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And other such euphemisms. Whatever happens tomorrow, it’s been years since Australia were bossed about like this.
They’ve lost Tests over the last few years, but those losses have often been helter skelter, chaotic affairs. This is different. Australia are being dictated to.
Ever since Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly met up on the first day with the score at 163-4, it’s been all India. They’ve set about their task at first professionally and then, come their second innings, clinically.
That was the strangest moment for us. Australia may have conceded a 200 run deficit in the first innings, but when Gambhir and Sehwag were doing whatever they wanted with no response from the fielding side, that was totally alien.
Half the fielders were on the fence. The other half were saving one. There didn’t seem to be any wicket-taking method being used, but they weren’t stopping runs either. The batsmen were scoring at five an over. Ricky Ponting just seemed to be waiting. For what?
Australia have eight batsmen who average over 40 in first-class cricket. It doesn’t feel like that though, does it? It doesn’t feel like the opposition will have to bowl until Australia tell them they can stop.
…and all of it in front of a sprinkling of spectators
Ceci-
Indians don’t drink much or as heavily as the rest of the world. You have muslims who wont drink a drop, and many castes that are fairly religious that arent too keen either.
So the appeal would have to come from the contest itself. Its also a bit on the hot side compared to other parts of the world and not to mention Indians have a massive skin color complex.
My friends wouldnt consider as exciting as other forms purely for the cricket….I dont disagree….
All that said, wasnt it as solid a smashing of the Aussies for 5 super days as you’ve ever seen 🙂
To all those who watch Test cricket live…
Is it really that much mroe exciting than watching overs on T.V., with the commentary and replays etc. to help you through and not get a bit bored?
“It’s all about momentum” is another platitude we often hear. Momentum is part of it, but so is equilibrium.
The current Aussie side lacks equilibrium. Unfortunately for England, the main element of the current disequilibrium (no spinner) will probably not disadvantage them in England. No Old Trafford this time. No Trent Bridge. What is the ECB thinking of?
The next corporate lunch? Selling its soul to a Texan billionaire?
No, strike the second one from the list …done that. So, corporate lunch it is.
personally I think both Katich and Clarke should be encouraged/forced to take their bowling much more seriously and bowl more often.
and having coloured stumps in test cricket is just total sacrilege
@Ceci
In many ways it took India winning the Twenty20 world cup for the fans to take it into their hearts (I think, please correct me), and so who knows, a whitewashing of the Aussies might reignite the interest in test matches among the fickle Indian crowds and money men. And so test cricket will be saved, so that in a years time we’ll be wondering what all this fuss was about.
Ne
Indians watch cricket on tV, not in the grounds. They want slogging 6’s, not last-stand defenses that take all day. They want action, not contemplation. They’re fickle friends, not constant lovers.
There are more fly-by-night fairweather cricket fans in India. There are more hardcore never-miss-a-Test fans in India.
There are more people in India.
It’s just a bigger sample size. When there’s a surge of interest in something (Twenty20) or a loss of interest in something else, it’s brought into a harsher focus in India.
Hey King Cricket: Disconcertingly sensible comment that. Wassup? Didn’t take your vitamins this morning?
Can someone tell me why they go to watch test cricket if it wasnt for the alcohol or good times in general?
It’s just that much more exciting to be caught up in a match when there are thousands of people there who feel the same. The fall of wicket makes us leap up when we’re there in person. There is rarely leaping at home.
Also as an excuse to eat too much food. It seems more justifiable somehow.
Mostly though it is far, far more exciting in person. A large crowd is pretty important in that though.