Seven off one ball
Plays of the day from the IPL match between Delhi Daredevils and Mumbai Indians, in Sharjah
Siddarth Ravindran
27-Apr-2014
Mohammed Shami hit the stumps direct to send back Rohit Sharma • BCCI
The seven
Mumbai Indians desperately needed early breakthroughs so they brought Lasith Malinga back for his second over as early as the fifth. It didn't quite go to plan though, as Malinga fired his second delivery well down the leg side. The wicketkeeper dived to his left and got his gloves on it, but couldn't collect the ball, only deflecting it onto the helmet positioned behind him. The batsmen had scampered a single as well, which meant seven came off the delivery: the wide + the single + five penalty runs.
Mumbai Indians desperately needed early breakthroughs so they brought Lasith Malinga back for his second over as early as the fifth. It didn't quite go to plan though, as Malinga fired his second delivery well down the leg side. The wicketkeeper dived to his left and got his gloves on it, but couldn't collect the ball, only deflecting it onto the helmet positioned behind him. The batsmen had scampered a single as well, which meant seven came off the delivery: the wide + the single + five penalty runs.
The gamble
With Michael Hussey struggling for form, Mumbai decided to shake things up by sending in their captain and best IPL batsman, Rohit Sharma, to the top of the order. The gamble didn't work, though, as Rohit went for an ill-advised single in the second over. He dropped the ball to the left of the pitch, hesitated before deciding to go for it. It was much too late a call; the bowler Mohammed Shami got quickly across and threw down the stumps at the non-striker's end. Rohit's only chance was if the throw missed. It didn't, and Mumbai were off to another shaky start.
With Michael Hussey struggling for form, Mumbai decided to shake things up by sending in their captain and best IPL batsman, Rohit Sharma, to the top of the order. The gamble didn't work, though, as Rohit went for an ill-advised single in the second over. He dropped the ball to the left of the pitch, hesitated before deciding to go for it. It was much too late a call; the bowler Mohammed Shami got quickly across and threw down the stumps at the non-striker's end. Rohit's only chance was if the throw missed. It didn't, and Mumbai were off to another shaky start.
The yorker
Hussey, last season's highest run-getter, was having another difficult time in the middle. On a slow surface, he couldn't quite time the ball, and there were plenty of edges in a short innings that consisted only of dots and singles. His struggle came to an end in the 14th over when Jaydev Unadkat delivered a loopy, 104.4kph yorker on offstump. The slower delivery surprised Hussey, who tried to jam his bat down to keep the ball out, but he couldn't, and lost his offstump. Unadkat was overjoyed at seeing the variation work so well.
Hussey, last season's highest run-getter, was having another difficult time in the middle. On a slow surface, he couldn't quite time the ball, and there were plenty of edges in a short innings that consisted only of dots and singles. His struggle came to an end in the 14th over when Jaydev Unadkat delivered a loopy, 104.4kph yorker on offstump. The slower delivery surprised Hussey, who tried to jam his bat down to keep the ball out, but he couldn't, and lost his offstump. Unadkat was overjoyed at seeing the variation work so well.
The over
Laxmi Shukla is not exactly a fearsome bowler, relying on line and length to complement his military medium pace. Kieron Pollard, one of the most fearsome hitters in the world, had serious problems against Shukla though. In the 13th over, Pollard got the strike after the first delivery. The next ball was a loud lbw appeal, but he was struck outside off. The ball after that was also a loud lbw appeal, and he seemed to have been struck in line though the umpire thought otherwise. There was one lofted hit that just cleared the bowler, and another lbw shout to round off a torrid test for Pollard.
Laxmi Shukla is not exactly a fearsome bowler, relying on line and length to complement his military medium pace. Kieron Pollard, one of the most fearsome hitters in the world, had serious problems against Shukla though. In the 13th over, Pollard got the strike after the first delivery. The next ball was a loud lbw appeal, but he was struck outside off. The ball after that was also a loud lbw appeal, and he seemed to have been struck in line though the umpire thought otherwise. There was one lofted hit that just cleared the bowler, and another lbw shout to round off a torrid test for Pollard.
The flying bat
Even as late at the 18th over, the Mumbai run-rate was floundering well below six. They needed to throw the bat around, which is what Pollard did, literally. An attempted heave sent the bat flying towards the keeper, resulting in a dot ball. He called for a change of gloves, but that hardly improved matters as the bat flew out of his hands again in the next over as he swatted the ball to midwicket.
Even as late at the 18th over, the Mumbai run-rate was floundering well below six. They needed to throw the bat around, which is what Pollard did, literally. An attempted heave sent the bat flying towards the keeper, resulting in a dot ball. He called for a change of gloves, but that hardly improved matters as the bat flew out of his hands again in the next over as he swatted the ball to midwicket.
Siddarth Ravindran is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo