Sammy's redemption and Kohli's freeze
ESPNcricinfo presents the Plays of the Day from the first day of the second Test between West Indies and India in Bridgetown
Sriram Veera at the Kensington Oval
28-Jun-2011
Suresh Raina was hit on the helmet by a nasty lifter from Ravi Rampaul • AFP
Redemption of the day
Redemption was in the air at the Kensington Oval. Darren Sammy, who dropped Rahul Dravid - and perhaps the game - in the first Test got his man on the first day in Bridgetown. He nearly did it with his first ball when he got one to straighten just past Dravid's outside edge. Not long after, he produced another beauty to get the edge. He ran away from his team-mates, past backward point, and pumped his fist.
Redemption was in the air at the Kensington Oval. Darren Sammy, who dropped Rahul Dravid - and perhaps the game - in the first Test got his man on the first day in Bridgetown. He nearly did it with his first ball when he got one to straighten just past Dravid's outside edge. Not long after, he produced another beauty to get the edge. He ran away from his team-mates, past backward point, and pumped his fist.
The stunner of the day
The ball did not kick up all that much but Virat Kohli just froze. He held his bat limply as it rose below to just below his chest and went off his glove to the wicketkeeper. Perhaps Kohli's mind was stunned into numbness when the ball was pitched short. Twice in three Test innings now he has been dismissed by a short ball. His next innings should make for fascinating viewing. Will he come back in style?
The ball did not kick up all that much but Virat Kohli just froze. He held his bat limply as it rose below to just below his chest and went off his glove to the wicketkeeper. Perhaps Kohli's mind was stunned into numbness when the ball was pitched short. Twice in three Test innings now he has been dismissed by a short ball. His next innings should make for fascinating viewing. Will he come back in style?
The late adjustment of the day
When Suresh Raina was new to the crease, he got a ball that reared up at him. He too started to freeze like Kohli. The bat was in an ungainly position, the head was falling away, and it appeared he was going to fend it to a catcher. Right at the last instant, he adjusted and somehow managed to get behind the line and tuck the ball down in front of him.
When Suresh Raina was new to the crease, he got a ball that reared up at him. He too started to freeze like Kohli. The bat was in an ungainly position, the head was falling away, and it appeared he was going to fend it to a catcher. Right at the last instant, he adjusted and somehow managed to get behind the line and tuck the ball down in front of him.
Bouncer of the day
In the first over after lunch, Raina received a nasty lifter from Ravi Rampaul that he couldn't get out of the way of. It flew up, crashed into his helmet and bounced away. Rampaul stared, Raina had a look at his helmet. Two balls later, he swivelled to pull away another short ball to the boundary.
In the first over after lunch, Raina received a nasty lifter from Ravi Rampaul that he couldn't get out of the way of. It flew up, crashed into his helmet and bounced away. Rampaul stared, Raina had a look at his helmet. Two balls later, he swivelled to pull away another short ball to the boundary.
The inevitable dismissal of the day
It came from Praveen Kumar. Twice he lunged forward to try to thrash Devendra Bishoo out of the park. Both times he was beaten. There was a long-on in place. Could Praveen control himself? He doesn't think like that. In his mind, perhaps, he couldn't connect with the previous two deliveries because he hadn't stepped down the wicket. And so, he charged out to the next ball and of course was stumped.
It came from Praveen Kumar. Twice he lunged forward to try to thrash Devendra Bishoo out of the park. Both times he was beaten. There was a long-on in place. Could Praveen control himself? He doesn't think like that. In his mind, perhaps, he couldn't connect with the previous two deliveries because he hadn't stepped down the wicket. And so, he charged out to the next ball and of course was stumped.
Sriram Veera is a staff writer at ESPNcricinfo