Aus Vs India , Perth
In 2006 at this very venue Perth, Ponting and Co regained the Ashes. In 2007, Vs India, Australia have lost their first test match in 874 days. The record-equaling 16 Test winning streak is finally over. As they say Cricket is a game of glorious uncertainties. Indeed it Was !!
Congrats to Kumble & Co for this splendid victory. This is Australia's first loss at home Since the Adelaide 2003. They have won 22 of the 23 matches(One draw again came at Perth Vs SA in 2005, when Jacques Rudolph batted through out the day) they have played against England, the West Indies, South Africa (twice), Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India and something called the ICC World XI, since the once unthinkable occurred in Trent bridge 2005.
India won the toss and batted. It was a good move. Australia went without a specialist spinner for the first time since Shane Warne was dropped 16 years ago. As they say, You don't realize the worth of a spinner until you don't have one. Ponting didn't read the conditions well, which he later confessed. Lee and Johnson were bowling at Wrong ends to start with. Though they manage to get two wickets early, they were not able to make further inroads as Dravid and Sachin steadied the ship. Dravid, relished the privilege of batting at three and played with the greatest aplomb. He played the most dignified and resolute innings until an ugly swipe which cost his hundred. Sachin, on the other hand composed a neat half-century.The Aussie bowling attack did look a bit lost for answers.Australia certainly missed the controlling and calming effect of McGrath. India manage to score 330 rather they were allowed to. Aussies fielding were embarrassingly butter-fingered.
When Australia batted, they were undone by smart swing bowling by Indian bowlers in the hot, humid, energy sapping conditions. Aussie batting fell like nine pins and were left 120 runs behind. Congrats to Anil Kumble,One of the finest cricketers to represent India, a player for whom the adjective 'great' is permissible, on his 600th Wicket.
In the hindsight, it might look Aussies erred by playing Tait, who is playing his first test match in nearly 2 years. Considering the history of WACA, Four Seamers were pretty much on cards in the post-Warne era. . In the second Innings, Ponting was almost on the Verge of Missing the Adelaide test because of ban, when the Aussies were eight over's short. Four Semers didn't help to improve the over rate either. It was a crucial phase of the game when Laxman and Dhoni were setting the target. Ponting had no other go than to call his Part Time Spinners of Symonds and Clarke. This is where the contest changed shades. Laxman and Dhoni played out 17 odd over's with little discomfort and seized the initiative back from Australia. Aussies pace bowling cupboard suddenly bears a distinctly threadbare look. Johnson was not impressive and Tait bowled just 21 over's in the entire test match. Clark and Lee took the bowling honors.
VVS Laxman played a mature,defiant and telling innings in his country's hour of need. Laxman seems to save his best performances for Australia scored a priceless 79 in the second dig. Once Laxman helped India's lead to 413, I felt Ponting & Co, were destined to remain forever level With 16 wins which was achieved under Steve Waugh's side 7 years ago.
Hayden was badly missed by the Aussies as he has always been the torch bearer when it comes to chasing the fourth innings total. Ponting and Hussey started off the day well, but the Indians outsmarted the hosts with splendid exhibition of swing bowling from Sharma,Pathan and RP. Sharma was extremely impressive and he deserved the wicket of the Ausssie Captain, whom he dismissed in both the innings. Hussey and Symonds were followed soon after. Indians were back on top !! Billy Bowden the gentleman replaced Steve Bucknor, perhaps showed the Aussies that Cricket is a great leveler :-) Just when things seemed sealed, there were some late flourish from Clark and Johnson. One has to praise them for their brave fight back with the bat, during the run chase, though the writing was always on the proverbial wall.
When RP Singh rattled Tait's stumps, it was India's first win at the WACA Ground and just their fifth ever on Australian soil in 60 years!! While it was the batting that stopped the earlier Aussie juggernaut of 16 wins in Kolkatta 2001, it was the bowlers who did the trick this time around.
Finally, India got its combinations right!! Shewag and Pathan,the comeback boys played crucial roles and helped India to take control at the start of the innings with both bat and ball. I still believe they should have played Karthik in place of out-of-form Jaffer. They most likely will play Harbajan in the next test at Adelaide Over at the expense of Jaffer. In this case Dravid will Open.
So, How good is India? Well, greatness should be judged over a 10-year-period, not by one or two wins here and there. They are a good team and really have to work hard if they want to become great, otherwise they will settle for Silver all the time. Now the series is well and truly alive. Can India square the series in Adelaide?
