Cricket: DLF Cup Triangular Series 2006: Summary of 6th ODI (India vs Australia) played on 22nd Sept. 2006 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Top guns who have jointly scored over 75 ODI centuries under their names and world’s supposed to be most experienced Indian batsmen likes of Sachin, Sehwag, Dravid, Kaif and Dhoni once again could not hold nerves to surpass moderate total of 213 runs against Australia in the 6th ODI held on 22nd Sept., 2006 and lost by 18 runs. It is a shear lack of mental strength, stamina and planning, in critical matches like this one, has deprived Indian team from winning major international tournaments.
Indian bowlers succeeded the third time in this triangular series to restrict opponents to a reasonable score. The Aussies were all out for 213 in 49th over by combined efforts of bowling and fielding by Indians. Haddin and Hogg contributed to very crucial 77 runs partnership for the 7th wicket otherwise the Aussies could have been bowled out for less than 200 runs. Anyway, the bowlers had done their job and now it was over to the batsmen.
Sehwag and Sachin had cautiously taken India in double figures and Sachin got out for mistimed shot to a rising delivery from Brett Lee (earlier in a dramatic fashion Sachin was given out caught behind on the bowling of aging McGrath and was recalled by umpire probably after seeing reaction from Sachin and action reply on big screen which clearly showed that there was no contact of ball with bat or gloves. As per cricket rules umpire promptly corrected his mistake and Indian fans were delighted. The Australian captain Ricky Ponting was seen to be visibly upset and arguing with umpire. In the spirit of the game of cricket, he should have set a better example by recalling Sachin rather than arguing with the umpire) and the Aussies were jubiliant. Sehwag became the next victim of the spirited Brett Lee, when a fast in swinging delivery ripped through the gap of bat and pad. He was out almost in a similar way against WI in the previous match. The score was 20 for 2 for India, what a poor start again, 2 top guns failed to fire.
With Kaif and Dravid on the crease, a recovery looked to be in the process. Kaif scored 2 boundaries. Dravid seemed to be biding his time in an attempt to get back the magical touch that he has been well known for over these years. Alas, the partnership was short-lived with Kaif falling for 21, thanks to superb reflex catch by Stuart Clark of his own bowling. India in a spot of bother with the score 47-3. To make matters worse, Dravid fell in few minutes after Kaif, judged LBW off Clark’s bowling and put India in deep trouble at 50-4, as the renowned players of the formidable Indian batting lineup once again shattered hopes of crores of Indian fans. Credit must be given to the Australian bowlers, namely Clark, Lee and McGrath for applying the pressure on the Indians and making the runs hard to come by, and sure enough, they were more than rewarded with four prize wickets.
In came Mongia and Raina. The situation called for calm and controlled approach to batting. The required rate was approximately 4.5 an over and all that was required to stroke the ball around for singles and belt the odd bad ball to the boundary. Initially, Mongia and Raina were approaching their innings in exactly that manner. Raina played some classy strokes, including a cover drive that pierced the extra cover gap and raced away to the fence and a six over mid wicket that was effortlessly executed through timing alone. Mongia meanwhile was biding his time picking up the singles and rotating strike. Ponting recognized the danger that this pair posed and made a masterful change by introducing Brad Hogg into the attack. On a slow low turning track, Hogg’s subtle variations such as chinaman, the flipper as well the conventional leg break proved to be quite a handful for Raina. Before long, his frustration at not being able to put Hogg away became evident and he was bowled attempting a cut shot to the incoming chinaman. This was the last thing India needed as this pair was cruising along rather aptly. It was an immature way of getting out, as Raina failed to alter his temperament to suit the situation. He has been getting out in 20s and 30s quite often and not showing patience and caliber to convert some of them into big score especially in such circumstances. In came, to the joy of the Kuala Lumpur crowd as well Indian fans back home, Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
With the score on 96-5, Mongia started to assume more responsibility and in turn wielded some magnificent shots. Some of the shots included a punch through cover of the back foot, a Brad Hogg delivery swept from outside off stump to the fine leg boundary and a straight drive that beat the despairing dive of McGrath at mid off. And to the crowd’s joy, it was not long before Dhoni joined the fun smashing a huge six straight down the ground. At 150-5, it looked like India would march on to victory with ease, especially with Dhoni and Mongia getting into the act. Then yet another timely change by the skipper Ponting, and on came a prolific wicket taking bowler, Brett Lee. Instantaneously, he struck, luring Dhoni to play a cut shot to an incoming rising delivery straight into the hands of the man at the sweeper boundary. Controversially, a look at the action replay showed that Lee had over stepped. Whatever the case, Dhoni failed to, like Raina, curb his instincts for the cause of the team.
