Aus Vs India, SCG

Australia retained the Border Gavaskar Trophy at Sydney, just minutes before the close of play at Sydney Cricket Ground. It was an extraordinary match and surprisingly it was Miachel Clarke who took the final three wickets in the space of 5 balls to register Australia's 16th consecutive victory. A Phenomenal Record indeed !!

There were five centuries scored and quite remarkably, century on each of the five days !! And each of those centuries were unique in every sense.

India had Australia on toast in the opening two sessions of the Test, when they took six quick wickets. Andrew Symomds and Brad Hogg played a counter attacking innings and took the Aussies to safety. Symonds were given let-offs by umpire Bucknor, who looked like a man in need of a long holiday. Symonds made full use of the luck and scored a scorching 150* runs with great support initially from Hogg and later from Lee and Johnson. The words that came to mind watching Symonds were aerial bombardment. Pickups and pulls and slaps and sweeps were all evident from this big Queenslander !!

Reprising his role as Australia's nemesis, VVS Laxman resumed his love affair with Sydney to score 109 - his third hundred in as many Tests. He looked in sublime touch and had a special liking on Mitchell Johnson, whom he dispatched to the Cover Boundary at will !! He showed why he was virtually impossible to contain when in form as he manipulated the ball into gaps on either side of the wicket with wrists that rotate either way to a greater degree than others can really dream of. In his two Boxing Day Test innings at the MCG, Dravid plodded his way to 21 runs off a staggering 180 deliveries. Here he showed great determination and put together a nice little partnership with VVS Laxman. Sourav Ganguly Scored his glimpses of batting talent before he played a loose shot to Brad Hogg

When Sachin Tendulkar entered SCG, the crowd gave a rousing reception !! There was a banner which read "Commit all your crimes when Sachin is batting. They will go unnoticed because even the Lord is watching" !! The little master didn't disappoint the fans as he scored his 38th Test Century. He played with his traditional high elbow, a still head, a golfer's deft touch, and in short gave a batting exhibition to the cricket loving SCG Crowd. Not many batsmen have this complete package. For spectators, he is worth the admission price alone. Sachin showed why he is still the brightest star in the Indian batting constellation !! No wonder, Indian people go mad for this man !!!

Besides The Fab-4, Indian tail has finally wagged and helped India to score 500+ as Aussies conceded the lead for the first time since the Adelaide Test Vs England in Ashes 2006. Of course, Australia had an off-day at Sydney. Adam Gilchrist is unlikely to drop dollies-after-dollies in a match for many moons to come. The Western Australian Glove men had a shocker test match behind the stumps !! Except Brett Lee who picked up five wickets, others were not hostile and penetrative.Mitchell Johnson was not impressive as he bowled too wide and repeatedly he was driven through Cover by the batsman. He was backed by Ponting though as he bowled the bulk of the overs. This match was not the one to remember for this Queensland left-armer!!


Matthew Hayden's love affair with the Indians continues as he notched his 5th Century Vs the visitors, and his second in successive Test Matches. It was the range of strokes he played against India's guileful spinners on a wearing SCG Pitch on 4th day, that stood apart. The shots were flicks through mid-wicket, adventures down the pitch, pulls executed without inhibition, cracks through cover, none of them restrained by doubt.

A steady, if stodgy, Mike Hussey might soon earn the sobriquet of the wall of Australia if he maintains his high standards. He scored his 8th Century in his 20th test and now has scored centuries at all the major cricket grounds in Australia !! The century(145*) he scored on the last day was just a treat to watch. This is easily the best innings he has played in his short career, considering he scored his runs Vs the two quality spinners on Day-5 of the wearing SCG pitch !

Ponting delayed the declaration for a while and when the declaration finally came, India needed to bat 72 Over's !! Jaffer, Laxman and Sachin got out early. Dravid and Ganguly tried to glue the scattered pieces before luck struck Aussie way, when both were given out to dubious decisions. Kumble played a gutsy effort but his king,queen,jack failed to play out the last 12 balls that was required to draw the match. Miachel Clarke scored a single in his combined two innings, removed the Indian tail in the space of 5 balls and became an unlikely hero !!

Ponting & Co certainly cannot be blamed for the failings of other international sides; Unfortunately for the Australian team, being the best also makes them responsible. It is not enough to win games. They need to try winning them with grace, try winning them with style, walk if they have to. Maybe even lose a game now and then !!After all, viewers need a bit of a contest !! Its touch disappointing that Australia's come from behind victory were not given due credit because of this and this.

I feel Perth will suit India, if they get the Team Composition right !! There will be swing if the bowlers choose the right ends and India have two good left arm swing bowlers. I will play Pathan inplace of Bajji. Will drop Jaffer and Yuvraj and play Karthik and Shewag. Aussies will certainly play Tait but Iam not sure how effective Tait will be since he hasn't played Test Cricket since 2005. There are speculations that Hayden might sit out as well.

For Kumble & co, Let's stop worrying about the Sydney Test and play hard on the field, irrespective of the Number of Umpiring Decisions go against you. I still feel, India is a formidable opponent and are capable of leveling the series by winning the last two matches, provided they get their minds right, since Cricket is more often than not played between ears. !!!