Thisara's bumpers, and a contentious line call
Plays of the day from the third ODI between Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Dambulla
Karthik Krishnaswamy
30-Aug-2014
The short ball fetched Thisara Perera three of his four wickets • AFP
The run-out
Misbah-ul-Haq and Fawad Alam were just about giving the innings a semblance of shape when a piece of poor judgment landed Pakistan right back among the croutons. Misbah pushed the ball to the right of Tillakaratne Dilshan and immediately set off. It was on Dilshan's natural side, and the ball bounced at a perfect height for him to pick up and throw without crouching too low. The direct hit caught Misbah well short at the bowler's end, and it was the third run-out for Pakistan's captain in his last seven ODI innings.
Misbah-ul-Haq and Fawad Alam were just about giving the innings a semblance of shape when a piece of poor judgment landed Pakistan right back among the croutons. Misbah pushed the ball to the right of Tillakaratne Dilshan and immediately set off. It was on Dilshan's natural side, and the ball bounced at a perfect height for him to pick up and throw without crouching too low. The direct hit caught Misbah well short at the bowler's end, and it was the third run-out for Pakistan's captain in his last seven ODI innings.
Six and out
Umar Akmal had only faced seven balls when Thisara Perera ran in to start the 19th over. First ball was on a good length, on off stump, and Akmal dumped it over the long-on boundary with a clean, pure swing of his arms. It was the kind of shot that makes you wonder why he isn't one of the undisputed stars of world cricket. Next ball, Akmal answered that question himself. It was a short, rising ball outside off, and he was in no position to play the pull. Pull he did, anyway, and the top-edge looped into the hands of Lasith Malinga, who took a fine tumbling catch after making good ground to his right from mid-on. It was nearly identical to Thisara's dismissal of Akmal in the first ODI.
Umar Akmal had only faced seven balls when Thisara Perera ran in to start the 19th over. First ball was on a good length, on off stump, and Akmal dumped it over the long-on boundary with a clean, pure swing of his arms. It was the kind of shot that makes you wonder why he isn't one of the undisputed stars of world cricket. Next ball, Akmal answered that question himself. It was a short, rising ball outside off, and he was in no position to play the pull. Pull he did, anyway, and the top-edge looped into the hands of Lasith Malinga, who took a fine tumbling catch after making good ground to his right from mid-on. It was nearly identical to Thisara's dismissal of Akmal in the first ODI.
The snorter
Sohaib Maqsood has looked in glorious form right through this series, and he gave evidence of the extra fraction of a second he seems to have with an extra-cover drive off Thisara that simply purred to the boundary. The ball before that, though, Thisara had tested the batsman with unexpected pace and bounce from just short of a length, forcing Maqsood to duck at the last moment. In his next over Thisara bowled a better delivery, and this time Maqsood tried to move across to the off side, out of the line, and lift his hands out of the way. He wasn't quick enough, though, and the ball kissed his glove through to the wicketkeeper.
Sohaib Maqsood has looked in glorious form right through this series, and he gave evidence of the extra fraction of a second he seems to have with an extra-cover drive off Thisara that simply purred to the boundary. The ball before that, though, Thisara had tested the batsman with unexpected pace and bounce from just short of a length, forcing Maqsood to duck at the last moment. In his next over Thisara bowled a better delivery, and this time Maqsood tried to move across to the off side, out of the line, and lift his hands out of the way. He wasn't quick enough, though, and the ball kissed his glove through to the wicketkeeper.
Saved by a frame
The incident may have caused a lot more debate in a less one-sided game. In the third over of Sri Lanka's chase, Upul Tharanga inside-edged the ball into his pad and set off for a single. Responding to his call, Dilshan had to stretch to beat the sprawling Fawad Alam's underarm flick to the striker's end. Replays of the direct hit suggested Dilshan may have been a couple of millimeters short when the bail came off. But the dust that the bottom of his bat dragged up off the pitch obscured the picture somewhat, and this, in all probability, led to the third umpire ruling him not out.
The incident may have caused a lot more debate in a less one-sided game. In the third over of Sri Lanka's chase, Upul Tharanga inside-edged the ball into his pad and set off for a single. Responding to his call, Dilshan had to stretch to beat the sprawling Fawad Alam's underarm flick to the striker's end. Replays of the direct hit suggested Dilshan may have been a couple of millimeters short when the bail came off. But the dust that the bottom of his bat dragged up off the pitch obscured the picture somewhat, and this, in all probability, led to the third umpire ruling him not out.
Karthik Krishnaswamy is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo