Jamie Alter presents the Plays of the Day for the second ODI between India and Australia in Kochi

Jamie Alter in Kochi02-Oct-2007

A pump of the fists, a roar of elation and Sreesanth was right in Symonds’ face, probably telling him just where to go in warm Kochi © AFP
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Michael Clarke was threatening a repeat of his Bangalore act but some nifty work from Mahendra Singh Dhoni cut him well short. Irfan Pathan pitched it down the leg side, Clarke tried the flick, and fell over. Dhoni, standing up to the stumps, collected it and knocked off the bails in a jiffy. Pathan rushed to embrace Dhoni like lovers reunited after umpire Suresh Shastri, at square leg, raised the finger of fate, only to consult with the television umpire. Clarke was near the ropes when he stopped to await a second verdict; after some debate the giant screen sent him on his way. His back foot was on the line there and as everyone famously proclaims: “The line belongs to the umpire”.Shot of intent
India had wrestled out three wickets and Australia had to try and rebuild again. Andrew Symonds has been in tougher situations and he didn’t let anyone dictate terms. The 16th delivery fed to him, from Harbhajan Singh, was coolly deposited over deep long-on with a confident flush of the feet. That powerful shot marked a period of domination for Australia, one in which the run rate escalated. Symonds’ aggression inspired Matthew Hayden to open up, and he later raised his fifty with a powerful sweep over midwicket for half a dozen as well. Talk about tag-team efforts.Once, twice, thrice…
Pathan had bowled three slow but tidy overs before he jacked up his pace in the fourth. With his third ball, short of a length outside off stump, he got the ball to speed onto Andrew Symonds who, totally out of control, survived with a thick edge for four. Pathan flashed his cherubic smile and returned to his mark. The next shot was deliberate, to a similarly quick delivery, with Symonds opening the face of the bat and cheekily steering it away for another boundary. This time words were exchanged, with Pathan probably not convinced Symonds should’ve tried that. Last ball of the over, full and wide, was bludgeoned through the covers. Third time’s a charm, said Symonds, and Pathan grabbed his cap from the umpire and walked away silently.Temper, temper…
In the 45th over of Australia’s innings there was a moment of aggression that could’ve spilled over if not for Dhoni’s diplomacy. Sreesanth delivered a slower ball that Brad Haddin tried to pull, mistimed it completely, and Sreesanth picked up the ball. Words were exchanged, and then Sreesanth appealed for the run out of Symonds as the other end as he believed he was out of his crease. Symonds didn’t take kindly to that and gave Sreesanth a piece of his mind. With the umpires not doing anything, and Symonds’ shadow looming over a hot-headed Sreesanth, Dhoni calmed everything down by sending his bowler away. You’d think Sreesanth should be advised on who he picks his battles with, but …Funk this
Sreesanth finally did get Symonds’ wicket when he held onto a skier off his own bowling. A pump of the fists, a roar of elation and Sreesanth was right in Symonds’ face, probably telling him just where to go in warm Kochi. Sreesanth, the local boy, said before the match that he wanted five wickets. He had to settle for three, but that dismissal of Symonds must’ve felt like five given the tension between the two. Keep tabs on his battle throughout the series …Nerves of steel
Rahul Dravid and Dhoni were constructing a partnership after four early blows when into the attack came Brad Hogg, 36, a dangerous yet under-rated chinaman bowler. Dravid pulled Hogg’s first delivery, a long hop, for six and repeated the shot first ball of the next over. He connected well, and all eyes – except for one – moved towards the deep midwicket stands. Mitchell Johnson didn’t lose sight of the ball against the afternoon sun, ever so cautiously inching his feet close to the boundary, and held onto a great catch. He never once lost balance, and completed the catch that won the match, on the boundary. The crowd, cheering a six, was stunned into silence.Flick and run
If Johnson’s catch was the nail in India’s coffin, the wicket to follow just after slapped on the ‘fragile’ tag. Dhoni worked Clarke to the leg side and set off. Pathan harried down before Dhoni sold his partner down the creek. Hogg swooped in, collected in one motion, and fired it back to Clarke who, with a neat reception, back-flicked in into the stumps in one motion. The stadium slumped into further silence, and somewhere in the world an Australian fan was about to upload the moment onto YouTube.