Tendulkar disappoints and Sreesanth shows restraint
Plays of the Day from the second day of the first Test between India and New Zealand in Ahmedabad
ESPNcricinfo staff
05-Nov-2010
Pragyan Ojha's celebrations after bowling BJ Watling were surprisingly muted • AFP
The six of the day
During his brief innings of 10, MS Dhoni rushed down the track and dumped Jeetan Patel on to the sightscreen. Dhoni hitting sixes shouldn't surprise anyone but Dhoni nearly didn't bat at all. "He was shivering just before he went out to bat," Harbhajan said. "When he came out from lunch he was in blankets. It's good to see him all right."
During his brief innings of 10, MS Dhoni rushed down the track and dumped Jeetan Patel on to the sightscreen. Dhoni hitting sixes shouldn't surprise anyone but Dhoni nearly didn't bat at all. "He was shivering just before he went out to bat," Harbhajan said. "When he came out from lunch he was in blankets. It's good to see him all right."
The anticlimax of the day
The cricket tragics would not have missed the fact that Ahmedabad was the place where Sunil Gavaskar became the first batsman to go past 10,000 runs. Today, everybody and their aunties were waiting for Sachin Tendulkar's 50th hundred. Their hopes would have increased with the solidity of Tendulkar's defence before it all came crashing down. Jeetan Patel flighted one, Tendulkar hopped down the track and down the came the bat for the drive. Unfortunately, he only ended up chipping it straight back to the bowler. For what's it worth, Tendulkar was batting at the same end where Gavaskar played that stylish late cut to bring up his landmark. It didn't bring Tendulkar any luck, though.
The cricket tragics would not have missed the fact that Ahmedabad was the place where Sunil Gavaskar became the first batsman to go past 10,000 runs. Today, everybody and their aunties were waiting for Sachin Tendulkar's 50th hundred. Their hopes would have increased with the solidity of Tendulkar's defence before it all came crashing down. Jeetan Patel flighted one, Tendulkar hopped down the track and down the came the bat for the drive. Unfortunately, he only ended up chipping it straight back to the bowler. For what's it worth, Tendulkar was batting at the same end where Gavaskar played that stylish late cut to bring up his landmark. It didn't bring Tendulkar any luck, though.
The non-reaction of the day
Pragyan Ojha usually celebrates a wicket quite animatedly. He screams or pumps his fist and runs towards his captain, or to nowhere. Especially if it's a top-order wicket. There was no reaction from him today, though, when he removed BJ Watling. It was a nice delivery, made to look even better by the batsman. It landed in line with the off stump and straightened. Watling pushed too far inside the line, missing it completely, and lost his off stump. Ojha just walked quietly towards his team-mates.
Pragyan Ojha usually celebrates a wicket quite animatedly. He screams or pumps his fist and runs towards his captain, or to nowhere. Especially if it's a top-order wicket. There was no reaction from him today, though, when he removed BJ Watling. It was a nice delivery, made to look even better by the batsman. It landed in line with the off stump and straightened. Watling pushed too far inside the line, missing it completely, and lost his off stump. Ojha just walked quietly towards his team-mates.
The bouncer(s) of the day
There were two. Zaheer Khan's first one didn't climb all that high and Tim McIntosh had to really get down to get away from that ball that wobbled past his surprised face. It wasn't a surprise when Zaheer banged another one in short, and Mcintosh went down again. This one too didn't climb much and bounded off his gloves to the keeper.
There were two. Zaheer Khan's first one didn't climb all that high and Tim McIntosh had to really get down to get away from that ball that wobbled past his surprised face. It wasn't a surprise when Zaheer banged another one in short, and Mcintosh went down again. This one too didn't climb much and bounded off his gloves to the keeper.
The quietest Sreesanth appeal of the day
Sreesanth's appeals never lack conviction. They let us know he has worked with Dennis Lillee, whose appeals were copied by schoolboys across the world. Today, during a fine second spell, he cut one in from outside off stump and hit a hesitant Ross Taylor on the pad around the off stump line. It may have been a touch outside; it may have been in line. It was one of those things. You would have expected Sreesanth to turn around, screech like there was no tomorrow and hold his pose on bent knees. He shouted all right but didn't hold his pose. It was a relatively polite enquiry by his standards, and it was turned down.
Sreesanth's appeals never lack conviction. They let us know he has worked with Dennis Lillee, whose appeals were copied by schoolboys across the world. Today, during a fine second spell, he cut one in from outside off stump and hit a hesitant Ross Taylor on the pad around the off stump line. It may have been a touch outside; it may have been in line. It was one of those things. You would have expected Sreesanth to turn around, screech like there was no tomorrow and hold his pose on bent knees. He shouted all right but didn't hold his pose. It was a relatively polite enquiry by his standards, and it was turned down.