Dinda v Warner, and Ganguly's surprising fielding
Plays of the day from the match between Kolkata and Delhi at Eden Gardens
George Binoy
07-Apr-2010
Sourav Ganguly is pumped after running out Gautam Gambhir • Indian Premier League
Dinda v Warner:
The first over of Delhi's chase. Ashok Dinda sent down four successive dot balls, all of them short of a length and skidding into the left-hander David Warner, hurrying and cramping him. Warner attempted to short-arm jab three of those on the leg side but failed. The fifth was straighter and quicker. It skidded through Warner's defences before he brought his bat down and demolished off stump. For a batsman reared on the hard and fast surfaces of Australia, Warner was surprisingly beaten by Dinda's pace.
The first over of Delhi's chase. Ashok Dinda sent down four successive dot balls, all of them short of a length and skidding into the left-hander David Warner, hurrying and cramping him. Warner attempted to short-arm jab three of those on the leg side but failed. The fifth was straighter and quicker. It skidded through Warner's defences before he brought his bat down and demolished off stump. For a batsman reared on the hard and fast surfaces of Australia, Warner was surprisingly beaten by Dinda's pace.
False alarm:
The first ball of the third over. Dinda bowled full outside off and Sehwag threw his bat at it. There was a noise as the ball passed the bat and Wriddhiman Saha flung it in the air in celebration after taking the catch. Dinda was ecstatic and turned to Rudi Koertzen to appeal, Sourav Ganguly ran in from mid off to join in. And then Koertzen's famously slow left hand began to move, its index finger almost outstretched. But just when Kolkata though they had Sehwag, Koertzen's hand went into his pocket, and Sehwag smiled.
The first ball of the third over. Dinda bowled full outside off and Sehwag threw his bat at it. There was a noise as the ball passed the bat and Wriddhiman Saha flung it in the air in celebration after taking the catch. Dinda was ecstatic and turned to Rudi Koertzen to appeal, Sourav Ganguly ran in from mid off to join in. And then Koertzen's famously slow left hand began to move, its index finger almost outstretched. But just when Kolkata though they had Sehwag, Koertzen's hand went into his pocket, and Sehwag smiled.
Ganguly!:
You had to see it to believe it: Ganguly throwing himself all over Eden Gardens. His first moment of excellence was the most crucial: he ran in from mid-off to intercept Gautam Gambhir's drive, picked up, released quickly and threw down the stumps at the bowler's end with the batsman short. It ended a dangerous 99-run partnership. Ganguly, however, wasn't done. He was prowling at cover, diving to his left, then to his right, intercepting well-timed shots and working the Kolkata crowd into a frenzy. And then, when Kedar Jadhav drove hard just above head height, Ganguly was there, jumping to take a sharp catch to force the door shut on Delhi.
You had to see it to believe it: Ganguly throwing himself all over Eden Gardens. His first moment of excellence was the most crucial: he ran in from mid-off to intercept Gautam Gambhir's drive, picked up, released quickly and threw down the stumps at the bowler's end with the batsman short. It ended a dangerous 99-run partnership. Ganguly, however, wasn't done. He was prowling at cover, diving to his left, then to his right, intercepting well-timed shots and working the Kolkata crowd into a frenzy. And then, when Kedar Jadhav drove hard just above head height, Ganguly was there, jumping to take a sharp catch to force the door shut on Delhi.
Ganguly v left-arm spin:
In his pomp, Ganguly treated left-arm spinners with disdain. And yet Gambhir gave the ball to one in the second over of the Kolkata innings. This was no ordinary left-armer, though; it was Daniel Vettori, the best in the world. Ganguly won Round one, his deft late cut, cover drive and sweep all finding the boundary. His balance was precise and footwork graceful, and Vettori did not bowl another over immediately. When he returned for the 12th, however, Vettori won round two with a wily change of pace. He sensed Ganguly trying to hit across the line, and slowed one down to 71 kmh. Ganguly swept, missed and was bowled.
In his pomp, Ganguly treated left-arm spinners with disdain. And yet Gambhir gave the ball to one in the second over of the Kolkata innings. This was no ordinary left-armer, though; it was Daniel Vettori, the best in the world. Ganguly won Round one, his deft late cut, cover drive and sweep all finding the boundary. His balance was precise and footwork graceful, and Vettori did not bowl another over immediately. When he returned for the 12th, however, Vettori won round two with a wily change of pace. He sensed Ganguly trying to hit across the line, and slowed one down to 71 kmh. Ganguly swept, missed and was bowled.
Absent-minded cricket:
The third ball of the 15th over, bowled by Ajit Agarkar, was a friendly full toss outside off stump. Sehwag wound up and swung, but missed. Perhaps ruing the missed opportunity, Sehwag did not realize he was out of his crease and was loitering dangerously. Saha, however, did not seize his chance and lobbed the ball high over the stumps.
The third ball of the 15th over, bowled by Ajit Agarkar, was a friendly full toss outside off stump. Sehwag wound up and swung, but missed. Perhaps ruing the missed opportunity, Sehwag did not realize he was out of his crease and was loitering dangerously. Saha, however, did not seize his chance and lobbed the ball high over the stumps.
George Binoy is a senior sub-editor at Cricinfo