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Plays of the day
A reunion, and one for the album
Cricinfo staff
May 24, 2008
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Glenn McGrath and Sachin Tendulkar face off once more (file photo)
© AFP
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We meet again: After India's premature exit at last year's World
Cup, few would have thought Glenn McGrath and Sachin Tendulkar would
meet again on a cricket field. But at the Feroz Shah Kotla, it happened, and
Tendulkar said hello in the best possible fashion. A bit of width outside
off stump, a small step forward and just a gentle push through the covers
for four. Almost perfect.
One for the album: No matter how long or distinguished a career Yo
Mahesh has, he'll always remember this Saturday night. A delivery slanting into
the batsman's pad, an awkward stroke across the line, and the leg stump
knocked back. Not an especially unusual dismissal, but when the batsman's
name is Tendulkar, no 20-year-old bowler is going to forget it.
Sputnik Sweetheart: When Amit Mishra flighted one a little, Sanath
Jayasuriya launched himself at it so violently that the ball went in to
orbit, eventually landing on an elevated stage which had a Delhi
Daredevils billboard behind it. Talk about hitting someone where it hurts.
Oriental Shuffle: Is a Django Reinhardt classic, but not really
recommended when facing a bowler who knows your game better than most.
Facing Ashish Nehra, a team-mate in the Indian and Delhi Ranji Trophy
teams, Virender Sehwag went too far across in an attempt to play the cut
shot down to fine leg. Leg stump out of the ground, fans silent and
Mumbai's hideously dressed cheerleaders on their feet.
Welcome to the IPL: When Gautam Gambhir cut him for four and six
over point, Andre Nel looked like he might burst a blood vessel. Even
before the second stroke had sailed over the rope, Nel was in
effing-and-blinding mode, and the adrenaline levels soared even higher
three balls later when he had Gambhir caught in the deep. At this rate, yogic deep breathing may be needed.
Spoke too soon, son?: On Saturday, Robin Uthappa offered some
pearls of wisdom on what it takes to succeed in one-day cricket. "Frankly
speaking, fielding plays a very integral part in ODIs these days," he was
quoted as saying. "The younger legs make a huge difference." After he made
an embarrassing mess of a simple stop at cover off Jayasuriya, soon to be
39, you could only hope that his team-mate hadn't read it.
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