Anil Kumble and India have done it.
Australia had their 16 game winning streak snapped in Perth after some poor performances (and selections) gave the Indians the opening the tourists had passed by in Sydney. But India didn’t let this opportunity slip and after embarrassing the hosts on the second day, the Indians pressed home their advantage on the third and fourth days – outplaying the Australians by a considerable margin.
While I’m not about to label Anil Kumble as the finest skipper since Don Bradman like the press seems to want to – he got strong performances from his all his bowlers and his opponent – Ricky Ponting – did not. Kumble pulled the right strings when required in the field and took the key Australian wicket – Andrew Symonds – in both innings. But a modern day captaining great – he is not. If India had kept the pressure on in Sydney on the fourth day and India were currently 2-1 up in the series – Kumble might’ve put his name forward to be considered a fine skipper for taking a series from Australia at home – but that horse has bolted and all I personally will remember is Kumble whinging after that Test and not taking responsibility for the way India slackened off and dropped their bundle after the first three days of the SCG Test.
Mind you – Ricky Ponting is no angel in this department but I did notice Australia blamed no one but themselves for the WACA loss and gave credit to the Indian attack for a great performance.
Just while I think about it – I feel compelled to mention that just because Australia loses doesn’t make that particular Test match ‘one of the greatest of all time’… the result might be a shock given how Australia has played the past 15 years but some perspective please Peter Roebuck. Having said that Roebuck is the same journalist who seems to put far more stock in the upbringing of an Indian than an Australian when discussing the character merits of an individual player and his performance/behaviour on the field. That also being said – Roebuck can sum up the play on the field like few others – but he can also stray off course when he delivers one of his character assassinations.
But back to the cricket – Australia carried two bowlers in Perth. Yes Shaun Tait was one of them but Mitchell Johnson simply cannot continue to share the new ball with Brett Lee if his complete lack of control throughout the Test summer is any indication. Brett Lee has been fantastic but until Johnson goes back to state cricket and works on his control and getting the ball to swing (like he’s advertised relentlessly as being a master of) – Australia will not rip through a top order like they need to if they want to get back on another multiple Test winning streak. Stuart Clark needs the new ball and hopefully the powers that be take into consideration the ability now rather than the potential later when judging Johnson’s new ball merits (let alone his place in the side).
Australia should welcome back Matthew Hayden and Brad Hogg for the Adelaide Test at the expense of Chris Rogers and Shaun Tait, while India may drop Wasim Jaffer and go with Harbhajan Singh as a 5th bowler as they strive to square the series at 2-2.
WARNE/McGRATH MEDAL VOTES
THIRD TEST at WACA January 17-20, 2008
5 – Stuart Clark:for 2/45 & 4/61 and 32 in the 2nd Innings. Solid in the 1st Innings (and again underbowled), Clark came back in the 2nd Innings with the wickets of Jaffer, Sehwag, Pathan and the annoying RP Singh (who had torched Australia for 30 runs). At times looked the only bowler capable of making a difference in the Indian 2nd Innings.
3 – Andrew Symonds:for 66 & 12 and 1/36 & 2/36. His 1st Innings of 66 got Australia back in the game after they were 5/61 and his variation with the ball was handy if overbowled in the 2nd Innings when Ponting should’ve just accepted the fine was coming and bowled Clark and Lee.
1 – Brett Lee:for 3/71 & 3/54. Not at his best but Australia’s top wicket-taker for the summer still removed Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman in both innings. As mentioned above when Australia needed him to finish off the Indian tail in the 2nd Innings – Ponting and the Australian coaching staff were more worried about $$$ than the victory.
WARNE/McGRATH MEDAL COUNT after Five Tests:
8 Points: Andrew Symonds (5+3) & Stuart Clark (3+5).
6 Points:Phil Jaques (1+5), Michael Hussey (3+3) & Brett Lee (3+1+1+1).
5 Points: Michael Clarke (5), Matthew Hayden (5).
1 Point: Adam Gilchrist (1).
