The return of a familiar tormentor
Plays of the day from the third ODI of the Carlton Mid Tri-Series, between England and India in Brisbane
Sidharth Monga
20-Jan-2015
James Anderson v Shikhar Dhawan - Different format, similar results • AFP
The return
Playing for the first time against England in Australia since the 1992 World Cup, India were coming face to face against their tormentor from the English summer, James Anderson. Given Shikhar Dhawan's poor form against the moving ball over the summer, India fans would have been nervous watching Dhawan play Anderson. It lasted only one ball to their consolatory relief. It was the first ball of the third over when Anderson finally got Dhawan in his sights. He switched the seam position for an inswinger, put a length ball on middle and leg, making Dhawan play, and moved it just enough to take the outside edge. Clean as.
Playing for the first time against England in Australia since the 1992 World Cup, India were coming face to face against their tormentor from the English summer, James Anderson. Given Shikhar Dhawan's poor form against the moving ball over the summer, India fans would have been nervous watching Dhawan play Anderson. It lasted only one ball to their consolatory relief. It was the first ball of the third over when Anderson finally got Dhawan in his sights. He switched the seam position for an inswinger, put a length ball on middle and leg, making Dhawan play, and moved it just enough to take the outside edge. Clean as.
The movement
Six overs had gone in the Indian innings with the middle of the bat hardly troubled. No boundary had been hit, and only nine had come off six overs. With Anderson all over India, Ajinkya Rahane decided to charge at him. He was nowhere near the ball, which hit his pad and rolled along to the slips. Later in the over, Ambati Rayudu too charged at Anderson, only to be beaten. In between the two deliveries, though, Rahane showed just why they were trying to do that. To the fourth ball of the over, Rahane stayed back and saw that the length had shortened and cut it for three. Rayudu stayed back to pull the last ball of the over for the first boundary of the innings. This was the first time Anderson had to veer away from his favourite good length. India had made him do that, and were ready to take advantage of it too.
Six overs had gone in the Indian innings with the middle of the bat hardly troubled. No boundary had been hit, and only nine had come off six overs. With Anderson all over India, Ajinkya Rahane decided to charge at him. He was nowhere near the ball, which hit his pad and rolled along to the slips. Later in the over, Ambati Rayudu too charged at Anderson, only to be beaten. In between the two deliveries, though, Rahane showed just why they were trying to do that. To the fourth ball of the over, Rahane stayed back and saw that the length had shortened and cut it for three. Rayudu stayed back to pull the last ball of the over for the first boundary of the innings. This was the first time Anderson had to veer away from his favourite good length. India had made him do that, and were ready to take advantage of it too.
The overthrow
MS Dhoni defended the first ball of the 29th over to short cover. Both the batsmen were back in their crease. Ian Bell fielded and threw at the non-striker's end. The bowler wasn't there, Binny was in, and there was no need for the throw. It hit the stumps direct, and ricocheted for an overthrow. It is anybody's guess how David Warner would have reacted to the overthrow being taken, but Bell went about apologising to his team-mates because he knew it was totally unnecessary. Binny, who had now moved to the strike, went on to rub it in with three fours off that Woakes over. In the final analysis, though, it didn't hurt England much.
MS Dhoni defended the first ball of the 29th over to short cover. Both the batsmen were back in their crease. Ian Bell fielded and threw at the non-striker's end. The bowler wasn't there, Binny was in, and there was no need for the throw. It hit the stumps direct, and ricocheted for an overthrow. It is anybody's guess how David Warner would have reacted to the overthrow being taken, but Bell went about apologising to his team-mates because he knew it was totally unnecessary. Binny, who had now moved to the strike, went on to rub it in with three fours off that Woakes over. In the final analysis, though, it didn't hurt England much.
The catch
"He has hit a big six," would have been every commentator's call when Mohammed Shami smote Anderson towards deep midwicket in the 40th over. It seemed to have come clean off the bat and looked a massive hit. Turned out he had got more height on it than length, but the ball swirled around near the boundary. Twice Moeen Ali had to change his position to get under the ball, and then he realised he was very close to the boundary. Moeen, though, stuck to it, made sure his feet didn't touch the rope, turned sideways a little to make sure he knew the whereabouts of the rope, and took it beside himself as opposed to in front. That ended India's innings.
"He has hit a big six," would have been every commentator's call when Mohammed Shami smote Anderson towards deep midwicket in the 40th over. It seemed to have come clean off the bat and looked a massive hit. Turned out he had got more height on it than length, but the ball swirled around near the boundary. Twice Moeen Ali had to change his position to get under the ball, and then he realised he was very close to the boundary. Moeen, though, stuck to it, made sure his feet didn't touch the rope, turned sideways a little to make sure he knew the whereabouts of the rope, and took it beside himself as opposed to in front. That ended India's innings.
Sidharth Monga is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo