Perspex ~ Kotla - Kiwi win and that long over of Martin Guptill

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), also known as acrylic or acrylic glass as well as by the trade names Plexiglas, Acrylite, Lucite, and Perspex among several others, is a transparent thermoplastic often used in sheet form as a lightweight or shatter-resistant alternative to glass. The same material can be utilised as a casting resin, in inks and coatings, and has many other uses.Although not a type of familiar silica-based glass, the substance, like many thermoplastics, is often technically classified as a type of glass. PMMA is an economical alternative to polycarbonate (PC) when extreme strength is not necessary. Perspex is a tradename of Lucite International and is polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) acrylic sheet which is manufactured from methyl methacrylate monomer (MMA).

You have seen it recently – wonder what this is all about ??  -  Perspex and acrylic are essentially the same thing. Perspex is a premium branded acrylic and, as such, is manufactured to the highest industry standards possible.  It has high shock, abrasion and flex resistance.

At  Kotla, Kiwis struck a purple patch - Kane Williamson made the  first hundred for the Black Caps on their tour of India and was named man of the match in his side's thrilling six-run victory.  His fine century, 118 off 128 balls at Delhi's Feroz Shah Kotla, gave New Zealand just enough runs to hold off India and put themselves on the board for the first time on tour. It was his eighth ODI century, level with Stephen Fleming and with only Nathan Astle (16), Ross Taylor (15) and Martin Guptill (10) ahead of him.

Most importantly, the result has given life to a series that was in danger of slipping away. No wonder the New Zealanders punched the air in delight and hugged each other in relief after pulling off their first win of their Indian tour.The five-match one-day series is now level 1-1 with the third game at Mohali on Sunday, and comes on the back of the 3-0 hammering New Zealand received in the test series.

India would not have expected a target of 243 to trouble them. But it did. Their top order tends to finish games off. Not this time. That left the job to MS Dhoni and a set of batsmen not accustomed to finishing an innings. New Zealand exploited that weakness to pull off a six-run victory and level the five-match series at 1-1. It was a chaotic scrap at the finish, even at 172 for 6 when Dhoni got out, there was real chance.  Then a goofy over from Martin Guptill - four wides, ten balls, and two wickets - brought Hardik Pandya front and centre for the second match in a row. He wrestled an equation of 48 off 36 balls down to 11 off eight. India had two wickets left. The 9^th wicket partnership made  49 at a run-a-ball. In the end all that was not enough.

Last time, I wrote about Bruce Oxenford and his innovative arm-guard for Umpire safety.  This guard is made of Perspex, details of which you read in the 1^st para. 

Yesterday there was a shot by Latham straight back of Umesh Yadav, which threatened Anil Chaudhary taking ungainly action, only to be saved by Yadav deflecting it.  He perhaps thought Bruce was well protected – but is guard on one hand enough ??  - perhaps not.  Corey Anderson's throw from the deep at the bowler's end headed straight at him and he was struck on the box. This time, he was not facing the incoming throw and the armoured left hand just could not come in the line of the ball, keeping him exposed to that hit.

The 41^st over was a comedy – Martin Guptill drifted down leg side to left handed Axar Patel, followed up once again; then of a donkey-drop got Axar hitting to longon; his third ODI wicket in his 131st match; another wide down the leg side, this time to Amit Mishra. Struck again with Mishra  top edging a swipe to be caught by substitute fielder Doug Bracewell at short fine leg.  There was another leg side wide there after –a 10 delivery over at crunch, yet his 2 wickets turned the match. 

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

21^st Oct 2016.