Gary Kirsten's monumental effort was a lesson in concentration, and in playing within limitations. The Australian attack didn't give him many free gifts – 76% of the balls were on a good length, and an equal percent in the corridor, but Kirsten bided his time, and waited for deliveries which presented him with scoring opportunities. He clearly favoured the front foot, and was severe on the full-length deliveries. Australia were hardly generous with that length, but Kirsten made the most of the few opportunities he got – 36 such balls (10% of the total deliveries he faced) fetched him 56 runs (almost 37% of his score). On the other hand, the short-of-length ball was not such a favourite for him – 51 balls brought him just 24 runs.

Kirsten scored almost equally on either side of the wicket, and most of his runs came in the arc between point and extra-cover, and midwicket and fine leg.

Throughout his innings, Kirsten was clearly troubled more by the spinners. Out of the 195 balls bowled to him by Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill, he wasn't in control 72 times – that is, he played-and-missed, edged or otherwise played a shot he wasn't entirely in control of, almost 37% of the time. The corresponding figure against Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee was a far more respectable 12.6%.

Not surprisingly, Kirsten stepped out to the spinners only twice in his entire innings, and he didn't score a single run on either occasion.

S Rajesh is sub editor of Wisden.com, India.

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