Atrocious umpiring aids amazing Aussie run

Among the bevy of middle-aged professionals who finished playing at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday evening, the oldest of that lot...

Among the bevy of middle-aged professionals who finished playing at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday evening, the oldest of that lot — 61-year-old Steve Bucknor and 49-year-old Mark Benson — walked away as outright match-winners.

Already bleeding by their constant pawing from that raised finger, the Indian team opted for time-delaying tactics to try and save the second Test against this Australian side, which looked determined to match the record-equaling feat by hook or by crook.

Ishant Sharma stopped abruptly and waved towards the pavilion for a change of gloves after having just walked in a few metres inside to take guard. Minutes before, RP Singh took a longer time to walk back after being dismissed than he would have to finish an over. But, however hard the Indian team tried to stoop as low as the umpiring standards and the honesty levels of its opponents in this game, they failed.

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So, Australia won the second Test by 122 runs, eight minutes and seven balls before the scheduled close on the final day and thus managed to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy by going 2-nil up here. As Ricky Ponting led his team to an outrageous celebration on-field, little did he realise that he was only glorifying his counterpart, who remained unconquered on 45 from 111 balls, and the Indian team which, despite its inability to bat through the 72 overs while chasing an improbable 333, went down bravely as martyrs against sinful umpiring and willful claimants to catches that were taken off the ground or never hit the bat.

Michael Clarke’s three wickets in the penultimate over to get rid of Harbhajan Singh and RP Singh off the first two balls, and off the fifth delivery to dismiss Ishant giving Australia the match would be encrypted in scoresheets as much as another part-time option, Andrew Symonds, who got a similar haul of wickets to his name. But a more critical contribution to this Australian victory rose from their conscience that allowed Symonds to take note of the general incompetence of umpires and ask for a caught behind appeal against Rahul Dravid when there was clearly no bat involved and Clarke, who claimed he took a clean catch off Sourav Ganguly’s edge at second slip, when the fact remained otherwise.

Those, particularly the last one, were the turning points of the game as India, who looked wobbly in their bid to save this match got working a 61-run fourth-wicket partnership between Dravid and Ganguly.

The latter got his fourth start in as many innings in this series and looked the most confident with his front foot play, and determined as well — by not raising his bat after reaching his half-century in 51 balls with nine boundaries, signaling his job remains unfinished—but was done in.

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Dravid played the sheet anchor role and was looking rock-solid despite a dropped chance by Symonds on 18, though the fact also remains that Benson failed to spot a no-ball off Mitchell Johnson.

Things moved smoothly and safe before two bad decisions — first Dravid and then Ganguly — on either side of an out-of-form bat in the middle effectively sealing the fate of the match. Yuvraj Singh failed to stand up when the situation demanded the most of him, edging a Symonds delivery and dismissed for no score. M S Dhoni, who had looked equally out of sorts as Yuvraj at number six and Wasim Jaffer at the top, took a valiant stance for 117 minutes for his 35 before washing it off by not offering any shot to Symonds.

India had got off to a disastrous start, losing Jaffer pre-lunch for no score, edging Lee behind the wicket, while VVS Laxman failed to get his bat down in time and was plumb in front despite reassuring till the time he lasted. Sachin Tendulkar, who once again looked in sublime touch, fell while gaining an inside edge on to his stumps as he looked to leave that delivery from Stuart Clark.

Ponting, the Punter, played a safe bet today—continuing to bat for two hours and 10 minutes as Hussey made the most with a century off 207 balls to raise his tempo substantially. Giving him company was Symonds, who after his big knock in the first innings, plundered RP Singh through covers for 17 in one over and Kumble to score a half-century. Australia lost wickets as they went in search of quick runs before declaring at 401/7— Hussey remaining unbeaten on 145 that contained twelve boundaries, including two reverse-sweep shots that banged into the hoardings.

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With a four-plus required rate, India considered a draw as the only fair and practical result in the fourth innings on a deteriorating pitch.

However, it’s a shame that India, who flickered and fluctuated between dominating, winning and saving this match ended up losing because most in the order failed to match the application and sensibility that Kumble showed at the crease. And that included the two men in black and white.

SCOREBOARD

Australia (1st Innings): 463

India (1st Innings): 532

Australia (2nd Innings):

P Jaques c Yuvraj b Kumble 42

M Hayden c Jaffer b Kumble 123

R Ponting c Laxman b Harbhajan 1

M Hussey not out 145

M Clarke c Dravid b Kumble 0

A Symonds c Dhoni b RP Singh 61

A Gilchrist c Yuvraj b Kumble 1

B Hogg c Dravid b Harbhajan 1