Indians put up a good fight

By G. Viswanath

SYDNEY, JAN. 14. The spearheads of the rival teams made the cricketing contest in this part of the Southern hemisphere on Friday most stirring, intense and sensational. Sensational because the `Mysore Express', who is more familiar to the cricketing world as Javagal Srinath, was in the vanguard of a memorable duel against the Australian batsmen and he converted the match into a keen battle. He showed the fundamental aggressive intentions of a fast bowler against the Australians whose innings began with a brief `battle for saw dust' with umpire Peter Parker, who belatedly relented.

Srinath kept the contest on an even keel with excellent support from Venkatesh Prasad. The two bowled their quota on the trot only broken by the 25 minute hold-up because of rain. Srinath's magnificent endeavour ended for a lost cause though with Damien Martyn and Man of the Match Andrew Symonds clinching the expected win for Australia putting on 42 runs for the unbroken sixth wicket stand.

But Srinath was as deserving a performer and idol of the day at the Sydney Cricket Ground as Australia's Glen McGrath. He might demand an explanation from umpire Peter Parker another day on why he did not favourably respond to leg before appeals against Symonds in his last over. Parker was the one who faced a barrage of leg before appeals. He was quick to raise his finger when the ball hit the front pad anywhere near the roll. Mark Waugh might have been unlucky to have been adjudged lbw to Srinath, but there was at least two shouts from Srinath when Mark Waugh appeared to be more in line with the stumps.

Venkatsai Laxman might have appeared like a great goalkeeper when he took the catch off Ricky Ponting. His dismissal must have shaken the Australians' composure in the dressing room. As it transpired the fall of Steve Waugh and Michael Bevan left 42 runs for the last Australian batsmen to make which Symonds and Martyn duly made, though Symonds lived dangerously. Once Devangh Gandhi made a great attempt at second slip and thereafter Laxman failed to latch on to another chance at gully. But a target of 101 was too small for the Australian not to reach there.

The lean and mean McGrath who will be a major attraction on February 3 for the `Living Legends Lunch' meeting was as incisive he has been right through the summer. The narrow and specific line that has been his trademark for years now was in order in his first spell which accounted for India's captain Sachin Tendulkar who opened the innings for the first time in the Carlton & United series and the century maker at Melbourne on Wednesday night, Sourav Ganguly. The SCG is his home ground and

the salutations and applause he received while nearing the third man position in front of the Members' Stand became a regular feature.

Thereafter his off-cutter broke through the defence of Venkatsai Laxman, who has looked comfortable and competent defending and attacking off the back foot, but has come a cropper to deliveries pitched up and at fuller length. Laxman was palpably clue less to what came at him. McGrath came back for his second spell in the 30th and added the Sameer Dighe to finish at an analysis of 10-4- 8-4, which was the best spell by an Australian in terms of economy. Tendulkar's wicket made it an exact 150 to which he added three more, his tally of 153 now is behind only Shane Warne, Craig McDermott and Steve Waugh.

The Indians and Pakistanis know too well that Symonds is an accomplished batsmen, but both the teams have now discovered that he is not a man of ordinary abilities with the ball. He placed himself for a hat-trick for a second time in three matches, Anil Kumble playing a third rate shot to throw his wicket away after Dravid and Robin Singh showed chutzpah and raised the first semblance of a fight.

The Australians seemed to have won the terrestrial rights against India. They wrapped up the three Test series which was of course the main show of this Australian summer in a most

convincing fashion. They do not see the Carlton & United series as of any inferior variety and a side show, but one as part of the package which is the way cricket is promoted and marketed here. They will not be flattered one bit by a speculation suggesting that they are well on the road to peaking before the

three finals next month.

There was a qualitative ring to their bowling in which McGrath emerged as the superior and dominant seamer. He must be a candidate for the Allan Border Medal which is to be presented on January 28 to the Australian Cricketer of the Year in the home international season. He went past his 150th wicket in one-day Internationals. Gilchrist who made the highest score of the match picked up his 100th catch.

How well and straight Australia's all seam attack is was evident from the way the Indian batsmen got out. Devangh Gandhi, a surprise choice for the middle was the only one caught in front of the wicket of a leading edge. Michael Bevan held the catch with both hands at cover. Damien Martyn showed his brilliance when he made a one handed grab at first slip to send back Robin Singh. The Indians hit five boundaries in all, Srinath's off drive being the only front-of-the-wicket shot that reached the boundary.

Scoreboard


INDIA

S. Ganguly c Gilchrist b McGrath        5
(9b)
S. Tendulkar c Gilchrist b McGrath      1
(11b)
V.V.S. Laxman b McGrath                 2
(25b)
R. Dravid lbw b Symonds                22
(70b, 2x4s)
D. Gandhi c Bevan b B. Lee              6
(12b)
Robin Singh c Martyn b S. Lee          11
(34b, 1x4)
A. Kumble c Gilchrist b Symonds         0
(1b)
S. Dighe c Martyn b McGrath             2
(21b)
N. Chopra lbw b Symonds                14
(29b, 1x4)
J. Srinath (not out)                    5
(9b, 1x4)
V. Prasad b Symonds                     0
(1b)
Extras (lb-14, nb-3, w-15)             32
                                      ---
Total (in 36.3 overs)                 100
                                      ---

Fall of wkts: 1-6 (Tendulkar), 2-9 (Ganguly), 3-18 (Laxman), 4-29 
(Gandhi),  5-71  (Robin),  6-74  (Dravid),  7-74  (Kumble),  8-82 
(Dighe), 9- 100 (Chopra).

Australia Bowling: McGrath 10-4-8-4, Fleming 6-0-18-0, B. Lee 10-
0-29-1, S. Lee 7-0-20-1, Symonds 3.3-0-11-4.

AUSTRALIA

A. Gilchrist c Dravid b Srinath        37
(51b, 5x4s)
M. Waugh lbw b Srinath                  3
(28b)
R. Ponting c Laxman b Prasad            0
(4b)
M. Bevan c Kumble b Srinath             2
(10b)
S. Waugh lbw b Srinath                  4
(8b)
D. Martyn (not out)                    13
(33b, 1x4)
A. Symonds (not out)                   28
(32b, 6x4s)
Extras (lb-7, nb-5, w-2)               14
                                      ---
Total (for five wkts. in 26.5 overs)  101 

                                      ---

Fall of wkts: 1-28 (M. Waugh), 2-29 (Ponting), 3-55  (Gilchrist), 
4-56 (Bevan), 5-59 (S. Waugh).

India  Bowling:  Srinath  10-2-30-4,  Prasad  10-0-29-1,  Ganguly 
3.5-0-22-0, Robin 2-1-1-0, Kumble 1-0-12-0.

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