Indian test team wears white but has perhaps got a contract from a limestone company. Fresh from a whitewash in England, they have booked another whitewash structure, this time Down Under. Interestingly, in both countries, they have played 4 tests, and cannot make lame excuses of lack of practice.
They did have something to say about the performance in England; injuries to major player, Zaheer returning soon enough, and astounding quality of English bowlers. However, they are playing a full side in Australia against relatively new attack, and veterans reached here a fortnight ahead of the first test. Time’s up fellows!
Michael Clarke took his own time this morning playing for numbers, almost as a child. He waited for the target to reach 500 before declaration. Incidentally, he had waited for team score to reach 600 in the 1st innings before declaring. The delay was rebuffed by Mark Taylor and others, but it seems Clarke will have the last laugh. Ponting again finished with an unbeaten 60.
Indians, batting with as much idea as we have of craters in Jupiter, once again made tame guest appearances, and teetered away. Sehwag, this time successful with his rash strokes, struck a quick-fire 62, and then gave a mistimed skier off Lyon. Gambhir was out early while Dravid cut into gully’s hands, perhaps to avoid the ignominy of being bowled again.
Sachin, again beginning well with a forward loft for four, fell into a rut, and inevitably gave a bat-pad off Lyon. Laxman, getting a life and nicking one between keeper and slip fell off the third-last over to Lyon again. Ishant, sent ahead of Saha had his duties to protect Kohli, but Kohli in a display of inexperience ran himself out to bag the strike for the last over. There was comedy going on replete with errors. Indians were 167 for 6 at stumps.
