The Sydney cricket test match fiasco
A great deal of hullaboo has been created in the recent days over the Australian victory over India in the second cricket test at Sydney. The dark shadows of bad umpiring, racism and unsportsmanlike behaviour have overshadowed an otherwise excellent test match filled with great and gritty batting.
Umpiring was definitely one of the reasons why India lost. I think a draw would have been the correct result for the game, India did not deserve to lose. But such righteousness does not happen often in the game. The whole uproar has glossed over one important fact - a much-hyped batting line up does not have the spine or the ability to bat through two sessions of a day. Yes, two well-settled stalwarts who were leading the survival were thwarted by poor umpiring but pray what were the rest of the heroes up to ? There were as many as five other quality batsmen in the team - Wasim Jaffer, Laxman, Sachin, Yuvraj and Dhoni. And these fellows could not survive through two sessions ?? Then what the hell are they doing in the middle. Laxman and Sachin redeemed themselves in the first innings but the remaining three have been miserable failures on this tour as batsmen. Dhoni appeared to be coming into some rhythm when he showed poor judgment in offering no shot to a turner. Jaffer appears to be totally lost - and Yuvraj appears to be have his mind more on a cheering maiden in the stands than on the game. He played poorly and his performance does not deserve the treatment meted out to Rahul Dravid who needs all the support as he is trying hard to get himself out of the rut. Here is a true trier for the country, a man who has given it all. He plays where the team wants him to, and is always there when needed. He needs to be given back his batting slot of comfort. Sourav Ganguly has done his reputation no harm. He has looked the most positive of the batsmen and has looked the best of the Indians out there.
Now, I am also amused at BCCI's call for removal of Bucknor and shocked at ICC's concession to the demands. I dong think any country has the right to demand an umpire's change midway through the tour. The BCCI should have raised its objections much ahead of the tour considering Bucknor's poor record in matches involving India. He has generally looked much less in control and his judgement has been called into question very often in Indian matches. So I think it would have been fine if the BCCI had called for his removal before the tour. But such a call midway through the tour is totally uncalled for. And ICC bending to the demands shows its own spinelessness. They are not in control any more.
Finally, the Aussie behaviour. When have we ever seen a friendly Aussie side ? Even under the much respected Mark Taylor, the Aussies werent exactly loved. They have always been a bunch of wild dogs who want to win at all costs (I hope there is no racial connotation to "dogs"). They have always been hypocrites with their "play hard and fair" call. They dont mind giving a mouthful but cant stomach anything. Recall the McGrath-Sarwan incident when McGrath almost got around to physically assaulting Sarwan when the West Indian returned a suitable retort to McGrath's sledge ? Of course, McGrath was not penalised. It was in the heat of the moment. Heat-of-moments happens only to the Aussies not to the other countries. So crying foul of Ponting & co is a little silly because they are just following the illustrious line of the Chappell brothers, Allan Border and Steve Waugh. The champion West Indian sides will always remain to my mind the finest side ever because they spread the joy of cricket wherever they played. They fought and won - but usually won it fun and fair.
Umpiring was definitely one of the reasons why India lost. I think a draw would have been the correct result for the game, India did not deserve to lose. But such righteousness does not happen often in the game. The whole uproar has glossed over one important fact - a much-hyped batting line up does not have the spine or the ability to bat through two sessions of a day. Yes, two well-settled stalwarts who were leading the survival were thwarted by poor umpiring but pray what were the rest of the heroes up to ? There were as many as five other quality batsmen in the team - Wasim Jaffer, Laxman, Sachin, Yuvraj and Dhoni. And these fellows could not survive through two sessions ?? Then what the hell are they doing in the middle. Laxman and Sachin redeemed themselves in the first innings but the remaining three have been miserable failures on this tour as batsmen. Dhoni appeared to be coming into some rhythm when he showed poor judgment in offering no shot to a turner. Jaffer appears to be totally lost - and Yuvraj appears to be have his mind more on a cheering maiden in the stands than on the game. He played poorly and his performance does not deserve the treatment meted out to Rahul Dravid who needs all the support as he is trying hard to get himself out of the rut. Here is a true trier for the country, a man who has given it all. He plays where the team wants him to, and is always there when needed. He needs to be given back his batting slot of comfort. Sourav Ganguly has done his reputation no harm. He has looked the most positive of the batsmen and has looked the best of the Indians out there.
Now, I am also amused at BCCI's call for removal of Bucknor and shocked at ICC's concession to the demands. I dong think any country has the right to demand an umpire's change midway through the tour. The BCCI should have raised its objections much ahead of the tour considering Bucknor's poor record in matches involving India. He has generally looked much less in control and his judgement has been called into question very often in Indian matches. So I think it would have been fine if the BCCI had called for his removal before the tour. But such a call midway through the tour is totally uncalled for. And ICC bending to the demands shows its own spinelessness. They are not in control any more.
Finally, the Aussie behaviour. When have we ever seen a friendly Aussie side ? Even under the much respected Mark Taylor, the Aussies werent exactly loved. They have always been a bunch of wild dogs who want to win at all costs (I hope there is no racial connotation to "dogs"). They have always been hypocrites with their "play hard and fair" call. They dont mind giving a mouthful but cant stomach anything. Recall the McGrath-Sarwan incident when McGrath almost got around to physically assaulting Sarwan when the West Indian returned a suitable retort to McGrath's sledge ? Of course, McGrath was not penalised. It was in the heat of the moment. Heat-of-moments happens only to the Aussies not to the other countries. So crying foul of Ponting & co is a little silly because they are just following the illustrious line of the Chappell brothers, Allan Border and Steve Waugh. The champion West Indian sides will always remain to my mind the finest side ever because they spread the joy of cricket wherever they played. They fought and won - but usually won it fun and fair.
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