India vs Australia ODI match Adelaide 17 February, 2008 – A Fun Report

Other possible headlines
- India decides Munaf is not flying back without a match
- Brad Hogg saves Australia during batting as well as bowling
- Hayden with a strike rate of 38.23 scores the first 6 of the match
- Utthappa just had no idea how to bat with the tail-enders
- I’ve lost enough of respect I had for Ponting during this series
- Stuart Clark may not find himself playing against India very often

Australia were once again lucky with the Toss and got to bat first. India included Munaf Patel for the first time in the series since they had specially flown him to Australia and there was no point flying back with playing him (just in case they didn’t enter the finals). Well the Indian bowlers got to work right away and Sharma, Pathan and Patel got Australians tottering at 112/6 though there was some small resistance by Hopes and Clarke. Finally Clarke and Brad Hogg steadied the Australian boat and barely helped then cross 200. Irfan Pathan bowled with fire and got 4 wickets, though funnily India bowled Yuvraj even though it had 5 regular bowlers. Still, it seemed that Australia were in for another (shock?) defeat at India’s hands. However, it was clear that their bowlers were not going to make it easy for India.

India began reasonably well and after losing Tendulkar, seemed to be on their way by crossing 50 losing just one wicket. Well suddenly they were 59/4 and the party was rocking! India crossed 100 as Yuvraj seemed to have returned to form and the in form Dhoni followed by reliable Utthappa could still see them in. But Dhoni injured himself twice. First while stopping a Yuvraj boundary and then later something in his toe. Well, Yuvraj did show some glimpses of brilliance by smashing the lone 6 of the match (well it was the second, the first was surprisingly hit by Hayden during his 34 ball 13 runs stay with a 38.23 strike rate that included a 6. However, Brad Hogg enticed him for a repeat. And he spooned it to Clarke. Dhoni’s runner (Rohit Sharma) misjudged a call and Dhoni had to leave after being run out. Utthappa just had no idea how to bat with the tail-enders and he though the end had come, much before it actually came. It was easy for Brad Hogg to entice the bowler-batsmen to come out for a slog and get them stumped, or for Mitchell to bounce it high and away to take their edges. And India abandoned up their campaign once again – midway!

Australian teams ugly face keeps rearing up again and again and they keep prodding Harbhajan Singh to err by taunting him again. Unfortunately Ponting is also game for this. Somehow, I’ve lost enough of respect I had for Ponting during this series. He nowhere near Steve Waugh in Captaincy.
One thing seems sure though. Stuart Clark may not find himself playing against India very often.

(the above are written in a funny mood and not intended to hurt your sentiment – i doubt if any actual players gets time to read – so please dont (get) hurt yourself defending them)