Stifled by the hook, and the spinners' one-two
Plays of the day from the game between India and United Arab Emirates in Perth
Abhishek Purohit in Perth
28-Feb-2015
Andri Berenger, and his fellow opener Amjad Ali, were both dismissed attempting the hook shot • AFP
Hook and perish
The UAE openers' ploy against the pacy Umesh Yadav seemed to be to try and hit everything. Amjad Ali received a bouncer and instantly went for a hook. The top-edge fell short of square leg. Andri Berenger tried to pull a length ball next, but only went as far as the bowler. The fourth one was a sharp bouncer again. Berenger made no attempt to duck, tried a hook, and MS Dhoni took the top edge.
The UAE openers' ploy against the pacy Umesh Yadav seemed to be to try and hit everything. Amjad Ali received a bouncer and instantly went for a hook. The top-edge fell short of square leg. Andri Berenger tried to pull a length ball next, but only went as far as the bowler. The fourth one was a sharp bouncer again. Berenger made no attempt to duck, tried a hook, and MS Dhoni took the top edge.
The one-two
Krishna Chandran had struggled to 4 off 25 when R Ashwin put him of his misery. The offspinner's first ball was a tossed up straighter one that was defended carefully. The next one was floated up slightly outside off, drawing Chandran forward again. This one was a big offbreak, though. It spun in sharply and bounced. Chandran followed the line and nibbled it on to pad and onwards to leg slip.
Krishna Chandran had struggled to 4 off 25 when R Ashwin put him of his misery. The offspinner's first ball was a tossed up straighter one that was defended carefully. The next one was floated up slightly outside off, drawing Chandran forward again. This one was a big offbreak, though. It spun in sharply and bounced. Chandran followed the line and nibbled it on to pad and onwards to leg slip.
The other one-two
Ravindra Jadeja came on in the 22nd over by when UAE were already in free fall. Jadeja's first ball was angled in around off and straightened and lifted. Amjad Javed pushed at it, and edged straight to slip. Jadeja angled it in further and fuller next ball. But new man Mohammad Naveed cleared his front leg and swung hard. The ball flew over the wide long-on boundary.
Ravindra Jadeja came on in the 22nd over by when UAE were already in free fall. Jadeja's first ball was angled in around off and straightened and lifted. Amjad Javed pushed at it, and edged straight to slip. Jadeja angled it in further and fuller next ball. But new man Mohammad Naveed cleared his front leg and swung hard. The ball flew over the wide long-on boundary.
The flick
Amid the ruins of UAE's batting display, Shaiman Anwar top-scored once more and played some fine shots along the way. With UAE nine down and Umesh steaming in, Anwar used the fast bowler's pace to flick one elegantly. India had a fine leg and a deep square leg. The ball wasn't too far to the latter's right, and Ajinkya Rahane is probably the fastest sprinter in the India side. But even he could not cut this one off, it was timed so well.
Amid the ruins of UAE's batting display, Shaiman Anwar top-scored once more and played some fine shots along the way. With UAE nine down and Umesh steaming in, Anwar used the fast bowler's pace to flick one elegantly. India had a fine leg and a deep square leg. The ball wasn't too far to the latter's right, and Ajinkya Rahane is probably the fastest sprinter in the India side. But even he could not cut this one off, it was timed so well.
The heat blast
Each time a boundary is hit or a wicket falls in the tournament, a flame shoots high up in the air from some pipes near the rope. One of them was breathing fire right in front of the media box, and someone had helpfully opened one of the sliding glass doors. Each time a boundary or a wicket fell, a blast of hot air was blown into the face of a few journalists, just to remind them in case they had missed some of the action.
Each time a boundary is hit or a wicket falls in the tournament, a flame shoots high up in the air from some pipes near the rope. One of them was breathing fire right in front of the media box, and someone had helpfully opened one of the sliding glass doors. Each time a boundary or a wicket fell, a blast of hot air was blown into the face of a few journalists, just to remind them in case they had missed some of the action.
Abhishek Purohit is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo