S Rajesh presents the Plays of the day for the match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at the Wanderers
S Rajesh at the Wanderers15-Sep-2007
Shane Bond came out a far second in the battle with Sanath Jayasuriya © Getty Images
The touch, and the thwack
Jacob Oram is renowned for his ability to give the ball a mighty thump,but here he showed he could be subtle as well. Of the third ball he faced,and the last in Sanath Jayasuriya’s spell, Oram conjured up a delicatereverse-sweep, merely tapping the ball lightly and helping it on its wayto the third-man boundary. Soon, though, he was back at his furious best:when Lasith Malinga got an attempted yorker wrong and pitched it in thehitting zone, punishment was immediate – a huge straight hit, whichbounced just in front of the sightscreen.Fielding woes for Sanath
Sanath Jayasuriya had a great time with bat and ball, but in the field hehad a rather forgettable day. Fielding at short fine leg, he reprievedBrendon McCullum in the second over, getting both hands to the ball butfailing to latch on to a mistimed pull. That was nothing to theembarrassment he would have felt after the first ball of the 18th over,when Oram’s slog gained more height than distance. Jayasuriya tried to getunder the swirler, but was never in control, and eventually stumbled, felland never even got a hand on the ball.Bond dismantled
Shane Bond v Sanath Jayasuriya was always likely to be a key contest, andthere’s no doubt who took the honours there. Jayasuriya flayed two foursthrough the off side in the first over, and then cracked two more foursover mid-off and square leg in Bond’s second over. Bond’s figures took afurther beating when Upul Tharanga joined in the fun and pulled a superbsix over fine leg. And when he dropped a clanger from Jayasuriya soonafter – cupping the ball in his hands and then spilling it – his miserywas complete.
