The Second Test: Australia v India

 

Australia v India

SCG

January 3 – 7

 

Australia4 for 659 defeatedIndia191 and 400

 

This match was decided on the first day, with the Australian fast bowlers ending the contest in the first two sessions. India’s batting was not as disciplined as it could have been. Too few balls were left outside off stump, as the Indian batsmen provided catching practice for the Australian slips courdon. However,Australia’s first innings started with a considerable splutter, and it appeared as though India may be able to come close to defending their meager total. Enter Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting.

 

The stories surrounding these men have been told on numerous occasions in the past year. Ponting has not made a century for two years, andAustralia’s best since Bradman appeared to have become a shadow of his former self. Clarke was unloved by the Australian public, who saw his belached hair, tattoos and earing and made the assessment of Clarke as a pretty boy who had manouvred himself into the captaincy. They felt that he had been the anointed one for too long, and hadn’t quite earned his stripes.

 

The captain and the former captain commenced their partnership at 3 for 37, with Australia in trouble of experiencing yet another diabolical collapse, which had become all to common in the past 12 months. Clarke assumed the role of the aggressor, while Ponting became the accumulator. The went to stumps on the first day, having rescued the innings, with both batsmen just shy of their half centuries. On the second morning, expectation was high. Ponting, having made 4 half centuries in his past 6 Test innings, was yet again within sight of a Test hundred. Clarke was in sight of his first hundred as Test captain on his home ground. The two batted together with great skill and tenacity, gradually wearing down the Indian attack, which, it should be said, wilted all too easily.

 

Clarke brought up his hundred just before lunch, and Ponting just after lunch, courtesy of a dramatic single with a push to Zaheer Khan at mid on, who would have run out Ponting if he had hit the stumps. Ponting picked himself up off the turf, looking slightly bedraggled with helmet askew, dirt down the front of his shirt and a cheeky grin from ear to ear. It had been some time since Ponting smiled in such a way. The monkey was finally off his back. He had returned from what had appeared to be a terminal decline. He continued to knock the ball around, though eventually fell for 134.

 

Hussey joined Clarke, and from thereon the match was a procession. Clarke wheeled past 150, 200, 250 and then inevitably past 300, with an exquisite clip off his legs. This was Clarke’s moment of triumph and acceptance. He was cheered by all at the ground where he has been booed the previous year. He wasAustralia’s captain andAustraliarose as one for him. Selflessly, Clarke declared on 329, with Australia leading by 468.

 

India showed glimpses resistance with the bat, however when Tendulkar fell for 80, after appearing to be set for his 100^th international 100, the innings collapsed. Fittingly, it was Clarke who took the wicket of Tendulkar, with his underrated finger spin. Catching the edge of Tendulkar’s wide bat, the ball clipped Haddin’s gloves and lobbed to Hussey at slip. Hilfenhaus claimed his second 5 wicket haul in successive Tests, confirming a highly successful return to Test cricket.

 

An innings defeat for India signaled their 6^th successive loss in Test matches away from home, causing alarm bells to ring for Indian cricket. Perhaps the most disarming aspect of this loss, was the capitulation in the field. For significant periods of the Australian innings, India did not even appear intent on taking a wicket. The bowlers were poor; Ishant Sharma aside. Ashwin, who has taken plenty of wickets at home, looked unlikely to trouble the batsmen and Zaheer Khan looked disinterested, after taking the first three wickets of the innings. Tendulkar will have to wait, yet again, and it is hard not to think that his burden has become the burden of the team.

 

The series rolls on to Perth, starting January 13^th, on a pitch which is expected to favour the fast men.

Next up…India

The Indian cricket team is not always predictable. The masters will be touring Australia one more time. Dravid, Laxman and Tendulkar have all made big runs in Australia before. Laxman’s 167 in Sydney a few years back was an innings of the highest calibre. Later on, he would cause Steve Waugh’s touring team nightmares, in an astonishing partnership with Rahul Dravid, after Australia enforced the follow on. Haunted by this occurrence, Australian captains have since been extremely hesitant to apply the same tactic.

I saw Rahul Dravid bat in Adelaide, where he also combined effectively with Laxman, in early 2003. India won by 4 wickets, in a rousing victory against the odds. Then there is Tendulkar. The man is clearly the best batsman to come from the subcontinent and is, most likely, the best batsman to play the game since Bradman. He is poised on 99 international hundreds. Fittingly, he may score his 100th century in Australia, where he first rose to prominence as a test player, in the 1991/1992 tour. Even more appropriate it would be, if he were to score his 100th century at the home of Sir Donald, the Adelaide Oval. I’m getting carried away by the romance of the situation, but it would be fitting.

Perhaps the most dangerous combatant is Virender Sehwag. His 195 in the Boxing Day test of 2003 was one of the greatest innings by a visiting player in recent memory. He is in some form, too. Having peeled off 219 against the West Indies in a one day match already this month, he will have Australia’s young bowling attack very concerned. The West Indies were no pushovers either – Kemar Roach and Andre Russell are young quicks but they are very handy – indeed it was a blow from Kemar Roach that arguably led to the demise of Ponting as a force, a few years ago in Perth.

The bowling is less knowable. Praveen Kumar is a man who could do significant damage to an Australian team susceptible to swing bowling. Unfortunately he is injured, which is a big loss for India. Ishant Sharma was a young colt when he last toured and roughed up the Australian batting line up with some quality fast bowling. His statistics don’t yet suggest that he has graduated to the level of world class strike bowler, however it must be said that he plays much of his cricket on pitches designed for run making.

The spinning stocls are very interesting for India. Ashwin performed very strongly against the West Indies, and has kept Harbajhan Singh out of the team as a result. Traditionally, finger spinners are less successful on the harder Australian wickets. Even Murali struggled to dominate in Australia. However, Ashwin is a classy performer, and his opposition are not as strong as when Murali toured.

The series will be compelling viewing. Australia have been on the ropes, while India are now a dominant power in world cricket.