It's Australia's day as India crumbles
At its commencement, suspicions were high that match ten of the Carlton and United Series would effectively go a long way toward marking the end of India's campaign in international cricket in Australia this season
John Polack
26-Jan-2000
At its commencement, suspicions were high that match ten of the Carlton and
United Series would effectively go a long way toward marking the end of
India's campaign in international cricket in Australia this season. And by
its cessation, the impression was certainly reinforced - a devastating 152
run loss to Australia ensuring that the vanquished now have only the barest
of chances of progressing beyond the preliminary rounds of this competition.
Given that a series of seven losses from eight matches had preceded it on
this tour, there was only a sliver of an opening for the Indians to set
about reviving their fortunes in international competition in any case.
But even that was never a real possibility, for the Australians' batsmen
gained a early, record-breaking advantage for their team after it had won
the toss and there was absolutely no way back for their rivals at all.
Indeed, from the moment in the opening over of the day that Mark Waugh
(116) powered the very first delivery that he received to the cover fence,
the writing was probably on the wall. On Australia's national day and in
front of a capacity holiday crowd at the Adelaide Oval, Waugh and Adam
Gilchrist (92) simply toyed with an uninspired Indian bowling and fielding
outfit.
Against an attack which was rapidly forced to come to grips with the
reality that the strip in use for this game was again eminently unsuited to
bowlers, the two openers ignited the game with a sizzling exhibition. They
set about shattering their previous best association (of 39) in the
tournament, Gilchrist characteristically playing very powerfully through
the off side to establish the trend. Two sparkling shots through and over
point off Debashish Mohanty in the sixth over and then a glorious off drive
off the same bowler in the eighth all generated boundaries and there was no
particular diminution in his scoring rate thereafter. Not to be completely
outdone, Waugh was also in fine touch from the outset, serially easing and
nudging the ball into gaps the ball for many of his runs. Neither was
afraid at any stage to lift the ball over the infield, nor to hit with
power and precision through a tightly set field.
Before Gilchrist eventually fell to a mistimed slog sweep at Anil Kumble
and was caught at deep mid wicket by Rahul Dravid, they added 163 runs in
partnership in thirty overs without offering so much as a chance. Around
the raising of a fourteenth one-day international century for Waugh, the
New South Welshman and Ricky Ponting (43) then added another century
partnership of their own for the second wicket as the spirits of India's
players took a collective pounding. Even by the time that Ponting
succumbed to another deep mid wicket catch by Dravid off Kumble and Waugh
ventured too far down the pitch in missing a sweep at Sachin Tendulkar,
there was not even a remote prospect of recovery.
Indeed, the main interest left in the innings centred around the idea of
how close Australia might come to surpassing its all time record score
(3/332 against Sri Lanka in Sharjah in 1989/90) in one-day international
cricket. Andrew Symonds (26 off 15 balls) and Shane Lee (27*, also off 15
deliveries)edged them excruciatingly close but, as matters transpired, their tally of 5/329 was the second best in Australia's history
and not quite good enough to claim the major prize. Consolation (and some
consolation at that) did come, though, in the fact that it was the highest
ever innings score at one-day international level in this country -
exceeding the 2/323 compiled by Australia in a match against Sri Lanka at
this venue in 1984/85.
In such circumstances, there was only one likely result in the match. And
it was duly secured with a minimum of fuss and, sadly for India, with a
minimum of resistance too. Worn down by a mixture of the shattering effect
of earlier events and their state of general fatigue, the Indians revealed
much the same frailties and flaws against accurate pace bowling and sharp
fielding which have seen them consistently surrender to this opponent this
season. That Sourav Ganguly (5) and Tendulkar (18) proved perfect party
guests by coming armed with a pair of injudicious strokes, and Umpire Simon
Taufel made a contribution of his own in initiating the dubious first ball
demise of Hrishikesh Kanitkar (0), only added the icing to Australia's
cake. Only a lovely flurry of boundaries from Dravid (63) around a five
wicket haul from Brett Lee (5/27) extended the life of the on-field
celebrations.
Even after this fifth loss, it is still possible in theory for the Indians
to secure a berth in the Finals, but that would require a fundamental
revision of their form. To all intents and purposes indeed, they already
seem a completely spent force. And even if that miracle were to be
achieved, it would probably require an even more momentous turn of events
for them to conquer an opponent against whom the prospect of victory still
seems no closer than it did when the tour began all those weeks ago.