The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Thrilling end to a farcical Test

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Monday, Nov 08, 2004

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Sport - Cricket

Thrilling end to a farcical Test

What could have been? Both camps will be thinking this following the farcical two-and-a-bit day game that passed as a Test match at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Australia, in the end, did fall, rather extravagantly, victim to the `Dead Rubber Syndrome' yet again. This is the fifth occasion since 2001 against England, that the Australians have lost the equivalent Test after winning the series. They also did it against South Africa in 2002, England, again, in January 2003 and the West Indies in May 2003. It has to be said though, that in this case, there were some extenuating circumstances.

Mistaken belief

When a part-time spinner can take six wickets for nine runs from 38 deliveries something is rotten in Mumbai. Both captains alluded to the fact that this wicket was not up to Test match standard after the event, but one didn't have to be Einstein to know that.

Having said that, the Australians only had themselves to blame. After Clarke's bowling heroics they obviously fell for the mistaken belief that the job was done. In reality, it was only just beginning and once a team is emotionally on the aircraft home to family and friends it is hard to leave the mind behind to deal with the mundane matter of winning an apparently meaningless Test match.

Instead of the patient, soft-handed approach that we saw for the first three Tests, we got the belligerent impatience that has brought grief to so many other teams in India. On this occasion, it undid all the hard work Ricky Ponting's men had put in earlier, in just 30.5 overs.

Turning point

Having been there and done that in similar situations I know how easily it can unravel. The fielding team recognises that they only have one chance and it has to be with early wickets. Each bowler knows that they will only have to bowl one spell, or, at worst, a couple of medium-sized ones, so they can give it all that they have knowing that it is shoot or bust.

Ponting's team fielded like men possessed throughout this Test and the pace bowlers executed their plan to perfection in the first innings and early in the second. This would have been about the time that the Australians' minds started to wander to thoughts of home. This period was when Laxman and Tendulkar built their partnership and was when the game turned.

Whatever motivated Dravid to push Laxman back to his favourite batting position probably won the Test match for India. While everyone else struggled on the untrustworthy wicket, Laxman and Tendulkar slowly eased themselves back into confidence and form against the previously rampant Australian pace attack. It was at this point that Ponting blinked and missed his chance.

Had he had Warne at his disposal I have no doubt he would have turned to spin earlier but he delayed long enough in going to the off spin of Hauritz for the hands, feet and eyes of the two champions started to work in-sync. Tendulkar first, then Laxman relished the inexperience of the debutant and began to work on his mind as they took to his bowling.

Crucial over

Hauritz courageously claimed both wickets, Laxman's to a brilliant caught and bowled, but not before they had put India back in the game. Tendulkar's 15 runs off the one over was pretty much the difference in the end and in a low-scoring game a few high-scoring overs can be what tips the scale from one team to the other.

Hauritz cannot be blamed for Australia losing the Test but the spectacular spell from Clarke put things into perspective. While Hauritz was trying to bowl creatively, Clarke just ran up and `hit the deck'.

Sometimes you can think and try to do too much. The error was not Hauritz's and it was not Ponting's. It was in the belief that Australia had to have a specialist finger spinner in India. Had Australia's second best spinner, Stuart MacGill, been on the tour as he should have, then Australia and Ponting might have been celebrating a series whitewash rather than crying in their beer. CafeCricket

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