West Indies, Australia end 2007 on a high

Well done West Indies for winning, astoundingly, their first overseas Test for seven and a half years (as always Bangladesh and Zimbabwe are excised from these statistics). I must admit to having doubts when I boldly wrote yesterday that there was no chance of South Africa chasing more than 350 to win, but West Indies bowled excellently and did not flap, as they could have easily done, when Kallis and De Villiers added 112 for the sixth wicket. All the bowlers did their bit and they seem, for the first time in a while, to have a pace quartet of genuine pace, accuracy and venom.

John Dyson, the new coach, must take some of the credit for instilling belief into the team (as should Chris Gayle, the new captain). Naturally, Dyson is Australian. These guys just don't know how to lose, do they? Except for Geoff Lawson with Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Ricky Ponting and Co roll on, winning the first Test against India in disappointingly easy fashion. The worry is that India would probably still beat most other sides on the same wicket. Is it just psychological? Have Australia become impossible to beat? We need someone to shake them, instil a bit of the doubt that England did in 2005. Can't Sreesanth be brought in to bowl at Hayden's nose? Can't the much vaunted golden batsman build a long innings any more? I was looking forward to this series so much but after one Test it has gone flat. Boo.

Comments

[Peter McGuinness]

Ground fielding. Running between wickets. Team Spirit. Group belief. Body Language.

There are 21 million people in Australia. Superiority is not due to the talent pool. India's cricketers are sublimely talented. It just seems that by playing for India they have climbed the mountain to super-stardom. In Australia, selection in the national team is the start - not the end - of the journey.

I have never seen worse ground fielding and running between wickets in a Test Match, than I saw from India in the First Test. The sight of Ganguly collapsing from heat exhaustion after 30 minutes at the crease does not suggest steel either. Soldier on, or go off immediately. One of the two.

India have the talent to beat anyone - including Australia.

Time for them to respect not only their own fans, but fans from elsewhere and to respect their precious talent by observing the basics. Time to put their country and their team mates ahead of themselves. Time to develop some team spirit beyond focusing on the 'devils' from Australia.

Australia and Australians are not 'devils'. They are no more or less than a group of players who are humbled by the honour of playing for their country.

I hope that someone has kicked the Rock-Stars of India firmly enough up the back-side to produce a performance in Sydney that does justice to their wonderful, passionate fans. There is honour in beating India at their best. There is little to love about beating a listless team, who couldn't be bothered observing the fundamentals expected of a 12 year old.

I truly wish India luck and improved attitude.

[oscar the grouch]

And a very Happy New Year to you, Patrick, to Peter MacG, and especially to Andre for his incisive, temperate and self-deprecating commentary on all things Nel (get your nurse to look up the big words in a dictionary, Andre).

Boo on the Aussies for the BDT? Understandable but a tad harsh. In one glorious moment, the reason we win so often was shown on the fourth day. I refer to Andrew Symonds' flick of the ball an inch off the ropes while at full stretch, completely horizontal at two feet above the ground, having run in at top speed, to save 2 runs. This from a guy who was injured in the 20/20 match a couple of weeks ago and who is busy establishing himself as an invaluable all-rounder.

When you have players who are that committed to winning what chance do the other teams have? We may be a pack of bastards but we're COMMITTED bastards. Learn, guys...

[David]

I have to disagree about the comment concerning John Dyson, I believe that Chris Gayle, and the assistant coaches Henderson Springer and David Williams who both had successful tenures with their respective national teams in the West Indies at this point would have more to do with it. The players seem to have a great deal of faith in Chris, something that was never reflected in Lara's leadership on each occasion that he captained. Genius with the bat, granted, but no leader of men. John Dyson joined the team in South Africa after the tour started, which was not the best planning. I fail to see how much meaningful input he could have had at this time.