Marsh's hat-trick of sixes, Neesham's stinging blow
Plays of the day from the second ODI between Australia and New Zealand in Canberra
Daniel Brettig
06-Dec-2016
Jimmy Neesham was struck flush on his right forearm, just below the elbow, by a 148 kph Mitchell Starc thunderbolt • Getty Images
The third slip
Winning the toss and sending Australia in was a gamble by Kane Williamson, but in the early exchanges he paid the price for not actually betting big enough. David Warner's first ball from Trent Boult was a beauty, good length, swinging and going further off the seam, and Warner's edge flew at eminently catchable height. Unfortunately for Williamson it flew straight to where third slip might have been, eluding the two catching men he had posted. It was virtually the last false stroke Warner played.
Winning the toss and sending Australia in was a gamble by Kane Williamson, but in the early exchanges he paid the price for not actually betting big enough. David Warner's first ball from Trent Boult was a beauty, good length, swinging and going further off the seam, and Warner's edge flew at eminently catchable height. Unfortunately for Williamson it flew straight to where third slip might have been, eluding the two catching men he had posted. It was virtually the last false stroke Warner played.
The Nathan Lyon
Not present in Canberra, Nathan Lyon is infamous in the Australian side for trying to sweep pretty much every ball he receives from the spinners. Facing up to Mitchell Santner, Aaron Finch tried a similar approach, with less than satisfactory results. First he was unable to make good contact, instead gloving a ball down the leg side that narrowly evaded the clutches of BJ Watling. In the same over he went again, to a higher and straighter Santner offering. Instead of hearing the crisper sound of willow on ball, Finch's ears burned to the clatter of ball on stumps, and had to take his leave.
Not present in Canberra, Nathan Lyon is infamous in the Australian side for trying to sweep pretty much every ball he receives from the spinners. Facing up to Mitchell Santner, Aaron Finch tried a similar approach, with less than satisfactory results. First he was unable to make good contact, instead gloving a ball down the leg side that narrowly evaded the clutches of BJ Watling. In the same over he went again, to a higher and straighter Santner offering. Instead of hearing the crisper sound of willow on ball, Finch's ears burned to the clatter of ball on stumps, and had to take his leave.
The hat-trick
For much of his innings, Mitchell Marsh found himself jammed by full deliveries, either bunting them back to the bowler or squeezing them down the ground for a single. He tried various stances on the batting crease, and hit pay dirt in the final over of Australia's innings. Matt Henry's lengths wavered, and a trio of eminently hittable length balls were deposited into the seats over the bowler's head. Marsh's straight hitting is among the strengths of his game - a mystery of his Test troubles was why he was so seldom able to use it.
For much of his innings, Mitchell Marsh found himself jammed by full deliveries, either bunting them back to the bowler or squeezing them down the ground for a single. He tried various stances on the batting crease, and hit pay dirt in the final over of Australia's innings. Matt Henry's lengths wavered, and a trio of eminently hittable length balls were deposited into the seats over the bowler's head. Marsh's straight hitting is among the strengths of his game - a mystery of his Test troubles was why he was so seldom able to use it.
The stinger
Jimmy Neesham was principally concerned with Mitchell Starc's reverse-swinging yorkers when the bowler surprised him with a shorter ball. It was not exactly a bouncer, something Neesham discovered when he took evasive action, only to feel the ball thud into his right forearm, just below the elbow. The arm quickly started to swell, and lengthy physio attention was called for, with a compression bandage of sorts being applied. To Neesham's immense credit, he barely flinched at the blow and then resumed his innings, connecting with several more meaty blows before his eventual dismissal.
Jimmy Neesham was principally concerned with Mitchell Starc's reverse-swinging yorkers when the bowler surprised him with a shorter ball. It was not exactly a bouncer, something Neesham discovered when he took evasive action, only to feel the ball thud into his right forearm, just below the elbow. The arm quickly started to swell, and lengthy physio attention was called for, with a compression bandage of sorts being applied. To Neesham's immense credit, he barely flinched at the blow and then resumed his innings, connecting with several more meaty blows before his eventual dismissal.
Daniel Brettig is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. @danbrettig