Mexican waves and cheerful Ntini
Cricinfo presents the Plays fo the Day for the match between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders in Chennai
Suresh Raina made waves with his batting, on the field and off it • Indian Premier League
Halting the wave
The home fans were a happy lot when Suresh Raina provided Chennai Super Kings' a turbo-charged start to the chase of a tiny target. Not only was their team headed for a big win, the much-desired big hits were also being frequently dished out by Raina. After several false starts, the crowd got a Mexican wave, but just as it began to roll round the stadium, M Vijay mishit a lofted drive off Ashok Dinda. The wave was forgotten as the spectators waited to see where the swirling ball would land. There was a roar when it dropped beyond Sourav Ganguly at mid-on, and soon the Mexican wave was on its way again.
The home fans were a happy lot when Suresh Raina provided Chennai Super Kings' a turbo-charged start to the chase of a tiny target. Not only was their team headed for a big win, the much-desired big hits were also being frequently dished out by Raina. After several false starts, the crowd got a Mexican wave, but just as it began to roll round the stadium, M Vijay mishit a lofted drive off Ashok Dinda. The wave was forgotten as the spectators waited to see where the swirling ball would land. There was a roar when it dropped beyond Sourav Ganguly at mid-on, and soon the Mexican wave was on its way again.
The Makhaya Ntini sideshow
He may not have got a game so far this season, but he's regularly seen laughing it up with his team-mates in the dug-out. Makhaya Ntini's only job on Tuesday was to carry the drinks around to the outfielders, but he gave the crowd plenty to cheer even in that trivial task. With that ever-present smile on his face, he danced to the music pumping through the stadium, waving to the fans and exchanging jokes with the ball boys as he went around the boundary giving his team-mates some refreshments.
He may not have got a game so far this season, but he's regularly seen laughing it up with his team-mates in the dug-out. Makhaya Ntini's only job on Tuesday was to carry the drinks around to the outfielders, but he gave the crowd plenty to cheer even in that trivial task. With that ever-present smile on his face, he danced to the music pumping through the stadium, waving to the fans and exchanging jokes with the ball boys as he went around the boundary giving his team-mates some refreshments.
Hayden's gone? Ho-hum
After captain MS Dhoni, Hayden usually gets the loudest cheers from the crowd, and it was no surprise to hear his name being chanted as he strode out to bat. However, he was dismissed off his second ball for a duck, his first in a Twenty20. The fans were silenced by the early blow, but there were no celebrations from the bowler, Chris Gayle. No screaming, no smiling, just a grim stare, and back to the mark for the next delivery.
After captain MS Dhoni, Hayden usually gets the loudest cheers from the crowd, and it was no surprise to hear his name being chanted as he strode out to bat. However, he was dismissed off his second ball for a duck, his first in a Twenty20. The fans were silenced by the early blow, but there were no celebrations from the bowler, Chris Gayle. No screaming, no smiling, just a grim stare, and back to the mark for the next delivery.
Sure-fingered Chennai
There have been several eye-popping catches in the tournament so far, but much more common have been the spilled chances. Chennai's fielders, though, were sharp today, backing up their bowlers well to keep Kolkata down. Muttiah Muralitharan held on to Brendon McCullum's sweep at short fine leg tumbling backwards, Vijay sprinted towards the boundary and to his right from long-on to pouch Manoj Tiwary's skier, and Hayden safely held an Angelo Mathews hit that ballooned to mid-off.
There have been several eye-popping catches in the tournament so far, but much more common have been the spilled chances. Chennai's fielders, though, were sharp today, backing up their bowlers well to keep Kolkata down. Muttiah Muralitharan held on to Brendon McCullum's sweep at short fine leg tumbling backwards, Vijay sprinted towards the boundary and to his right from long-on to pouch Manoj Tiwary's skier, and Hayden safely held an Angelo Mathews hit that ballooned to mid-off.
It all evens out in the end?
Kolkata's top-order wobble continued when Sourav Ganguly was adjudged lbw by umpire Sanjay Hazare in the fourth over though Doug Bollinger's full delivery struck him outside leg. In the next over, offspinner R Ashwin would have completed a hat-trick when Mathews gloved his first delivery to leg slip. Simon Taufel wasn't convinced, and Mathews went on to make a fighting 48. Ashwin confirmed that Taufel apologised to him after the game: "Sorry, I missed it."
Kolkata's top-order wobble continued when Sourav Ganguly was adjudged lbw by umpire Sanjay Hazare in the fourth over though Doug Bollinger's full delivery struck him outside leg. In the next over, offspinner R Ashwin would have completed a hat-trick when Mathews gloved his first delivery to leg slip. Simon Taufel wasn't convinced, and Mathews went on to make a fighting 48. Ashwin confirmed that Taufel apologised to him after the game: "Sorry, I missed it."
Siddarth Ravindran is a sub-editor at Cricinfo