Arm Ball

Australia had it. The ranking was preserved. Not that it mattered to its fans. But it did to its critics. And yes critics were floored again as were the Saffers. Saffers just don’t have in it them to maintain a consistent run to beat the top notch teams. Win against Aussies in 2 games and then falling flat 3 times in row. That just sparked Aussies. And perhaps that means the end of road for the likes of Roy and Shane Watson for now. The likes of Hughes, North, Siddle and McDonald have provided a spark to the team which was lacking in India and the home season. They are the future stars of the Australian cricket and would have a long Test careers ahead of them. The stars of the Aussie triumph – JPD, Steyn, Amla, Morkel and Smith, all faded out. Kallis was never a match winner. He never had that fear imbibing quality in opposition team in him.

Australia had rookies, Saffers had so called best attack in the world, which just chickened out in its own home yard. Johannesburg is now the Perth for Saffers. 2 consecutive Test losses for them on the ground. There is one more test to go and doesn’t matter if Australia lose. They showed it to the world that they rule the world and it was also displayed huge words the only team that can take them on is India. India and South Africa won series against them this season. But then Saffers have lost 3 tests, winning 2. India has won 2 and lost none. They have now won 3 in last 5 tests and drew 2. That proves once more the worthy contenders for Test top spot is India. And there is no qualms in that. Rankings doesn’t matter here. Win or lose, India would always remain the best bet to beat Aussies now.

Ponting ’s real test would start now in his ability to lead the team through the transition. It won’t be possible for them to win every Test they play as they did before, but if they could even achieve 60% of their earlier success, they would be happy to enter the transition phase.

Bryan Coverdale puts this perspective very gently here

Australia bowled out for 352 from 4/303. In reply Saffers realing at 4/6. Smith retired hurt, virtually that’s 4. That’s superb Test cricket by Australia. Who said they would be losers.

Alright, its just 3^rd session in play for the Durban Test. But its already 2-0 for Australia and I am on course of a victory here on my bet for an Aussie series win. The score right now 2/234 perhaps shows which side the momentum is and even a 1-4 defeat in ODIs after the Sydney win hasn’t dented the Aussie juggernaut in Tests at least now. Hughes might just have edged Jacques and may be Warner from the opening slot in all forms of the game. Good start to the kid’s career with a duck, match winning 50 and perhaps the series winning 100. He came true to the words of Tugga (Steven Waugh) that Hughes would make good opener in the international cricket. Perhaps that has revived Aussie fortunes from the sluggish days of Haydos in home series. The opening starts have again raced back to 100s and perhaps 200s. Middle order has started coming good, though its too early to say anything for now. Hussey is hurting the Aussie fortunes, but then who knows he might click sometime soon too.

Australia lost a bit of their intensity this morning with madness setting in their camp. Much of that credit to Kallis the bowler and the fielder. 75 runs in to the first session and 8 wkts lost. Thanks to Haddin and Hughes, they still sit 420 runs ahead than Saffers. Yet they won’t feel secure given the ease with which Saffers chased down 415 in Perth. Amazing is the history. It gives jitters not to the team but to the supporters. SA would bat in the 4^th innings and Graeme Smith is the undisputed king of 4^th innings 100s. So he would still like to back himself up for the heroic innings. Few more runs from the last pair on the wicket would be a bonus and would mean more pressure on the Saffers. They would have max 4.5 – 5 sessions to save / win / lose the game. Not long back India defeated them in Jo’burg by 278 runs, now its turn of Aussies to beat them and go 1-0 up.

Aussies were touted to be the underdogs and weaker links amidst the 2 teams. Though their batting worries haven’t been resolved, the bowling attack gives them a hope. Lee and Clark would be back by Ashes. And till then if Siddle and Hilfenhaus make steady progress, the Aussies would look good for another Ashes triumph. Mitch Johnson is touted to be the next Aussie great alrounder, though that’s a bit of far stretched imagination. Alright, he is having good times. But still he needs to do that consistently. This has been a riveting test match, much to the hype and hoopla created before. However I still don’t feel that SA are deservers to upstage Aussies from # 1 throne. Its still India who deserve more than the Saffers just cos they were able to beat Australia when the later had its strengths at peak and had the best of talent which is now retired. Saffers in that era failed to win a single test match home and away, let alone win a series. India in that duration won 2, lost 2 and drew 1. No other team came close to that record. I am a chauvinistic, but then there are facts to prove. I would always rant for the support of Indian test team which for now doesn’t have the young buggers in. I don’t know how it would be when the Raina would be # 3, Sharma (if) would be # 4 and some other dude would be # 5. Yuvraj has seen it all, so its very unlikely that he would like to lose the focus and so his test spot. The young buggers who have all seen is nothing but easy money and fame would falter away when they would be put under pressure of 5 days. I don’t think so the likes of Raina and Sharma are Test class.

Meanwhile the action resumes in Jo’burg. Go Aussies.

Hey doesn’t cricket seem to be a great leveler. Over confident Indians brought down in a format where they are world champs and have played their last game before they go to the defence of the title they won 2 years back. I would hate to see Indians do a 1987 in 2009. And the other one is for Graeme Smith. Man of the series in Australia for his heroics, falls for a duck. Australia is in a soup at 38/3 on day 1. And then 182/5. A debutant scores a 100, Haddin scores a 50 and then Mitch Johnson enjoys himself in the middle to remain stranded for 96*. Wow, he has now a test average of 32. Way greater than Pidge and Lee.

SA stuttered at 5/2. The heroes of down under series were back in hut in a flash and then boy. Kallis gone too but with a selfish milestone. DeVilliers and McKenzie still on crease though, but still. I am on course for a victory in the bet with Achettup. 2-1 or 3-0 for Australia or even 1-0 or 2-0, I win. Any other scoreline than the ones here I lose.

So its kinda back to the old world order. Australia thumping Saffers and Indians being blowed away by star less Kiwis. Gotta ask for Sharma and Raina, how much beer they had and how many babes they wandered with ?

“Our focus is on playing better cricket than Australia in this series and if we can really beat them at home it will be a comprehensive beating of Australia home and away,”. “That’s something that we really want to achieve. They were able to do it against us for a period of time and we feel that we’re capable of doing it but it’s going to be tough work. It’s a sign of the success that we’ve had if we do get there [to No. 1]. We basically can look at ourselves and say we’ve earned that ranking through good results, through winning on pretty much every continent over the last period of time. That’s a really good, satisfying feeling for any team, for any player”

Dream on. Wishful thinking doesn’t always come true. 2-1 away victory was a flash in the pan. A storm in the cup of tea. Last 2 series results in SA read 0-3 and 1-2 for SA. This would be no different. 2-1 to Australia and Achettup, our bet begins today. You see Ponting is gonna swarm Smith out of his feet and regain the lost glory. Bingo!! Go Aussies.