Dear (s)
30th Sept was phenomenal for the Sports lovers (read Cricket fans). Millions in the Nation sat glued to television – Star Sports.
Well, ESPN and DD were telecasting live – West Indies battling India. The bowling exploits of Nehra were not the cynosure of eyes but elsewhere the game at Centurion – the match between Paki & Aussie were. Indian fans for once were wanting Pakis to win. Such was the depth that when Saeed Ajmal came back to bowl, my son cursed Younis stating that he would have preferred Umar Gul having a fling at Nathan Hauritz and ending the game. It was a great tense match.
Chasing a modest 206 for a victory and easy entry in to Semis, Aussies started well, were 59 for 2 and cruised to 150 and were 157 for 3 in 36 overs which meant 49 runs in around 80 balls with 7 wickets in hand. Normally, Aussies would cruise but they survived a scare and Ponting had to chew many nails as then came the improbable Aussie middle order failure – Ferguson, Hyssey, Hopes, Cameron White all gone and Oz were tottering at 176-7 in 41.5 overs. Johnson left at 187 but Lee & Hauritz saw it through scampering a win off the last ball, as Indians waited with bated breath.
It was really mesmerizing to see a comeback bowler playing his first international in 18 months claiming 2 in an excellent second spell and Saeed Ajmal throttling them with 2 for 31 in 10. Rana Naved at one stage conceded a solitary run from 3 overs at the death making the chase a nerve shredding climb.
This win ended the Indian ICC Champions Trophy campaign with a first round elimination. Hours after came the consolation win over Windies at Johannesburg. Perhaps Indian never deserved to qualify for the Semis after the crippling loss to Pak in the opening match and dismal show against Aussies in the next. Ashish Nehra has been a revelation in his comeback but Ishant and Harbhajan disappointed. The weak Windies were subdued at 129 which were scored not so easily with Dinesh prodding and Virat making most of the given chance.
The Indian players would head home early and will have some time off before the seven ODI home series against Aussie starting last week of this month. Some however, will take part in the Champion League representing their winning IPL teams.
With regards - S Sampathkumar
Nice write up. But I always felt that Indians did not deserve to be there in the Semis - Rams
ReplyDeleteYes. In the 3 matches, One was lost, one was about to be lost when rain saved and the third against weak link was won with ado - Raghavan
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