Wining Cricket at WACA

Wining at WACA

Predictions of this test match not seeing the fifth morning by Australian captain Ricky Pointing proved right by the Perth pitch, though without bringing a smile on the face of Australian captain, as the curtain for cricketing actions at WACA were brought down Indians even well before of the sunset for the forth days play by wining the test, creating a history of being first victorious team from the Indian subcontinent and more importantly proving all odds wrong and snatching the smile from the some what arrogant Australian captain.

After the Sydney storm Indians were at the bottom of demoralization and to come over from there to victorious position was almost equal to climb the Everest without having oxygen cylinders and that too in the winter season. All the anger and anguish generated from the worst umpiring decisions, which forced the team to face a defeat at Sydney, so called allegations of racial comments against the off spinner Hrabhajan singh and disputed decision of match referee over the issue might proved inspiration for the Indian cricketers to cross all the barriers and went on to achieve what can only be described only as the Himalayan task.

Defeating Australia in Australia and that too at the Perth was the unrealized dream of all the cricketing nations of the world. Ever since the era of captaincy by Tylair, Waugh and Pointing Australians were the almost non beatable cricket team and twice created world record of 16 test matches wins in a raw. Australian cricket team is also world Champion of ODI version of the game though the Australians failed to appear in the inaugural T-20 world championship final but no body from the cricketing world thought of the down fall of Australian cricket.

Win by India at WACA is just not a defeat of world champions in a test match but it means a lot more. This was second occasion where wounded Indians had shown there anger in the cricketing answer in recent times. Six sixes of Yuvraj, during the T-20 championships and this win at Perth both are generated from the insulting and non justifying treatment with Indians. At the Perth Australians were undefeated since lost 11 years, no team was able to beat Australians in Australia since last 25 times, and last time Australian cricket team was beaten by the same country India in the year 2003 at Adelaide. If we look at the concluding indications of WACA win
Don’t try to hurt Indian emotions with insulting and non justifying treatment because the rearguard action to this will be most painful.
This is not just yet another defeat, but breaking of dreams, Australians team and Captain Ricky Poiting were dreaming of 17th straight test win and creating a new record.
This is not the Australian cricket team, which is unbeatable but the Indian team is unbeatable team provided if the Indian players keep playing as single unit.
No surface can prove hurdle for the exhibition of talent and skills of the game, for win one needs to be stickled to basics of the game. I don’t agree with Poiting’s statement of criticizing complain about the 22 yard strip of Perth because no batsman succeeded in scoring a century after all bowling is all important part of the game and Australians included Tait in the playing eleven considering the nature of pitch.
Cricket match can win only by performing at ground and not by creating atmosphere of a kind of mental terrorism for the opponents.
You can beat Australian cricket team even at home provided you can match talent of the opponent and be ready for replying Australians in their own language not only in the cricketing skills but even on the sledging fronts. Similarly you need to have the calm body postures of Kumbale or Dhoni for reciprocate the arrogant attitude of Australian cricketers; they are arrogant because no body was there to match with their zeal of winning.
Subsequent dismissal of Ricky Pointing in the series by Harbhajan and Sharma or dismissal of both the Australians openers by Pathan in both innings of this test match, are indicative that one can work and expose weaknesses of Australian players and went on to win the matches.
You can match even to talent of world champions under the favorable conditions for them with you limited experience provided if you can come out with positive attitude and cumulative efforts.
This might be the occasion of emergence of new world champions in the form of Indians though still India a lot to achieve and improve before claiming the right of being the world champions but surely after the Twenty-20 world cup this is second alarming call for Australians for their position of world champions.

Windy WACA was sounding through out the day, as the Indian victory started to become visible even at the stumps of third day’s play. If you ask Dhoni which sound was favorite for him the sure reply will be the sound of dislodging of bells during the stumping of M J Clark when the kumbale’s ball excluded the bat of probable future Australian captain going down to track.

The most important lesson of Perth win for Indians will be not to flow with this win because it is sure Australians will come all out for a win at Adilade to get revenge of defeat not only for this test but also for the defeat of 2003, here Indians will have yet another chance to add the wound pains for Australians because the players are not only in demoralized mood but the ground situations at Adilade are not as favorable as the WACA was for the Australian players.

Heated Perth set to enter into History

Heated Perth set to enter into History

All is set for the start of yet another time journey towards the destination of history when the first ray of sun will touch the kangaroo land at Perth on the forth morning of third cricket test match between India and Australia.

Whatever may be the result, whoever may win the beetle but surely a page is going to be included with cricketing history. Australians will come all out for 17th straight test win where as the Indian tigers will not leave a single cricketing tactics unused for being the first team from the Indian subcontinent with a test win at WACA.

The saga of probable win by Indian team seems to be started even in the pre lunch session of the third morning though Australians succeeded in sending the three Indian stars Sachin, Saurav and Ganguli before they prove much trouble for the scoring sheet writing person but at the lunch night watchman Irfan Pathan was not out at 45. After the lunch this was Australia’s favorite V V S [very very special] Laxman, proved once again thorn in the flesh as this stylish Indian batsman not only scored almost a three quarters of century runs for self but also with the help of bowlers like R.P. Singh succeeded in stretching the Indian lead to cross the 400 mark which surely will unsettle the mental status of Australians, who were asked to chase an uphill target of 413 runs for the victory.

This time Australians were got the chance to start the victory run chase at the comparatively batsman favoring time under which yesterday Indians went to get a good start of 52 for 1 from the eleven hours but it seems that psychological barrier of the target over the 400 runs prove much stronger than the favorable conditions because when umpires call it a day Australians were struggling at 65 for the loss of two wickets and are still have to score almost three and half centuries, runs higher what is not done by any team since few decade at WACA.

Ricky Pointing escaped from the very strong LBW appeal, might be the line of contact between the ball and pad, slightest away from the stump line run into umpires mind and proved life saving for the Australian captain who once again proved fortunate in the fading lights of the day when the Kumable’s sharply turning and bouncing ball went just over the stumps excluding the bat of Ricky Pointing. Hussy seems to be encircled with the dual mind status go for run or play the role of sheath anchor.

The forth morning is set to bring the acid test for the famous long Australian batting line and zeal for the win as the play of the third day will replayed on their minds and surely will keep them restless before the judgment day. Indians are just 8 steps or good wicket taking balls away from once again being the hurdle for the Australian’s world record of straight test wins. Indians are aware of the situation of “Now or Never” for the win at the Perth hence surely every player will take the fielding position with boosted attitude. Presence of Sourav Ganguli, who captained India at Kolkatta, when Indians stopped the victory chariot of straight test wins by Australia, will surely inspire the younger players of the team for repeating the result.

It is a fact that India is in good command, but Australians will also come out with their famous never die spirit, there minds will be heated more the mercury of 39 of yesterday at Perth. Surely if the Indians can get rid of their famous attitude of being relaxed at regular intervals, start the day with the killing instant and can keep it alive till the dismissal of last Australian wicket, than there will nothing between them and first team from the Indian subcontinent winning a test match at WACA. Hope to see you all on the other side of the day with the news of Indian win.

Perth Pitch: Cat comes out

Perth Pitch: Cat comes out

As the most of the cricketing experts were writing about bounce and speed of and Australian captain Ricky Pointing was predicting about his surprise if the Perth test going into fifth day’s play. In all the probabilities it looks that test is not going to witness its fifth sunrise, at least the stamps time of second day’s play is supporting this very strongly but cricket is the game of uncertain glories and every thing that predicted before the last bowl is, may remain in the circle of predictions only without taking the shape of reality.

A great fearful atmosphere was created by the Australian players about the speedy nature of the pitch; they even considered this 22 yard strip as the most fast one of the world and included Shaun Tait in playing eleven to complete square of all speedsters attack. India also made changes; Shewag and Pathan were in replacing Yuvraj and Harbhajan.

When the coin favored by matching with the calling of Indian captain and India decided to bat the decision was seen under the clouds of doubts, but the Indian tigers wounded from the Sydney test were with a different game plan, as they have to prove a point that Sydney defeat was not a cricketing defeat but was the result of ever worst umpiring seen by the world. India went on to score a satisfactory total of 297 runs in the 84 over bowled during the day’s play. The picture might look rosier if Sachin might no fall pray of yet another wrong decision of umpiring and might the casualness in shot selection shown by the Laxman and Dravid has been avoided.

The secod day’s provided the space for pitch cat to come out, as in the day’s play of just over the 75 over proved sufficient to see as many as fifteen [15] returning back to pavilion. It was not surprising as it was already predicted and assumed that 22 yard strip will prove supportive for the Australian speedsters. The surprising was that India not only score 330 runs in the first inning to gain some what respect though it was not matching with the required score of a team bating first and willing to win the match.

Here on wards the pitch cat, which was handled by the Indians with great caution, care and some extant with authority, started to prove a deadly composition for the Australians. The 22 yard strip proved nourishing for the swing of Indian medium pacers [baring sharma who was bowling in vicinity of 140] and all was started by Irfan Pathan and R. P. Sing, soon the mighty Australians were struggling at 61 for 5 wickets of top order batsmen. Thanks to nocks of 66 and 55 runs by Symonds [fortunate being dropped] and Gilchrist respectively to help the team to cross the mark of 200, as the team is dismissed for paltry 212 runs allowing India to enjoy a considerable lead of 118 runs. In the 11 over play of second inning India scored 52 runs for the loss of one wicket to take the over all lead to 170.

Still two sunsets and one whole day are left before the schedule time of match is called over and if the pitch cat keep on behaving on similar lines with same handling by the Indians, it seems possible in all probabilities that India will go on to stretch the lead in the vicinity of 450 than surely world will witness the acid test for the Australian batting line after so many years at WACA.

Whoever team go on to win but surely the Perth test seems to be an addition to tally of test results. At present India is holding upper hand and a strong rear guard action is required by Australia to save the test. I am looking forward to watch the concentration of Australians under the pressure and assuming an Indian win at the WACA.


The second days play also brought the glory and memorable movements for Indian Mr. Perfect ten, skipper Anil Kubale, who went on take the test wicket tally to 600 wickets with the wicket of Symonds. Jumbo with this succeeded in proving once again that still he is effective even on the pitch which was made to favor speedsters.

Perth: Proving ground for Indian cricketers

Perth: Proving ground for Indian cricketers

Third test between India and Australia is to commence in less than 24 hours from now. All is set for a pace attack by the Australia as the WACA pitch is set to favor the pace battery since so many years and with the fame of proving a grave yard for the batsmen from all corners of the world. The beauty of life and game lies with the constant flow and Indians have to forget the happenings, controversial umpiring decisions, and non sporting behavior of Australian team at and during the Sydney test. Though the fetch of the series is already decided with 2-0 unbeatable lead in four test match series by Australia but still battle is on as Australia will go all out for a straight 17th test win and India will fight it for regaining the pride and honor by winning the rest of two test matches of the series.

As this is the all out, do or die situation for the Indians, needs to prove it was not the defeat of skills and talent of Indians at the Sydney but the umpiring was the reason of defeat hence for India the only option left is “Offence is the best defense” . India needs to come out with sheer aggression and attacking the Australians all the way when the team will take the field at WACA tomorrow. Every Indian player need to adopt the causal and not bothering about opponent attitude of Dhoni, shown during the Twenty-20 world championship in South Africa and get inspired from the success run of sourav after the come back to team, experience of Sachin of playing at WACA will be there to help and if the Indian team members decide to concentrate on the role play of self, Indian victory will not be a miracle for me.

Ever since the first foot landing on the Kangaroo land, Indians are facing the problem with the settling of famous bating line up. Failure of in form batsman, of recently conclude home series against Pakistan, Wasim Jaffar is proving itching of wound for the Indians. In these situations I will select the following playing eleven for Perth Test, in order of batting
1. Virendra shewag
2. M.S. Dhoni
3. Rahul Dravid
4. Sachin Tendulkar
5. Sourav Ganguli
6. V V S Laxman
7. Captain’s Option
8. Irfan Pathan
9. Anil Kumbale
10. Eshan Sharma
11. R. P. Sing


For the captain’s option I will come with two names to choose from Yuvraj Singh and Dinesh Kartik. If the Yuvraj is chosen by the captain he will play at number seven but if Kartik [ To whom I am including for his performance at Canberra and to provide a little bit relaxation for Dhoni with availability of another wicket keeping option in the playing eleven, as this might help Dhoni to concentrate on batting and return back to his normal game of hitting hard to red leather] gets favor from the captain, I will prefer him to see at opening slot with Shewag and Dhoni at his normal position of six down. Sachin and Yuvi [if included] will fill the gap in the spin attack created by excluding Harbhajan, Rolling the arms by the Saurav will not only help the speedsters to change the ends but also will add a different variety in the Indian attack.

We will play with more sportsmanship

We will play with more sportsmanship

Under the series of efforts for digging out the cricket from the Sydney storm ICC chief match referee Mr. Ranjan Mudgale asked to both the captains Anil Kumbale and Ricky Pointing for having a talk before the Perth test match. Reports say that before the meeting of two captains Ranjan went on to have individual talk with each of them. Look the statements of two captains after this meeting Indian captain anil Kumbale came out with words “We will forget what had happen” while the Australian captain Ricky Pointing said “ We will with more sportsmanship” though neither of them talked about the incidents and happening of the Sydney test but every body can understand the reference of the statements.

In a surprised move Indians have withdraw the charges of abuse worlds against the Braid Hogg just after this meeting of two captain though it is said that decision is taken in favor of betterment of the game and creating a better cricketing atmosphere among the two teams but surely Indians will not be free from the blame of framing the charge as the reciprocal action of allegations against the Indian spinner Harbhajan.

Yesterday night my son was asking me about the fate of Harbhjan, as the issue is still alive with the electronic media of the country. I told him whatever may be said or done but in my views Harbhajan is not going to come out spotless from this issue of racial comments. At the most he will get freedom from the charge of racial comments but surely either will get a worming or face a suspended sentence for being part of words of war though this will be amazingly surprising that the other player involve in the exchange of words will have neither to face the match referee nor have any punishment.

In my views withdrawing the charges against the Hogg is going to work against the Indians and surely will prove a question mark on the reliability of Indian players in the future. I can’t understand how the BCCI and Indians have forgotten “Sustaining an action of Non Justice is not lesser than doing a Non Justice.” As reports say Indian captain acted as per the instructions issued by the BCCI in respect of issue related with Hogg.