambled to intercept the ball and then quickly attempted a blind flick between his legs to try and run the batsman out at the bowler's end. He missed the stumps and the ball rolled towards mid-on, giving the Indian batsmen an overthrow.
Wasted luck of the day
Martin Guptill made his good fortune count on the first day. Tim Southee, who has a half-century on Test debut, didn't, on the second. New Zealand had lost wickets quickly during the morning session and Southee was let off when Gambhir lunged to his left at short leg and dropped a relatively easy bat-pad chance off Harbhajan Singh. The very next ball, however, Southee charged and attempted to heave Harbhajan across the line. He was beaten by the flight and was stumped yards out of his crease.
Martin Guptill made his good fortune count on the first day. Tim Southee, who has a half-century on Test debut, didn't, on the second. New Zealand had lost wickets quickly during the morning session and Southee was let off when Gambhir lunged to his left at short leg and dropped a relatively easy bat-pad chance off Harbhajan Singh. The very next ball, however, Southee charged and attempted to heave Harbhajan across the line. He was beaten by the flight and was stumped yards out of his crease.
Riposte of the day
In the 31st over of the Indian innings, Sehwag cut Chris Martin for four. It was a withering shot against a short of a length delivery and the fielder at backward point didn't even try stopping it. Martin loped in next ball and delivered a bouncer, forcing Sehwag to stand on his toes and fend it down. The ball crashed into his glove, and although Sehwag didn't react immediately, he soon dropped his bat and walked towards square leg, standing motionless until the pain subsided.
In the 31st over of the Indian innings, Sehwag cut Chris Martin for four. It was a withering shot against a short of a length delivery and the fielder at backward point didn't even try stopping it. Martin loped in next ball and delivered a bouncer, forcing Sehwag to stand on his toes and fend it down. The ball crashed into his glove, and although Sehwag didn't react immediately, he soon dropped his bat and walked towards square leg, standing motionless until the pain subsided.
Reactions of the day
The modern fields of modern captains usually involve placing fielders on the boundary rather early in the innings to control the run flow. Dhoni began with men round the bat and in the circle for the spinners, but it took only one slog sweep from Jesse Ryder - off Ojha's second ball in the sixth over of the day - for him to push Sehwag from midwicket to deep midwicket. When Vettori was bowling later in the evening, Sehwag slog swept him to the vacant midwicket boundary to move to 96. Vettori continued operating with that part of the field unprotected and, a ball later, Sehwag aimed to bring up his century in that region and was bowled.
The modern fields of modern captains usually involve placing fielders on the boundary rather early in the innings to control the run flow. Dhoni began with men round the bat and in the circle for the spinners, but it took only one slog sweep from Jesse Ryder - off Ojha's second ball in the sixth over of the day - for him to push Sehwag from midwicket to deep midwicket. When Vettori was bowling later in the evening, Sehwag slog swept him to the vacant midwicket boundary to move to 96. Vettori continued operating with that part of the field unprotected and, a ball later, Sehwag aimed to bring up his century in that region and was bowled.