Monday, June 12, 2006

And then there was One.

Cricket is a game of glorious uncertainties is what we have grown up listening to and it could not have been more evident on Tuesday when Fidel Edwards and Corey Collymore, the West Indian 10 and 11 kept out 19 balls, any of which having gotten through would have made for a famous Indian win.

For me, the man of the hour was Fidel Edwards. He's done this before in the company of Ridley Jacobs, having blocked 33 balls to deny the Zimbabweans a win in Harare in 2003. At least there he had both his legs and no runner. This time around the setting could not have been more perfect. The last match at the ARG, a ground that has as many records as hurdles in a steeplechase event. The crowd dancing on, irrespective of the possibility of a West Indian loss; the Indians bowling like a team possessed; fielders crowding the bat And 10 and 11 holding on for 19 balls. Stirring stuff. And they say Test cricket is boring.


Kumble bowls Dave Mohammed, 19 balls to go, One wicket, Ten Indians in the same pic

The Indians did themselves proud after a dismal first day of the first test and came back rather strongly. Wasim Jaffer was brilliant, his double ton makin sure he looked as good if not better than VVS while driving through the covers. I think the Indian’s have finally found a consistent opening bat. Dravid, Kaif and Yuvraj played neat little knocks and then the Windians, sadly, ran into Hurricane Dhoni. Dhoni was spectacular in his brutality. For those here who have seen The Patriot, Dhoni did to the Windians what Mel Gibson did to the redcoats who captured his son. Mayhem. Massacre. And what a joy to behold. Two successive Windmill Sixes. Six Sixes in all. I almost choked on my Pepsi TV, bada bubbly channel hai.



BOOM BOOM DHONI




All this was followed by the most petulant act I have ever seen since my 8 year old nephew decided to bawl his guts out at the supermarket for not getting his ice-cream! If I had been the match referee I would have knelt Sir Brian over my knees, fetched his bat and proceeded to spank his bottom in the manner than would have made my nanny proud. Just a bad day for the umpires, having to take the Rauf with the smooth.





Day 5 of the test match, interestingly poised at lunch, 3 down with Gayle and Shivnarine looking like they would hold out. And hold out they did till tea. And then got themselves out. All thanks to that street corner in Bangalore, Anil Kumble Circle. 4 to him in the second after 3 in the first, he just goes on and on. Viru more than made up for his shenanigans with this bat by prising out Bravo and Ramdin, losing 20% of his match fees in the process.

And then followed the most gripping hour of cricket I have seen in a long long time. Vive La Test Cricket!

Can't wait for Test 2...

Riggs

4 Comments:

Blogger Just Kiddin said...

Sire

You should write cricket colums for The Hindu

Many appreciations

1:32 AM  
Blogger Just Kiddin said...

Sire

You should write cricket columns for The Hindu

Many appreciations

1:32 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Jakes,

Yu make me blush, yu glib-tongued flatterer !!

3:20 AM  
Blogger thotaster said...

Yes i agree. The next Rahul Bhattacharya even.

4:13 AM  

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