Sreesanth's agony, and a sporting crowd
Plays of the day from second day of the second Test between India and Australia in Bangalore
Sidharth Monga at the Chinnaswamy Stadium
10-Oct-2010
Little pressure was applied on Marcus North when he was in the 90s • AFP
The cruelty
Sreesanth must have done something really awful to Ian Gould some time in the past. The revenge act was one of the worst possible. When finally Sreesanth put a good spell together, he thought he had been rewarded when Tim Paine chased a wide delivery and edged. Sreesanth was done thanking the heavens, the relief was writ large on his face, when Gould asked Paine to wait. For the second time in two Tests, an umpire was not sure about the legitimacy of the ball he had not called immediately. The replays showed the suspicion was well founded, and that Sreesanth had overstepped. Just to rub it in further, Paine drove Sreesanth through the covers and midwicket later in the over.
Sreesanth must have done something really awful to Ian Gould some time in the past. The revenge act was one of the worst possible. When finally Sreesanth put a good spell together, he thought he had been rewarded when Tim Paine chased a wide delivery and edged. Sreesanth was done thanking the heavens, the relief was writ large on his face, when Gould asked Paine to wait. For the second time in two Tests, an umpire was not sure about the legitimacy of the ball he had not called immediately. The replays showed the suspicion was well founded, and that Sreesanth had overstepped. Just to rub it in further, Paine drove Sreesanth through the covers and midwicket later in the over.
The inexplicable field
A man trying to save his career had just moved from 95 to 99 with a streaky boundary past slip. He would obviously be anxious about that hundred. The Indian field settings suggested otherwise. Three men waited on the on-side boundary, and singles were there to be taken everywhere. Sure enough North did that, spending no time on 99.
A man trying to save his career had just moved from 95 to 99 with a streaky boundary past slip. He would obviously be anxious about that hundred. The Indian field settings suggested otherwise. Three men waited on the on-side boundary, and singles were there to be taken everywhere. Sure enough North did that, spending no time on 99.
The turnaround
The Bangalore crowd came in for a fair share of criticism on day one after their random booing of all Australians. Today, though, they were going to make up for it. Paine's fifty, the partnership's fifty and hundred, and North's hundred were cheered heartily. When a disappointed North was walking off after holing out to deep midwicket, he acknowledged the full house's appreciation. All was well again.
The Bangalore crowd came in for a fair share of criticism on day one after their random booing of all Australians. Today, though, they were going to make up for it. Paine's fifty, the partnership's fifty and hundred, and North's hundred were cheered heartily. When a disappointed North was walking off after holing out to deep midwicket, he acknowledged the full house's appreciation. All was well again.
The message
Sachin Tendulkar may have become the first man to reach 14,000 runs today, but that doesn't quite make today his day. However, there are other reasons that do. As pointed out by a spectator, and displayed on the big screen, it is October 10, 2010 today, which is conveniently written as 10-10-10: 10dulkar will want to score big and make tomorrow his day too, never mind the date.
Sachin Tendulkar may have become the first man to reach 14,000 runs today, but that doesn't quite make today his day. However, there are other reasons that do. As pointed out by a spectator, and displayed on the big screen, it is October 10, 2010 today, which is conveniently written as 10-10-10: 10dulkar will want to score big and make tomorrow his day too, never mind the date.
The repeat offence
Rahul Dravid has, for no explicable reason, developed a weakness against left-arm seamers of late. And it's not the ones that swing the ball in, and create doubt. It's the ones that angle it across, and get him chasing. Chanaka Welegedara has had his share of success against Dravid, and so had Doug Bollinger in the first Test of the series. Australia were ready to exploit that chink. As soon as Dravid came to bat, Ponting called back Mitchell Johnson, put in three slips, and asked his main fast man to bowl full and wide. Six balls later, the edge was induced, and the catch taken at third slip.
Rahul Dravid has, for no explicable reason, developed a weakness against left-arm seamers of late. And it's not the ones that swing the ball in, and create doubt. It's the ones that angle it across, and get him chasing. Chanaka Welegedara has had his share of success against Dravid, and so had Doug Bollinger in the first Test of the series. Australia were ready to exploit that chink. As soon as Dravid came to bat, Ponting called back Mitchell Johnson, put in three slips, and asked his main fast man to bowl full and wide. Six balls later, the edge was induced, and the catch taken at third slip.
Sidharth Monga is an assistant editor at Cricinfo