One thing is for sure. India's success gives England hope for Ashes 2009. Well Done India !!
Congrats to Kumble & Co for this splendid victory. This is Australia's first loss at home Since the Adelaide 2003. They have won 22 of the 23 matches(One draw again came at Perth Vs SA in 2005, when Jacques Rudolph batted through out the day) they have played against England, the West Indies, South Africa (twice), Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India and something called the ICC World XI, since the once unthinkable occurred in Trent bridge 2005.
India won the toss and batted. It was a good move. Australia went without a specialist spinner for the first time since Shane Warne was dropped 16 years ago. As they say, You don't realize the worth of a spinner until you don't have one. Ponting didn't read the conditions well, which he later confessed. Lee and Johnson were bowling at Wrong ends to start with. Though they manage to get two wickets early, they were not able to make further inroads as Dravid and Sachin steadied the ship. Dravid, relished the privilege of batting at three and played with the greatest aplomb. He played the most dignified and resolute innings until an ugly swipe which cost his hundred. Sachin, on the other hand composed a neat half-century.The Aussie bowling attack did look a bit lost for answers.Australia certainly missed the controlling and calming effect of McGrath. India manage to score 330 rather they were allowed to. Aussies fielding were embarrassingly butter-fingered.
When Australia batted, they were undone by smart swing bowling by Indian bowlers in the hot, humid, energy sapping conditions. Aussie batting fell like nine pins and were left 120 runs behind. Congrats to Anil Kumble,One of the finest cricketers to represent India, a player for whom the adjective 'great' is permissible, on his 600th Wicket.
In the hindsight, it might look Aussies erred by playing Tait, who is playing his first test match in nearly 2 years. Considering the history of WACA, Four Seamers were pretty much on cards in the post-Warne era. . In the second Innings, Ponting was almost on the Verge of Missing the Adelaide test because of ban, when the Aussies were eight over's short. Four Semers didn't help to improve the over rate either. It was a crucial phase of the game when Laxman and Dhoni were setting the target. Ponting had no other go than to call his Part Time Spinners of Symonds and Clarke. This is where the contest changed shades. Laxman and Dhoni played out 17 odd over's with little discomfort and seized the initiative back from Australia. Aussies pace bowling cupboard suddenly bears a distinctly threadbare look. Johnson was not impressive and Tait bowled just 21 over's in the entire test match. Clark and Lee took the bowling honors.
VVS Laxman played a mature,defiant and telling innings in his country's hour of need. Laxman seems to save his best performances for Australia scored a priceless 79 in the second dig. Once Laxman helped India's lead to 413, I felt Ponting & Co, were destined to remain forever level With 16 wins which was achieved under Steve Waugh's side 7 years ago.
Hayden was badly missed by the Aussies as he has always been the torch bearer when it comes to chasing the fourth innings total. Ponting and Hussey started off the day well, but the Indians outsmarted the hosts with splendid exhibition of swing bowling from Sharma,Pathan and RP. Sharma was extremely impressive and he deserved the wicket of the Ausssie Captain, whom he dismissed in both the innings. Hussey and Symonds were followed soon after. Indians were back on top !! Billy Bowden the gentleman replaced Steve Bucknor, perhaps showed the Aussies that Cricket is a great leveler :-) Just when things seemed sealed, there were some late flourish from Clark and Johnson. One has to praise them for their brave fight back with the bat, during the run chase, though the writing was always on the proverbial wall.
When RP Singh rattled Tait's stumps, it was India's first win at the WACA Ground and just their fifth ever on Australian soil in 60 years!! While it was the batting that stopped the earlier Aussie juggernaut of 16 wins in Kolkatta 2001, it was the bowlers who did the trick this time around.
Finally, India got its combinations right!! Shewag and Pathan,the comeback boys played crucial roles and helped India to take control at the start of the innings with both bat and ball. I still believe they should have played Karthik in place of out-of-form Jaffer. They most likely will play Harbajan in the next test at Adelaide Over at the expense of Jaffer. In this case Dravid will Open.
So, How good is India? Well, greatness should be judged over a 10-year-period, not by one or two wins here and there. They are a good team and really have to work hard if they want to become great, otherwise they will settle for Silver all the time. Now the series is well and truly alive. Can India square the series in Adelaide?
One thing is for sure. India's success gives England hope for Ashes 2009. Well Done India !!
posted by Bharani | Monday, January 21, 2008
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