Unlucky Mithun, blistering Sehwag
Plays of the day for the second day of the third Test between Sri Lanka and India at the P Sara Oval
Sidharth Monga at the P Sara Oval
04-Aug-2010
Twelve Test tons but only six sixes so far for Thilan Samaraweera • Associated Press
Luckless Mithun
All through this tour, Abhimanyu Mithun had worked hard but with little reward. He has induced edges, but they have managed to avoid the fielders. And the edges that do go towards the fielders have found ways of being spilt. Rahul Dravid dropped Thilan Samaraweera in Galle, Suresh Raina lunged in front of VVS Laxman and grassed an offering from Kumar Sangakkara on the first day of this Test, and Virender Sehwag was slow in reacting today. The beneficiary again was Samaraweera, when he looked to cut Mithun; the ball wasn't far from Sehwag at gully, just that the hands went up a second too late. The law of averages suggests there might be a soft dismissal to a long hop coming Mithun's way soon.
All through this tour, Abhimanyu Mithun had worked hard but with little reward. He has induced edges, but they have managed to avoid the fielders. And the edges that do go towards the fielders have found ways of being spilt. Rahul Dravid dropped Thilan Samaraweera in Galle, Suresh Raina lunged in front of VVS Laxman and grassed an offering from Kumar Sangakkara on the first day of this Test, and Virender Sehwag was slow in reacting today. The beneficiary again was Samaraweera, when he looked to cut Mithun; the ball wasn't far from Sehwag at gully, just that the hands went up a second too late. The law of averages suggests there might be a soft dismissal to a long hop coming Mithun's way soon.
Sehwag needn't bother
No such troubles for Sehwag, though. When he saw Suraj Randiv top-edge a slog-sweep, he coolly turned back and asked the umpire for his hat. Dravid lived up to the expectations, and settled under the skier at first slip. It helped that he had to take two baby steps to come under the falling ball.
No such troubles for Sehwag, though. When he saw Suraj Randiv top-edge a slog-sweep, he coolly turned back and asked the umpire for his hat. Dravid lived up to the expectations, and settled under the skier at first slip. It helped that he had to take two baby steps to come under the falling ball.
The six
Stop the press. Thilan Samaraweera today hit the sixth six of his career in his 60th Test. And a beautiful shot it was too. He made room, charged down the pitch, and chipped Pragyan Ojha over extra cover. To put that statistic in perspective: Sunil Gavaskar hit 26 sixes in his Test career, Geoffrey Boycott hit eight, and Chris Tavaré none.
Stop the press. Thilan Samaraweera today hit the sixth six of his career in his 60th Test. And a beautiful shot it was too. He made room, charged down the pitch, and chipped Pragyan Ojha over extra cover. To put that statistic in perspective: Sunil Gavaskar hit 26 sixes in his Test career, Geoffrey Boycott hit eight, and Chris Tavaré none.
The four
When Sehwag smacked Angelo Mathews past point in the 24th over of the innings, he brought up his 1000th four in Test cricket. In the 26th over, when he scrambled through for the 70th run of his innings, he reached 7000 career runs. Out of those, 4478 have come in fours and sixes. No wonder he is the most exciting batsman of the modern era.
When Sehwag smacked Angelo Mathews past point in the 24th over of the innings, he brought up his 1000th four in Test cricket. In the 26th over, when he scrambled through for the 70th run of his innings, he reached 7000 career runs. Out of those, 4478 have come in fours and sixes. No wonder he is the most exciting batsman of the modern era.
Sidharth Monga is a staff writer at Cricinfo