The Indian tail was exposed once again as they still needed another 55 runs to win the match. It was time for Mongia to take charge of the situation by taking as much strike as possible. Sachin also made similar error of judgment against the Windies on 20th Sept., 2006. As and when Mongia was the facing batsman, the Australians opened up the field and gifted Mongia an easy single, a bait which the Indians gleefully accepted. The tail end batsmen were exposed and one by one they fell striking bowlers Hogg and Lee. Agarkar was plumb L.B.W. to a Brad Hogg flipper that was directed to the middle of stumps. Not long after, Harbhajan Singh fell, judged caught behind off the bowling of Andrew Symonds. Television replays with the aid of the snicko-meter revealed that there was no contact between bat and ball. However, this would not have come about if Mongia had opted to turn down the easy single. Before long, the tide turned against the Indians as the score was slumped to186-8. Mongia seemed clueless to the Aussies plan and looked indifferent to the collapse that was ongoing in front of him, for he continued to give the strike to R.P. Singh and Munaf Patel. And if the stars of the Indian lineup were no match for the pace and swing of Brett Lee, then need we say anything about tail end batsmen? To the huge disappointment of millions of Indian cricket fans, the Indian team was all out for 195 in 43.5 overs and fell short by 18 runs.
The Indian run chase was a rather disappointing display, for it showed a lack of determination from the top order (perhaps Mongia excluded) as well as a lack of intelligence from Raina, Dhoni, Mongia and the rest of the tail for being outsmarted by the Aussies. And due credit must be given to the Australians, for the captain who made the right bowling changes, for the bowlers, who stuck to the task and executed the plan and for the team as a whole for not giving up even when defeat looked ominous. As expected, the man of the match was deservedly conferred upon Brett Lee for a superb display of fast bowling. His figures were an awesome 8.5 overs, 5 wickets for 38 runs. The Indians have been sent packing and rightly so, for their performance has been lackluster and feeble in front of a consistent West Indian side and a determined Australian team.
Top guns who have jointly scored over 75 ODI centuries under their names and world’s supposed to be most experienced Indian batsmen likes of Sachin, Sehwag, Dravid, Kaif and Dhoni once again could not hold nerves to surpass moderate total of 213 runs against Australia in the 6th ODI held on 22nd Sept., 2006 and lost by 18 runs. It is a shear lack of mental strength, stamina and planning, in critical matches like this one, has deprived Indian team from winning major international tournaments.
Indian bowlers succeeded the third time in this triangular series to restrict opponents to a reasonable score. The Aussies were all out for 213 in 49th over by combined efforts of bowling and fielding by Indians. Haddin and Hogg contributed to very crucial 77 runs partnership for the 7th wicket otherwise the Aussies could have been bowled out for less than 200 runs. Anyway, the bowlers had done their job and now it was over to the batsmen.
Sehwag and Sachin had cautiously taken India in double figures and Sachin got out for mistimed shot to a rising delivery from Brett Lee (earlier in a dramatic fashion Sachin was given out caught behind on the bowling of aging McGrath and was recalled by umpire probably after seeing reaction from Sachin and action reply on big screen which clearly showed that there was no contact of ball with bat or gloves. As per cricket rules umpire promptly corrected his mistake and Indian fans were delighted. The Australian captain Ricky Ponting was seen to be visibly upset and arguing with umpire. In the spirit of the game of cricket, he should have set a better example by recalling Sachin rather than arguing with the umpire) and the Aussies were jubiliant. Sehwag became the next victim of the spirited Brett Lee, when a fast in swinging delivery ripped through the gap of bat and pad. He was out almost in a similar way against WI in the previous match. The score was 20 for 2 for India, what a poor start again, 2 top guns failed to fire.
With Kaif and Dravid on the crease, a recovery looked to be in the process. Kaif scored 2 boundaries. Dravid seemed to be biding his time in an attempt to get back the magical touch that he has been well known for over these years. Alas, the partnership was short-lived with Kaif falling for 21, thanks to superb reflex catch by Stuart Clark of his own bowling. India in a spot of bother with the score 47-3. To make matters worse, Dravid fell in few minutes after Kaif, judged LBW off Clark’s bowling and put India in deep trouble at 50-4, as the renowned players of the formidable Indian batting lineup once again shattered hopes of crores of Indian fans. Credit must be given to the Australian bowlers, namely Clark, Lee and McGrath for applying the pressure on the Indians and making the runs hard to come by, and sure enough, they were more than rewarded with four prize wickets.
