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 don’t (get) hurt yourself defending them)

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Sri Lanka vs Australia ODI match Perth 15 February, 2008 - A Fun Report

Other possible headlines
- Tailenders watch Malinga’s funny action and the clicking sound of bails falling to ground
- Gilchrist scores a century without stuffing a tennis ball in his gloves
- Wicketkeeper’s day is celebrated in Perth
- Symonds makes an art gallery out of his bounced ball catch collection

Australia were once again lucky with the Toss and got to bat first. They began in the right earnest after losing Hayden initially. It seemed that Ponting has regained his glory, however, the joy didn’t last and from 66/1 and Ponting was foxed by Vaas. However, Clarke batted well and the Australians were sitting pretty at 171/2 in 36 overs, a rifle slow perhaps, but the situation was well setup for a huge slog. However after Muralitharan enticed Clarke to come out of the crease to have a huge go and thus broke the partnership, no one was willing to stand up with Gilchrist who waged a lone battle. Gilchrist score an awesome century with stuffing a tennis ball inside his glove! Once Gilchirst left, Hussey scored a few to take the score to 236 all out! So they lost last 8 wickets for just 65 runs!! Malinga should be banned from bowling to tail enders who just watch the funny action followed by the click of bails falling to the ground.

For once Sri Lanka saw, what seemed a gettable target and Sangkarra was keen on celebrating the wicketkeeper’s day. Sangkarra waged a lone battle like his counterpart but was not supported at all. And finally Symonds again proved that he’s least sportman by once again claiming a bounced catch to get Chamara Silva out. He can now make an art gallery out of his bounced ball catch collection!! Man the Aussie honour doesn’t even shrink at such disgusting ideas. Hey, Gilchrist, once you go, everyone’s gonna sue the Aussies in Court for cheating. It’s your honourable ways that stop us short.

Sri Lanka also lost their bonus point, and still remain 2 points short of India.

(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 don’t (get) hurt yourself defending them)

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Australia vs India ODI match Melbourne 10 February, 2008 - A Fun Report

Other possible headlines
- Toss was the only win Australia could register today
- 45% of boundaries in the Australian innings were hit in the first 2 overs of Ishant Sharma!
- Ponting is not Harbhajan’s bunny anymore, he leaves before him
- Ishant Sharma is neither Shant (Quiet) nor Sharma (Shy)
- Dhoni feeds part time bowlers to Brett Lee

Within an hour of the start of the match it became clear that the Toss may end up to be the only thing that the Aussies may win today. First of all Gilchrist. Walk-ready Gilchrist was made to walk by the umpire, and the fact that he was on 0 didn’t help, obviously Gilly isn’t fond of ducks - surely not when they fly out of a scoreboard. Then Ishant Sharma was smashed 5 times to the fence within his first 2 overs. For the record, 45% of the boundaries in the Australian innings were hit in those 2 overs. It seemed that maybe Praveen Kumar may just manage a look in, in the the next match - or maybe Munaf? And right when Ishant Sharma should have been removed from the attack, his Captain did the most courageous thing! He continued with him with some advice. Well, this turned the match. Maybe Hayden couldn’t hide his delight at this decision, but before he knew he was watching the replays of his 4s in the pavillion. Ponting followed him in the next Ishant over. He seems to be happy proving that he isn’t Harbhajan’s bunny any more. So he is now leaving before Harbhajan enters!

Soon Clarke, Symonds and Haddin left. Unluckily Hopes wasn’t playing so there were (literally) no Hopes left for Australia. And Australia was rocking at 92 for 6. Well, Dhoni in a momentary lapse of reason ordered his part-time bowlers instead of wrapping up the tail - something that they could have given a miss today and should have risked bowling out their main bowlers to try and wrap up Australia. - something that they could have given a miss today and should have risked bowling out their main bowlers to try and wrap up Australia. Now Brett Lee enjoyed sometime out in the sun with Hussey before sense prevailed and Ishant, Pathan and Sreesanth returned to wrap up the rest. Well the score was 159 by now.

It seemed India’s match, but India was happy to make it difficult for themselves. Or maybe it was Captain’s decision to have every batsman take crucial practice. With Ponting so sure of the defeat that he postponed the 3rd Powerplay till the 46th over. Well India almost lost their way after Tendulkar left but for Dhoni who refused to go and neither let Rohit Sharma go. Well that’s how difficult Captaincy is! I still remember when Kapil Dev never used to give up, whether he had Ghavri for company or he had Kirti Azad with him. Yuvraj is increasingly coming like a fad which doesn’t last long. Well somehow India didn’t try to even get that extra bonus point for which Australia always makes a fight. Whether, it can cost them in the end is for all to wait and see. In the end India took 45.1 overs to score just 160!!

(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 don’t (get) hurt yourself defending them)

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