Superb to sloppy
George Binoy looks at the plays of the day in the third ODI between India and Australia in Hyderabad
George Binoy in Hyderabad
05-Oct-2007
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An unwelcome visitor
The two days preceding the match were warm and dry but Hyderabad awoke to the sound of rain on Friday morning. The shower didn't last long but it was enough for the groundstaff to bring out the covers to protect the square. An early-bird crowd cheered massively as each plastic sheet was removed and when the Indians jogged out to warm up the decibel level went up a notch. The loudest shouts were reserved for the Twenty20 stars - MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh - until, that is, Sachin Tendulkar strode out.
The two days preceding the match were warm and dry but Hyderabad awoke to the sound of rain on Friday morning. The shower didn't last long but it was enough for the groundstaff to bring out the covers to protect the square. An early-bird crowd cheered massively as each plastic sheet was removed and when the Indians jogged out to warm up the decibel level went up a notch. The loudest shouts were reserved for the Twenty20 stars - MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh - until, that is, Sachin Tendulkar strode out.
A bit too straight
The stumps got hit twice in the first ten overs of the day, and all three times it was by the Australian openers. After facing a wide first up, Matthew Hayden began in style, flicking his first ball through square leg for four and following up with a powerful straight drive for the same result. He nearly had a hat-trick of fours but the booming drive cannoned into the stumps at the bowler's end, uprooting one and pegging the middle back. In the fourth over, it was Gilchrist's turn to drive too straight and umpire Shastri began to take cover before the ball hit the stumps.
The stumps got hit twice in the first ten overs of the day, and all three times it was by the Australian openers. After facing a wide first up, Matthew Hayden began in style, flicking his first ball through square leg for four and following up with a powerful straight drive for the same result. He nearly had a hat-trick of fours but the booming drive cannoned into the stumps at the bowler's end, uprooting one and pegging the middle back. In the fourth over, it was Gilchrist's turn to drive too straight and umpire Shastri began to take cover before the ball hit the stumps.
Going from superb to sloppy in a flash
Ricky Ponting drove the ball towards point and Yuvraj moved nimbly, diving full stretch to his right, to pull off a spectacular save. He leapt up in time to see Hayden stranded after Ponting declined a single. Yuvraj threw to the bowler's end and Hayden wasn't in the frame when the ball reached Zaheer Khan who broke the stumps. Replays showed that Zaheer didn't collect the ball and broke the stumps with his hand. An easy run out through a superb throw had been ruined through sloppy finishing.
Ricky Ponting drove the ball towards point and Yuvraj moved nimbly, diving full stretch to his right, to pull off a spectacular save. He leapt up in time to see Hayden stranded after Ponting declined a single. Yuvraj threw to the bowler's end and Hayden wasn't in the frame when the ball reached Zaheer Khan who broke the stumps. Replays showed that Zaheer didn't collect the ball and broke the stumps with his hand. An easy run out through a superb throw had been ruined through sloppy finishing.
An exercise in self-control
Sreesanth's antics in Kochi attracted so much attention that he was restrained today. He began tidily, conceding eight off his first two overs before Hayden got stuck into him. In his fourth over, he bowled three wides outside off stump and got smacked for four of the ninth ball of the over. His day got worse in the final over of the game when he dropped a simple return catch off James Hopes. In frustration he shied at the bowler's end where Hopes was safe and needlessly conceded an overthrow. Two balls remained and just as nothing seemed to be going his way, Sreesanth dismissed Symonds and Hopes off consecutive deliveries.
Sreesanth's antics in Kochi attracted so much attention that he was restrained today. He began tidily, conceding eight off his first two overs before Hayden got stuck into him. In his fourth over, he bowled three wides outside off stump and got smacked for four of the ninth ball of the over. His day got worse in the final over of the game when he dropped a simple return catch off James Hopes. In frustration he shied at the bowler's end where Hopes was safe and needlessly conceded an overthrow. Two balls remained and just as nothing seemed to be going his way, Sreesanth dismissed Symonds and Hopes off consecutive deliveries.
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Watch out for falling objects
During the ICC World Twenty20, spectators often wore hard hats as it was raining sixes. There were no sixes for 39.5 overs today but when Symonds launched Irfan Pathan over midwicket hard hats were the need of the moment. The ball cleared the boundary and fell into the stands, hitting a spectator on the head. Symonds went on to clout four more sixes but the crowd had begun to watch carefully.
During the ICC World Twenty20, spectators often wore hard hats as it was raining sixes. There were no sixes for 39.5 overs today but when Symonds launched Irfan Pathan over midwicket hard hats were the need of the moment. The ball cleared the boundary and fell into the stands, hitting a spectator on the head. Symonds went on to clout four more sixes but the crowd had begun to watch carefully.
Free hit anti-climax
The bowlers hadn't over-stepped for 58.4 overs and then Brett Lee committed the first front-foot offence. Sachin Tendulkar was on strike for the no-ball and Yuvraj Singh reminded him that the next one was a free hit. The crowd realised what was in the offing once umpire Shastri twirled his hand above his head. The roar soon became deafening as they urged Tendulkar to cash in. Lee charged in amid the din, Tendulkar charged down the pitch, Lee fired it fast and outside off stump and Tendulkar was beaten. Terrific noise one moment, silence the next.
The bowlers hadn't over-stepped for 58.4 overs and then Brett Lee committed the first front-foot offence. Sachin Tendulkar was on strike for the no-ball and Yuvraj Singh reminded him that the next one was a free hit. The crowd realised what was in the offing once umpire Shastri twirled his hand above his head. The roar soon became deafening as they urged Tendulkar to cash in. Lee charged in amid the din, Tendulkar charged down the pitch, Lee fired it fast and outside off stump and Tendulkar was beaten. Terrific noise one moment, silence the next.
George Binoy is an editorial assistant on Cricinfo