An Australian writes

A Colonial by the name of McGuinness sent these words by carrier pigeon on today's play at Perth:

Just when you think you've seen everything in this series, along comes a day of such exhilarating cricket as to take the contest between these teams to a new level. Sustained accurate bowling saw India lose four wickets for two runs in ten balls when on 328. All out for 330. Great stuff in the morning particularly from Johnson and Clark. A huge advantage to the home team well before lunch. Well, you'd think so wouldn't you?

'Superb' is an inadequate adjective to describe the skill and heart of RP Singh, Parthan and later the youngster, Sharma. India's fast men bowled with near perfect control of swing and seam to rifle through Australia's top order with breathtaking authority. 3/14 at lunch. Rogers was gunned on debut, but no complaints thanks to Dhoni's shocker earlier. Jaques fell to perfection, as did Hussey on - wait for it - zero. Yes, Hussey zero. After the break, Ponting and Clarke both got a start, but were successively defeated by classical swing bowling. Lovely to watch. So after a truly miserable start to the day, India found themselves in complete command of the Test Match as Australia was reduced to rubble at 5/61.

Game over? Not in this series. Gilchrist and Symonds decided to counter-punch out of trouble. And they did so as only these two players can. At tea, Australia were 5/148 after a cavalier and gutsy partnership of 87 in 76 balls. Tendulkar dropped a sitter when Symonds was 3, after which the big Queenslander controlled proceedings with a commanding array of brutal strokes. Gilchrist looked equally at ease, as an unlikely fightback put Kumble on the back foot.

Symonds was at unbackable odds to score another century, so good did he look again after tea. In keeping with the nature of India/Australia games, he was out on 66 to beauty from Kumble. 6/163. Gilchrist was undeterred and was also looking fluid under the responsibility of carrying Australia's prospects. So fluid, that he plundered three majestic boundaries consecutively from RP Singh at the start of the 42nd over. Next ball, RP produced an intelligent and heroic 'effort' ball to remove the rampaging 'keeper, caught behind for 55. After a 'mini-wag' from Johnson and Tait was ended by Kumble (and Tait's insane 'outer-space' pads), the visitors were left with a thoroughly well deserved lead of 118 on the first innings. Australia all out for 212. A great result for India, but also an unwelcome tribute to Aussie grit, as 212 was almost unthinkable at 5/61. 

Sehwag again batted like a roulette player in debt to the mob, riding his luck like a madman. His lunacy was rewarded by the gambling gods and he was incredibly not out at the close on 29. Jaffer was again exposed for technique. Poor control by Johnson and Tait, helped a buoyant India to 1/52 at the end of Day 2. Surely, a position from which they could not possibly lose. In fact, a memorable victory for the tourists should be forthcoming inside five days, with nine wickets in hand and a lead of 170 at the end of Day Two. Shouldn't it? It's hard to believe that all this action has occurred in just two days. What a relief to see astounding cricket upstage off-field crap.

Comments

[Mr A Nel]

Whatever.

McGuinness talks his usual sewerage about Indian 'skill' and 'courage'.

It is child's play.

The new Aussie top order have yet to answer the real question. The question proposed in the language of SPEED.

C'est Moi.

Is it not?

Publish if you dare Kidd.