Well, I guess the answer is Tendulkar, isn't it?
I suspect someone else could write a better report than me, since I was at work all day and then out with (non cricketing) friends in the evening, so I neither saw nor heard very much of the match. I was once permitted to check my phone during dinner, which is when I saw we had been Tendulkared big time and only just scraped the win.
Have you noticed how players start doing well as soon as I decide to take the piss out of them? Most notably recently: Shane Watson and Clint McKay. It's one of my powers and I use it for good. If Gingey McDonald gets a match you know he's going to play really well because I have made fun of him.
The theory is played out by the fact that I rave about NMH and he was a bit scary yesterday.
Still, if our bowlers had played *really* well, surely we would have won by a larger margin?? Am I being unfair? Someone who saw the match, and thus actually knows what they are talking about, make comment please ...
I have a hangover to nurse.
7 thoughts on this post:
Are you aware that 4 out of the 5 biggest chases in One day history are against Oz? The bigger the score we amass, the more nevous I get.
After all, any team that can't defend 434...
Sid you are back, I already got worried :/
Please excuse the lengthiness and emo factor, I typed this down last night...
[Pt. I]
Every aspect of this game is epic, tragic, legendary.
To all who say 50 overs cricket was dead, you rarely see a match that kills you like this one. And I didn't even watch the first innings. This was beyond cricket. This was a crazyhouse on drugs. I couldn't sit, I was standing behind the chair whipping its back rest with a towel in joy and desperation; screaming, cheering, and totally losing it. Thank you Sachin, thank you Oz.
What an unforgettable show. No ODI series can be too long, if we get gifted with such performances.
Deep bow to Sachin Tendulkar. This is guy is certainly from another planet. Entire Oz was on the attack against him and still it looked like he would win the game for India. I have goosebumps thinking of the moment when he went out... It's a weird feeling when the opponent loses the most crucial wicket, but it makes you feel guilty and hollow.
It was like NZ losing the final of the Champions Trophy. Sad, empty and just not right.
But India still had all chances, and the battle would have been long from being over, hadn't Sachin's wicket turned the tail into a bunch of headless chickens. Smart Kumar battled to take this game home but NMH has the precise hands of a surgeon, and when he decides to run you out you will get run out. :p
Apart from Sachin there were about a million highlights and surprises stuffed into these 99.4 overs:
Shane "Beast Of Cricket" Watson. Once again best Aussie of the match; outstanding 93 runs and utmost crucial 3 wickets, among them one of his pornographic return catches. Best economy and nerves like ropes time and time again, therefore being granted the last over and bowling it like the bloody cricket god. Also, taking Harb out for a duck must have felt so utterly satisfying considering that Harb had denied him the century earlier.
I will never ever say a bad word about him again. And I will call him Shane from now on. Shane. It's a great name for a cricketter.
KlintMcKool. Where has he been all the time, why did we not see him earlier? I had expected him to launch some fireworks, but wow, what a performance. Great smart bowling, three sexy wickets, although me yelling "Killerklint Killerklint" at him sure helped him do the job :p
Good boy that Vic. How can you be so cool on a debut. Made me happy. Wanna see more!
Hilfy. Yes Hilfy. Due to Johnson missing out for his catastrophic shape, Hilfy had to take some responsibility here and tried his best. Took the important first wicket, bowled more efficiently than Bolly and delivered some responsible fielding. Later on his nerves wouldn't take it anymore, but anyway, I think he is coming back. Oh and he looked just great. Made me happy!
[Pt. II]
Eminem. After a couple of total failures in the previous games he suddenly pulled a century out of his sleeve, batted increasingly calmly and smartly and helped us a great deal to pile up 350. And clubbing a six out of Harb in his last over was sure meant like an outstretched middle finger. Well done Shaun, please press the "repeat" button :)
Whitey. Was a bit fumbly in the field today but knocked half a ton of only about 3 balls or so, and took us to 350. No matter what you will say, I like this guy totally.
Ponting. Taking the powerplay early and thus also forcing Harb to bowl his last two overs was sure a smart decision. Whitey and Huss could whack it freely in the last overs.
Adam "Eve" Voges. No bad word from my mouth again. That catch makes up for just everything I ever bagged him for.
NMH. Got whacked about the turnip, worst economy of all fulltime bowlers, but delivered matchwinning performances in the field, sexy runout as well as one of his typical "bug on the back"-catches. But it was certainly not his day with the ball. Took a blow on his fingers in an attempt to return-catch... "luckily" only his left hand.
Huss. I saw the Huss bowl. un.be.lievable. I saw the Huss bowl!! Impossible to express how happy he makes me. Go Huss, we love you!!!
Bolly ... hmm. Dunno what was wrong with him, he is not the guy who fears big animals.
Took a catch and a wicket but otherwise he was rather hopeless with the ball. Maybe it wasn't his wicket... who knows. He'll be back!
Jadeja. Scored about half a ton for us. Thank you thank you thank you! What an amiable young bowler. Seriously, he was a bit unlucky, also on the bat. It was also a difficult game for Munaf Patel.
Harb. Harb definately plays in the wrong team. Where could we be if we had a bowler like him. Yes everybody hates him, but that's not because of his loud mouth but because of the fact that he is utterly dangerous with the ball. And that's why he gets mentioned in almost every paragraph of this text. If you catch yourself counting down his remaining deliveries, it must mean that you fear the worst as long as he is bowling. When he killed Shane, 7 short of the ton, my heart broke into a thousand shards.
Blablabla....we won another game against India's best men, over in India, in front of a pumped crowd, although our side looks like a Swiss cheese right now. Well done! :D
I like Harby very much for his sheer bad temper. How can you not? He is more like an Aussie than an Indian player.
I have to start liking Shane Watson I've realised. I've managed to avoid that for years.
I did not get a chance to watch the game, actually didn't really care for it, but after hearing about the great tendulkar making '173,' I had to watch the highlights. almost 700 runs scored. I'm not sure how people can say it was a "great" ODI pitch?? have some sympathy for the bowlers.
I was told it was a batting pitch, so not to be too disappointed in NMH. As I said, I didn't watch so I'm going on other people's comments. I like that one better than "he wasn't much good" so I'm taking it.
Wes, I have to ask - what are "bug on the back catches"?
@Louise - I also like Harby. I think he has 'tude and I like that. Watching him bowl is always great. I didn't enjoy watching him bat so much in the 2nd ODI!! :-)
I bag Shane Watson but I don't actually dislike him that much. The perils of writing a blog when you are passionate about one team is that someone you might generally like can get bagged in the heat of that passion, when they've had a bad time! I do think he has the potential to be a top batsman, but I have always been concerned about his bowling.
@Sid, this :p
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