Many times in cricket, a fielder throws a probing catch towards the wicketkeeper in an attempt at catching the batter off. There is equal parts desire to bring about a dismissal and there is also an attempt to keep the batters on their toes.
The first India vs New Zealand ODI in Ahmedabad on Thursday produced one such moment. In the 12th over, with New Zealand 46/2, Sophie Devine came down the track to Deepti Sharma and played a defensive shot back.
Sharma, after a little wait, threw the ball back towards the stumps where wicketkeeper Yastika Bhatia whipped off the bails and asked the umpire if there was a chance for a run out.
On the face of it, it didn’t look to be a threatening situation at all. The batters were not trying to steal a run and it was simple for Devine to make her way back to behind the line.
Instead, her foot was found to be on the outer part of the line. The TV umpires confirmed that she was indeed short of ground. A combined presence of mind between Deepti and Bhatia helped India deliver a crucial blow and resulted in celebrations – even in the dugout.
Batting first, India scored 227 runs in the first of three ODIs – well below the par total as the hosts folded with 33 balls to spare at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
The Kerr sisters, Amelia and Jess, combined to take seven wickets. Eden Carson and Suzie Bates chipped in with two and one wickets respectively.
The bane of the Indian innings was the batters’ inability to convert the starts they got.
Deepti Sharma (41), debutant Tejal Hasabnis (42), Shafali Verma (33), Yastika Bhatia (37) and Jemimah Rodrigues (35) started off the block in fine fashion but were unable to build on.
The lone bright spots in India’s innings was a 50-plus alliance – a 61 between Rodrigues and Hasabnis for the fifth wicket.