Yusuf Pathan v. Nathan McCullum: What an Over!

It's the first Twenty20 International of the India New Zealand series. India are batting and after an explosive start, lose their way. The score is 64/5.

Into the attack is off spinner Nathan McCullum and at the other end is Yusuf Pathan, smacking his lips in gleeful anticipation.

Ball 1: Full Toss on leg stump. Thwack! The ball disappears over square leg for SIX!

Ball 2: A better delivery, pitched outside off. This time ball disappears over mid wicket. SIX!

Ball 3: This one's wide outside off and has a bit of loop. Pathan reaches out to slap it over long on. SIX! Nathan's brother Brendon looks down in resignation, sorry for Nathan.

Ball 4: The ball is a bit shorter and almost a wide, and gives it air at the same time. The ball is again sailing towards long on boundary. But instead of hitting the stadium, the ball is intercepted by Jacob Oram. CAUGHT! 

What a catch! Oram does an Adam Voges. He catches the ball millimetres off the rope running to his right, realises he's going to cross the line, throws the ball up, goes over the boundary and hops back in to complete the catch. Amazing presence of mind!

The whole over was a fascinating contest between bat and ball.

The bowler started off bowling full on the leg and corrected both his line and length through the next three balls. His second delivery was outside off and full. The third was really wide outside off and a tad short. The fourth ball which got the wicket was close to being a wide and shorter.

What also caught my interest was the bowler's delivery step in the wicket ball. McCullum bowled from within the popping crease and gave the ball air. Pathan was deceived by the flight, line and length and tried going downtown again. He only managed to find Oram.

It was an amazing contest between bat and ball. The bowler finally won.