The Last Laugh... Tigers feed on the Kangaroos

"Damn... What am I gonna tell back home???"



The Bird's Eye - Reclamation

The fiercely competed cricket series between India and Australia has concluded today, with India snatching the Border-Gavaskar Trophy convincingly 2-0. As Hayden said, it was indeed like "two hungry dogs" facing each other. I'd always liked the cricket quality between these two sides, it transcends even the Indo-Pak rivalry. It's been a real treat. Also, Punter was chirping quite a bit before and throughout the series.

Today's day was an absorbing one. Kangaroo's desperately hopping towards the target of 382. It would have been wise to play a steady the 1st session with minimum damage. Instead it was a wild gung-ho right from start (needless to say I was happy for every blunders they committed). Hussey's dismissal started the debacle, getting caught at slips to a top spinner. Then went Haydos, afterwards was a procession of Aussie batsmen joining their team "mates" in the hutch for a cool beer! The deliveries plunging from the rough ruffled the feathers of the batsmen. The strategy of 8-1 field was also brilliant one, catching the Aussies off-guard. The main difference between the sides, where India gained was indeed with their fast bowling. Fast bowlers made inroads and spinners finished the rest. The Aussies, however struggled to penetrate the Indian openers. There was lot of talk that Australia's main strength is fast bowling but they failed miserably, Binga, Johnson, Watson, all alike. Krejza surely was the missed trick. And not to mention, Singh was King again today!!!! Delighted to see his doosra again...

Most of the stadiums during the series were empty. Seeing the amenities (or lack of them) in the stadiums and the scorching heat, I guess its better to watch it at home! Neither do the ticket prices help. The BCCI should at least provide shades and basic amenities in the stadiums.

Its been the last hoorah for Kumble and Ganguly too. Kumble has rendered the Indian subcontinent a frontier that has never been won consistently, getting his victims most times in 1st 3 days of match being lbw and last 2 days caught by bat-pads. For 18 years this has been going on... yawn!!!! Ganguly taught India how to win abroad and made it a habit. We'll certainly miss these two fellas.
On Aussie side, I guess this will be the last tour of Matthew Hayden. He is indeed the most complete batsman in current Aussie side. I'll especially remember him for his fierce assault on Shoaib Akhtar. No Aussie batsman is so complete, not even Ponting.

Lastly, I'll certainly follow the Aussie newspapers in coming days for the drubbing they received here:P!!! Looks like Punter's in a hotseat and will have to explain quite a bit Down Under!!! He hasn't got that chance since last Ashes tour to England I guess :P!!!
Peter Roebuck as always will be sharpening his sword and as he wrote in his today's column "The pain of the SCG Test had been assuaged, the anger had been purged. Perhaps that is what it was about all along." The hunters were at last hunted!!!