Cricket

A riveting day of cricket. What with Ganguly coming out to bat for the last time and India with a chance to shut Australia out and Sehwag starting the day in style I just had to be up. I was and I was not allowed to sleep till 4am. Sehwag played as only he can trashing the bowlers to all parts of the ground. The openers came with clear plan. Stay safe till lunch and get the lead up. Vijay played well for a man making his debut. Once they managed to remain wicketless till lunch Sehwag started attacking. He missed out on a well deserved hundred. But thats when the real action started. India went through a phase where they lost 6 wickets for 60 runs! Most importatntly Ganguly came and went in a flash getting a duck in last innings. (What the hell... if he can't make a century in list test and join Greg chappell and others... he made a 0 and joined The Don!.. not bad!). And then Tendulkar did what he only can manage. He was in good nick. So there was less chance of anybody getting him out. So, he gets run out. India went into Tea with me freaking out. Then Dhoni and Bhajji walked in and I was hoping the lead to go over 300. An interesting phase of cricket began. Australia were 10 overs short on the over-rate and so they brought White to bowl. Indian approach was to be positive (I mean Bhajji doesn't know any other way!). So runs started flowing and  slolwy but surely the lead went above 300 and I started relaxing. But the Australian commentators weren't very impressed with Ponting's tactics. To say the least they were FOOLISH. He might miss a match. Common its better than your country loosing a test. I don't even know how you can't see that. Border summed it up so well

"I'm glad Ricky can't read my mind right now, because he's not going to like it".

I am sure those thoughts would have involved some B@@@@@d and A$$%%%e in that for sure. So, with that strange tactics and Indian taking advantage of it India's lead edged towards 400. Now Australia have 369 to make in a day. They made 186 last time they played a full day. So surely its advantage India. I hope we can close it with a win!

Before I finish I have to bid aideu to Dada. I have been pretty much neutral to Ganguly the batsman. I was a fan of Ganaguly the captain. He had some real spunk in him. He was instrumental in making India stand up in overseas conditions. For me that is his greatest contribution to cricket (He also thinks it is!). There were some really good knocks along the way. Brisbane 2003.. Johanessburg 2006 (on his come back).. the double hundred against Pakistan... and century at Mohali. He ended his last series with very good contributions. Now all he needs is an Indian victory to end his career in style. Dhoni and the current team owe him that!

Dravid seems to be really in a bad frame of mind. He hasn't been lucky in the last 2 years with umpiring decisions. But still it boils down to his mental state and currently it is in turmoil. So he might have to reevaluate before he is shown the door. Its very sad to see the Wall with the uncharacteristic frown getting out to rookie spinners! I am not calling for his dropping. But if things are like the way they are, that is not far away.

Anyway... lets hope India finshes the series in style!