In came Mongia and Raina. The situation called for calm and controlled approach to batting. The required rate was approximately 4.5 an over and all that was required to stroke the ball around for singles and belt the odd bad ball to the boundary. Initially, Mongia and Raina were approaching their innings in exactly that manner. Raina played some classy strokes, including a cover drive that pierced the extra cover gap and raced away to the fence and a six over mid wicket that was effortlessly executed through timing alone. Mongia meanwhile was biding his time picking up the singles and rotating strike. Ponting recognized the danger that this pair posed and made a masterful change by introducing Brad Hogg into the attack. On a slow low turning track, Hogg’s subtle variations such as chinaman, the flipper as well the conventional leg break proved to be quite a handful for Raina. Before long, his frustration at not being able to put Hogg away became evident and he was bowled attempting a cut shot to the incoming chinaman. This was the last thing India needed as this pair was cruising along rather aptly. It was an immature way of getting out, as Raina failed to alter his temperament to suit the situation. He has been getting out in 20s and 30s quite often and not showing patience and caliber to convert some of them into big score especially in such circumstances. In came, to the joy of the Kuala Lumpur crowd as well Indian fans back home, Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
With the score on 96-5, Mongia started to assume more responsibility and in turn wielded some magnificent shots. Some of the shots included a punch through cover of the back foot, a Brad Hogg delivery swept from outside off stump to the fine leg boundary and a straight drive that beat the despairing dive of McGrath at mid off. And to the crowd’s joy, it was not long before Dhoni joined the fun smashing a huge six straight down the ground. At 150-5, it looked like India would march on to victory with ease, especially with Dhoni and Mongia getting into the act. Then yet another timely change by the skipper Ponting, and on came a prolific wicket taking bowler, Brett Lee. Instantaneously, he struck, luring Dhoni to play a cut shot to an incoming rising delivery straight into the hands of the man at the sweeper boundary. Controversially, a look at the action replay showed that Lee had over stepped. Whatever the case, Dhoni failed to, like Raina, curb his instincts for the cause of the team.
The Indian tail was exposed once again as they still needed another 55 runs to win the match. It was time for Mongia to take charge of the situation by taking as much strike as possible. Sachin also made similar error of judgment against the Windies on 20th Sept., 2006. As and when Mongia was the facing batsman, the Australians opened up the field and gifted Mongia an easy single, a bait which the Indians gleefully accepted. The tail end batsmen were exposed and one by one they fell striking bowlers Hogg and Lee. Agarkar was plumb L.B.W. to a Brad Hogg flipper that was directed to the middle of stumps. Not long after, Harbhajan Singh fell, judged caught behind off the bowling of Andrew Symonds. Television replays with the aid of the snicko-meter revealed that there was no contact between bat and ball. However, this would not have come about if Mongia had opted to turn down the easy single. Before long, the tide turned against the Indians as the score was slumped to186-8. Mongia seemed clueless to the Aussies plan and looked indifferent to the collapse that was ongoing in front of him, for he continued to give the strike to R.P. Singh and Munaf Patel. And if the stars of the Indian lineup were no match for the pace and swing of Brett Lee, then need we say anything about tail end batsmen? To the huge disappointment of millions of Indian cricket fans, the Indian team was all out for 195 in 43.5 overs and fell short by 18 runs.
The Indian run chase was a rather disappointing display, for it showed a lack of determination from the top order (perhaps Mongia excluded) as well as a lack of intelligence from Raina, Dhoni, Mongia and the rest of the tail for being outsmarted by the Aussies. And due credit must be given to the Australians, for the captain who made the right bowling changes, for the bowlers, who stuck to the task and executed the plan and for the team as a whole for not giving up even when defeat looked ominous. As expected, the man of the match was deservedly conferred upon Brett Lee for a superb display of fast bowling. His figures were an awesome 8.5 overs, 5 wickets for 38 runs. The Indians have been sent packing and rightly so, for their performance has been lackluster and feeble in front of a consistent West Indian side and a determined Australian team.
Final match for the DLF cup will be played on 24th Sept., 2006 between West Indies and Australia in Kuala Lumpur. Let us hope for an interesting and entertaining match, obviously the team that plays better be crowned with DLF cup.
With the champion’s trophy around the corner, Indians need to review their performance and quickly learn from their blunders and errors.
Rahul Deepak Waikar
Deepak Laxmanrao Waikar
Sept. 23, 2006
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