Indians fell for oldest trick in the fast-bowlers’ book

“Lee stuck it up the Indian batsmen, who panicked and flashed at wide fuller-length balls. It is the oldest trick in the fast-bowler’s book and it is still working in 2003,” it said while quoting Jason Gillespie’s prediction: “We decided before the game that Brett would take the new ball to see if he could rattle the batsmen.”

Saurav Ganguly did not fancy winning the toss and it showed when, after deciding to bat first, he opened with Sachin Tendulkar and set the tone by throwing his bat without getting a foot anywhere near the ball. After an hour of being ‘probed’ by Glenn McGrath and ‘pummelled’ by Brett Lee, the ‘relief’ came in the form of Gillespie bowling his allotment straight through for 13 runs and three wickets.

“It was soon obvious that, as so often away from home, India depended on Sachin Tendulkar to make even a presentable total. The great man survived until the 28th over (though only 59 balls), but his first boundary was ominous in that the sound was more metallic than wooden, the daily said.

With a banner headline screaming ‘Gillespie blitzes Indians’, ‘The Sunday Times’ said it has been a week of one-sided cricket — Bangladesh and Sri Lanka; Kenya and South Africa; anybody and Australia. “Already, after just two matches, a place in the Super Six series is a formality for the World Cup champions and hot favourites,” it said.

It said Australia’s victory over India yesterday at Supersport Park by nine wickets with almost 28 overs to spare gives them the luxury of being able to forfeit four points to Zimbabwe, if they follow England’s example and boycott their fixture in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe on February 24.