Aussie test woes

Another altercation down under and another non Aussie player stands a  risk of getting banned or facing a suspension.

The supposedly best batsman in the world Ricky Ponting retired hurt and did not come back again to BAT.

Tendulkar on the other hand got hurt on his nose while he was 16 and continued batting in blood soaked  t-shirt.

Anil Kumble came out with hurt jaws in Antigua 2002 and snapped Brian Lara LBW.

Australia after making 520 runs sees Gayle hit one of the fastest Test hundreds to see the Test going to a possible draw unless WI self destruct on day 3.

A 2-0 win looks a rare possibility now for the team which not so long ago was world beater.

Against WI, against whom its media called for a "hakal patti" from the Test playing nations.

If Australia go onto lose the Test or even draw this one to be able to win 1-0 then will similar calls be made ?

By the by significant achievement for black African players in Saffa with Ntini playing his 100th Test.

Australia now are in danger of falling to # 4 in the rankings should they not beat Windies in this Perth test and if they dont then they would not have won a test in Perth for 3 years now.  The trend started by Australia's test nemesis -- Indians.

Who can forget the Perth win in 2008 -- the greatest overseas win for the country, after what happened in Sydney.

India starts the trend, the rest emulates.

Till 2005 only India beat Australia regularly in Tests and since then England started doing the same thing. They got thumped 0-5 next Ashes, Indians won 2-0 after 2004 and 2008 loss (bad umpiring major culprit).  Saffers followed the suite only to be thumped later 1-2 in the home series.

India has Australia on woods in the Tests.  And the tags of 1-1 in 2004 and 1-2 in 2007-08 wont say the real story all cos of that umpire Bucknor.

By the by Yusuf has got his ICL mate in the test team -- Sami.  And that has created furore in Pakistan. And if weakened Australia draw the series with the Pakistanis, then you can imagine who would have helped Pakistan achieve the same as per Younis.

Very Very Ispecial Lacchu

http://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/432566.html

A refreshing read from one of the most underrated batsman of the Indian history. A 34 year old man speaks his mind on how giving his best against then best in the world gave him real pride. He speaks about how he changed his stand on not to open again for the team or how it hurt when he was ousted from ODI team.

The man who has scored 3 hundreds in Sydney alongside GOD is the man in transition for the Test side of the country when the greats go.

And pride he draws when he looks back at those epic innings of 281, 178 against the Aassies he;d certainly be a real proud man, not a fake bug bear pride who draws it on every victory against minnows. Man i talk about is our own Very Very Ispecial Lacchu pehelwan.

Ump errors

If Australia lose, perhaps they would feel the pinch India felt in Sydney 2008. That would be a karmic retribution. Perhaps then Rick would understand carrying away in euphoria of possible victory is different and playing the game within spirits of the cricket is different.

Cricket is a great leveller and it doesnt consider if its India or England. Some Aussie blogs have mentioned that had Ponting taken the Strauss catch of may be Hussey then his effigies would have been burnt in India. Well may be yes, but then they should have known the anger and the pain when you are resigned to loss for not the game you play, but owing to over appealing and claiming catches when they are not...

English reaction to this catches and umpire reactions have nothing but idiotic. Something they would have learnt while watching Sydney 2008.

And not everybody is like Anil Kumble and his Indian lads who wont sulk. Not everybody takes this incidents in good taste. It would be interesting to see Ponting's reaction on result today if they lose or even if they win......Lets see how the hunters feel when they are preyed down by their own medicine.....

SCG test, Aussies make a good start

Australia look good to be on the course of revival and the path of 4-0 drubbing to Safs in remaining 4 games of the series home and away.

445 is a good score after what it looked at 4/143 with Hayden, Hussey and Ponting contributing just 61.

Hauritz was magical today with the bat with quick fire 45 along with Mitch's 64. He is one man who is in the thick of action right this summer. Highest wkt taker in India, this series and no fluke with the bat. And as Soulberry suggests affordable than high ego Andrews of the world....

The ball has already started keeping low. A good 4th innings total could see Safs choke to the usual ways, but then Aussies will have to bowl well in 1st innings and then unlike Perth and MCG, bat well in 2nd innings.


Meanwhile Boulinger is troubling McKenzie with short pitched stuff. Looks to have a good quick action. Right now i m at a loss to remember whose action Boulinger resembles.....

I assume, the talks of replacement of Aussies as number 1 team might just be baseless and a bit too early :)