Chicken dance at the Chinnaswamy
ESPNcricinfo presents the plays of the day from Group B match between India and Ireland in Bangalore
Liam Brickhill at the Chinnaswamy Stadium
06-Mar-2011
Trent Johnston stunned the Bangalore crowd with that • Getty Images
The minnow milestone
When Niall O'Brien opened his wrists into a precisely-placed drive that threaded the field and bounced over the rope in the ninth over, he achieved more than just the first boundary of his innings. He also became the third Irish player to score 1,000 runs in one-day internationals - joining his brother Kevin and his captain William Porterfield in an elite league.
When Niall O'Brien opened his wrists into a precisely-placed drive that threaded the field and bounced over the rope in the ninth over, he achieved more than just the first boundary of his innings. He also became the third Irish player to score 1,000 runs in one-day internationals - joining his brother Kevin and his captain William Porterfield in an elite league.
The anti-climax
Such is the name he's made for himself after that innings, there was a loud rumble of approval from the crowd when Kevin O'Brien's name was announced as part of the Ireland XI before the start of play, and an even bigger cheer when walked to the crease after Andrew White's stumping. There was no repeat of last Wednesday's heroics, however, as he managed one muscular thump to the cover boundary but departed soon after, chipping the ball tamely back into Yuvraj Singh's waiting hands to spark the spectators' loudest shout of the innings.
Such is the name he's made for himself after that innings, there was a loud rumble of approval from the crowd when Kevin O'Brien's name was announced as part of the Ireland XI before the start of play, and an even bigger cheer when walked to the crease after Andrew White's stumping. There was no repeat of last Wednesday's heroics, however, as he managed one muscular thump to the cover boundary but departed soon after, chipping the ball tamely back into Yuvraj Singh's waiting hands to spark the spectators' loudest shout of the innings.
The yips
Piyush Chawla was preferred to R Ashwin as the second specialist spinner in India's attack for this game, but had a disappointing day despite a surprisingly helpful surface, upon which the ball gripped and ripped. His nadir came in his fourth over - the 24th of the innings - when, facing a growing barracking from the crowd, he sent down three wides and a front-foot no-ball in a 10-ball over that also included a crunching cover drive for four to take Porterfield to his half-century. He recovered somewhat thereafter, but his final figures of 0 for 56 in eight overs remained distinctly sub-par in comparison to his team-mates.
Piyush Chawla was preferred to R Ashwin as the second specialist spinner in India's attack for this game, but had a disappointing day despite a surprisingly helpful surface, upon which the ball gripped and ripped. His nadir came in his fourth over - the 24th of the innings - when, facing a growing barracking from the crowd, he sent down three wides and a front-foot no-ball in a 10-ball over that also included a crunching cover drive for four to take Porterfield to his half-century. He recovered somewhat thereafter, but his final figures of 0 for 56 in eight overs remained distinctly sub-par in comparison to his team-mates.
The chicken dance
The world was first treated to Trent Johnston's 'chicken dance' celebration during the World Cup in the Caribbean four years ago, and though he's a little older and a lot more bald now he showed he still knew how to cut a rug in some style after his caught-and-bowled dismissal of Virender Sehwag. A packed, 40,000-strong crowd was stunned into silence - partly by the wicket, and partly by the bizarre gyrations that followed it - and Johnston provided a timely reminder of Ireland's passionately joyful brand of cricket.
The world was first treated to Trent Johnston's 'chicken dance' celebration during the World Cup in the Caribbean four years ago, and though he's a little older and a lot more bald now he showed he still knew how to cut a rug in some style after his caught-and-bowled dismissal of Virender Sehwag. A packed, 40,000-strong crowd was stunned into silence - partly by the wicket, and partly by the bizarre gyrations that followed it - and Johnston provided a timely reminder of Ireland's passionately joyful brand of cricket.
The DRS moment
The use of the review system hasn't been entirely free of controversy in this tournament, and the so-called '2.5 metre rule' has borne the brunt of the criticism - and caused most of the confusion. The offending clause was tweaked ahead of this game, and Alex Cusack was the first to feel the effect of the change of protocol. Originally given not out, HawkEye suggested the ball would've hit middle - the crucial point - and so the decision was reversed and Cusack was sent on his way. The decision also gave Yuvraj Singh his first five-wicket haul in ODIs.
The use of the review system hasn't been entirely free of controversy in this tournament, and the so-called '2.5 metre rule' has borne the brunt of the criticism - and caused most of the confusion. The offending clause was tweaked ahead of this game, and Alex Cusack was the first to feel the effect of the change of protocol. Originally given not out, HawkEye suggested the ball would've hit middle - the crucial point - and so the decision was reversed and Cusack was sent on his way. The decision also gave Yuvraj Singh his first five-wicket haul in ODIs.
The DRS moment Part II
George Dockrell celebrated with understandable enthusiasm after trapping Sachin Tendulkar - a man who had scored more than 2,000 international runs, including three centuries, before he was even born - but he was made to wait a while before the wicket that the Dockrell grandchildren will hear about was finalised. Rather a long while, actually, as Tendulkar and his partner Virat Kohli engaged in a lengthy discussion over whether to ask for a review. That decision is meant to be made in "no more than a few seconds" according to the rulebook, but as the conversation continued the game came to a standstill. Tendulkar eventually trudged off, and Dockrell's place in cricketing lore was secured.
George Dockrell celebrated with understandable enthusiasm after trapping Sachin Tendulkar - a man who had scored more than 2,000 international runs, including three centuries, before he was even born - but he was made to wait a while before the wicket that the Dockrell grandchildren will hear about was finalised. Rather a long while, actually, as Tendulkar and his partner Virat Kohli engaged in a lengthy discussion over whether to ask for a review. That decision is meant to be made in "no more than a few seconds" according to the rulebook, but as the conversation continued the game came to a standstill. Tendulkar eventually trudged off, and Dockrell's place in cricketing lore was secured.
Liam Brickhill is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo