The Hindu : Mood upbeat in the Australian camp

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 08, 2004

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Sport - Cricket

Mood upbeat in the Australian camp

By G. Viswanath

Ricky Ponting has more to smile about than Sourav Ganguly on the eve of the second final in Sydney. — Photo: V.V. Krishnan

SYDNEY, FEB. 7. India's cricketers — captain Sourav Ganguly in particular — face a monumental task in the second VB Series final on Sunday. Ricky Ponting's team took them to task for some sloppy and unimaginative cricket at the MCG on Friday night and is on the verge of wrapping up the tri-series before a sell-out crowd at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

It's a pity that Ganguly's bunch of gifted men are looking down the barrel after an outstanding Test series during which they commanded admiration from all sections of the Australian society.

On Friday night, Ganguly, who otherwise has been cheerful on the tour in spite of faltering in each of the last four innings, expressed disappointment. Even after taking counsel from a wide range of batting experts during the last two months he has not been able to overcome his inadequacy against the short-pitched balls that Jason Gillespie, Brett Lee and Brad Williams have used expertly in the last two matches.

Ganguly has been dismissed for 8, 5, 10 and 6 in his last four innings and after the defeat at Melbourne seemed concerned with his personal form. A month ago, he appeared a man in a hurry and keen to settle scores with Australia. He made a bold move coming in to bat at No. 3 and made a superb 82.

The rot set in for Ganguly after Douglas Hondo took an airborne catch at `The Gabba'. His footwork, especially while facing the short balls on spiteful pitches, has been faulty. He spent almost an hour with Neil Harvey at Canberra, but in the last four matches he has looked a confused man.

India's captain would return home and mull over the events in Australia. It's been a mixed bag for him, but this has been a tour in which he has excelled in man management when the strike bowlers were absent in many matches.

"I think this Indian team has proved to be fine travellers, unlike many teams of the past. I think it was one off day at the MCG when the Indians played funny shots. I don't think the length of the tour should be an excuse for the defeat. It should never be. All credit to Australia. They bowled well and batted well. There's nothing wrong with Sachin Tendulkar, he has to just look at the ball a little more closely,'' said Bobby Simpson, who was at the SCG nets on Saturday afternoon and paying individual attention to Sanjay Bangar, Hemang Badani and Parthiv Patel.

The players had sought him out during the Prime Minister's XI match at Canberra. Simpson did not want to reveal the kind of interaction he had had with the three Indian players. "It's between me and them,'' he said.

Arriving in Sydney by afternoon, the Indian team came in two batches to the SCG around 3 and 4-30 p.m. The first batch had an appointment with Simpson, while the busload of cricketers was keen on getting a feel of the ground. In normal circumstances it should have been an optional practice day, but following the rout at Melbourne, the entire team turned up at the SCG for a meeting followed by a huddle on the ground and a game of volleyball.

Coach John Wright said cricket was not a complicated game and there was no need to make it appear so. "We have to put things right tomorrow and intend to have a nice little session here today. The boys are in good spirits and they are very determined to do well. We have come here today just to enjoy ourselves, sort out a few things and be very optimistic. One of the important things in international cricket today is a player asking questions to people they respect and who have a great knowledge of the game. Bob has been a great friend of Indian cricket and I have known him since he took over the Australian side in 1985. One can see the legacy he has left,'' said Wright.

Wright hinted at a couple of changes being made in the team for the second final. "We have to look at Anil Kumble. We will pick the team later in the day.''

While Ganguly is anxious about how things would work out on Sunday, his counterpart Ponting is brimming with confidence. His fast bowlers are in peak form and have taken the thunder away from the strong Indian batting line-up. Adam Gilchrist looks to be in ominous form and Matthew Hayden spent more than two hours to compile a half-century. Australia's openers will come out with the same plan on Sunday for the likes of Ponting to consolidate.

Ponting has won eight of the 10 matches against India and the ebullient Tasmanian with a sharp mind is eager to lay his hands on the cup on Sunday. He has now scored 1,258 runs in 32 matches against India. He has not crossed the 1,000-mark against any other country.

The teams (from): India: Sourav Ganguly (Capt.), Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, V.V.S. Laxman, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, Hemang Badani, Ajit Agarkar, Irfan Pathan, L. Balaji, Murali Kartik, Amit Bhandari, Ashish Nehra, Rohan Gavaskar, Sanjay Bangar, Anil Kumble and Parthiv Patel.

Australia: Ricky Ponting (Capt.), Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist, Damien Martyn, Andrew Symonds, Michael Clarke, Jason Gillespie, Brett Lee, Ian Harvey, Brad Williams, Michael Kasprowicz, Brad Hogg and Simon Katich.

Umpires: Rudi Koertzen and Daryl Harper; Third umpire: Simon Taufel; Match Referee: Clive Lloyd.

Hours of play (IST): 8-45 a.m. to 12-15 p.m. and 1 p.m. onwards.

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