The catch that carried, or did it?
Plays of the day for the fourth day of the third Test between Sri Lanka and India at the P Sara Oval
Sidharth Monga at the P Sara Oval
06-Aug-2010
Amit Mishra and the rest couldn't believe their luck when Angelo Mathews gifted his wicket • Cameraworx/Live Images
Out or not-out?
In the 16th over of India's chase, a potentially controversial dismissal happened. M Vijay clipped one off the hip, and because of extra bounce, couldn't keep it down. Mahela Jayawardene, at backward short square leg, claimed the low catch, but Vijay immediately suggested he had doubt and stood his ground. Simon Taufel wasn't sure either, which was made clear when he consulted Rod Tucker. Tucker wasn't sure either, which was made clear when Kumar Dharmasena, the third umpire, was consulted. The replays were inconclusive: they didn't establish beyond doubt that the catch was clean. And going against common practice, they decided to rule Vijay out based on the inconclusive evidence. Gary Kirsten, India's coach, Immediately rushed to the match referee's room, and left not looking pleased.
In the 16th over of India's chase, a potentially controversial dismissal happened. M Vijay clipped one off the hip, and because of extra bounce, couldn't keep it down. Mahela Jayawardene, at backward short square leg, claimed the low catch, but Vijay immediately suggested he had doubt and stood his ground. Simon Taufel wasn't sure either, which was made clear when he consulted Rod Tucker. Tucker wasn't sure either, which was made clear when Kumar Dharmasena, the third umpire, was consulted. The replays were inconclusive: they didn't establish beyond doubt that the catch was clean. And going against common practice, they decided to rule Vijay out based on the inconclusive evidence. Gary Kirsten, India's coach, Immediately rushed to the match referee's room, and left not looking pleased.
Sangakkara keeps gifting wickets
It was a long hop from Pragyan Ojha, gift-wrapped, complete with a bow. Kumar Sangakkara, with loose balls at a premium, went to pull, and found Suresh Raina, placed at square leg for the sweep, with pin-point precision. Out of the four times that he has got out in this series, this was the third time Sangakkara had found fielders with such accuracy. Deep midwicket in Galle, long-on in the first innings here, and now square leg.
It was a long hop from Pragyan Ojha, gift-wrapped, complete with a bow. Kumar Sangakkara, with loose balls at a premium, went to pull, and found Suresh Raina, placed at square leg for the sweep, with pin-point precision. Out of the four times that he has got out in this series, this was the third time Sangakkara had found fielders with such accuracy. Deep midwicket in Galle, long-on in the first innings here, and now square leg.
Mathews does a Sangakkara
Angelo Mathews hasn't had a great Test, except for the wicket of Rahul Dravid in the first innings. He dropped a very difficult chance to remove Virender Sehwag off his own bowling, and then dropped Amit Mishra at third slip. Both men went on to hurt Sri Lanka. The horror, though, arrived on the fourth day when he tapped a gentle full toss from Mishra straight to midwicket. Surely Mishra will send Mathews a Christmas card at least?
Angelo Mathews hasn't had a great Test, except for the wicket of Rahul Dravid in the first innings. He dropped a very difficult chance to remove Virender Sehwag off his own bowling, and then dropped Amit Mishra at third slip. Both men went on to hurt Sri Lanka. The horror, though, arrived on the fourth day when he tapped a gentle full toss from Mishra straight to midwicket. Surely Mishra will send Mathews a Christmas card at least?
Saqlain to Srinath, part II
Saqlain Mushtaq's overspinning delivery to bowl Javagal Srinath out and finish the Chennai Test of 1999 is not easily forgotten. Srinath had then gone back, covered the line, played a straight defensive block, but the ball bounced around the crease and top-spun onto the stumps. Suraj Randiv did something similar to Rahul Dravid today. Dravid had the ball covered, defended it well, but it hurried on viciously onto the stumps.
Saqlain Mushtaq's overspinning delivery to bowl Javagal Srinath out and finish the Chennai Test of 1999 is not easily forgotten. Srinath had then gone back, covered the line, played a straight defensive block, but the ball bounced around the crease and top-spun onto the stumps. Suraj Randiv did something similar to Rahul Dravid today. Dravid had the ball covered, defended it well, but it hurried on viciously onto the stumps.
Mendis turns the senior batsman
During their match-turning 118-run eighth-wicket partnership, Thilan Samaraweera kept shielding Ajantha Mendis, turning down singles whenever he thought the bowler was slightly dangerous. Upon Samaraweera's dismissal, though, Mendis had some fun himself. He first smacked Ishant Sharma for three fours off the first three balls of an over, and then took a single off the last ball to retain strike. And in the next over again, he refused singles, and took one on the fifth ball. What did Chanaka Welegedara do with the last ball of that over? Get an inside edge of course, for four.
During their match-turning 118-run eighth-wicket partnership, Thilan Samaraweera kept shielding Ajantha Mendis, turning down singles whenever he thought the bowler was slightly dangerous. Upon Samaraweera's dismissal, though, Mendis had some fun himself. He first smacked Ishant Sharma for three fours off the first three balls of an over, and then took a single off the last ball to retain strike. And in the next over again, he refused singles, and took one on the fifth ball. What did Chanaka Welegedara do with the last ball of that over? Get an inside edge of course, for four.
Sidharth Monga is a staff writer at Cricinfo