Katich ends 90s nightmare
Cricinfo presents the plays of the day from day four in Hobart
Cricinfo staff
17-Jan-2010
Made it at last: Simon Katich gets his hundred • Getty Images
98, 99, 100!
It's been a hard summer in the 90s for Simon Katich, who began the season with 92 against West Indies in Brisbane. He has also posted a 98 and a 99, so when he was faced with the triple-figure barrier again, albeit in a much lower-pressure situation, he was determined not to fall at the final hurdle. Katich brought up his milestone with a clipped single behind square on the leg side but that was his last run. In the next over he was caught on the boundary.
It's been a hard summer in the 90s for Simon Katich, who began the season with 92 against West Indies in Brisbane. He has also posted a 98 and a 99, so when he was faced with the triple-figure barrier again, albeit in a much lower-pressure situation, he was determined not to fall at the final hurdle. Katich brought up his milestone with a clipped single behind square on the leg side but that was his last run. In the next over he was caught on the boundary.
Delayed gratification
Shane Watson picked up two wickets with lbw decisions but on neither occasion was he certain that he had his man, as Mohammad Yousuf and Umar Akmal both called for reviews. Watson was confident that both times the ball would have hit the stumps and the third umpire's verdicts backed him up, but he said the review system had created a strange dynamic on the field. "When there's a decision now it's hard to fully celebrate because you know there's a good chance of it being referred," Watson said. "Occasionally it's given not out so you don't want to carry on too much. It's always nice to see the finger go up but you know it's not a confirmation until the referral goes ahead."
Shane Watson picked up two wickets with lbw decisions but on neither occasion was he certain that he had his man, as Mohammad Yousuf and Umar Akmal both called for reviews. Watson was confident that both times the ball would have hit the stumps and the third umpire's verdicts backed him up, but he said the review system had created a strange dynamic on the field. "When there's a decision now it's hard to fully celebrate because you know there's a good chance of it being referred," Watson said. "Occasionally it's given not out so you don't want to carry on too much. It's always nice to see the finger go up but you know it's not a confirmation until the referral goes ahead."
Who needs a fielding coach?
At last count Pakistan had dropped 16 catches and four were missed by Kamran Akmal in one Test alone. All along the camp has insisted no fielding coach is needed and that everything that can be tried is being tried. This morning before play Intikhab Alam, the coach, was practicing edging catches to the wicketkeeper, with a fielder throwing a ball at him. It is routine practice, but Intikhab was ultimately only able to direct roughly four edges in the direction of the wicketkeeper.
At last count Pakistan had dropped 16 catches and four were missed by Kamran Akmal in one Test alone. All along the camp has insisted no fielding coach is needed and that everything that can be tried is being tried. This morning before play Intikhab Alam, the coach, was practicing edging catches to the wicketkeeper, with a fielder throwing a ball at him. It is routine practice, but Intikhab was ultimately only able to direct roughly four edges in the direction of the wicketkeeper.
Rain, rain, go away (or stay)
Australia knew there was going to be wet weather on the horizon towards the end of the game and the players will be racing to the hotel windows as soon as they wake on Monday. The forecast is for cloudy periods with occasional showers, which is a better predicament for the locals than the heavier falls predicted earlier for the start of the week. The final hour of the fourth day was lost to the weather with the hosts in a commanding position. They want six wickets, the visitors need Hobart's unpredictable weather to turn into a day of rain.
Australia knew there was going to be wet weather on the horizon towards the end of the game and the players will be racing to the hotel windows as soon as they wake on Monday. The forecast is for cloudy periods with occasional showers, which is a better predicament for the locals than the heavier falls predicted earlier for the start of the week. The final hour of the fourth day was lost to the weather with the hosts in a commanding position. They want six wickets, the visitors need Hobart's unpredictable weather to turn into a day of rain.