Every Indian cricket fan knows how tough an Australian tour is! Every time you hope the Indian team performs better than last time. But in reality, you are actually bracing yourself for an inevitable super storm. The worst of fears were confirmed in Melbourne. India always has this starting problem on away tours, practice or no practice. It was no different in the first test. A well oiled Australian juggernaut (though less intimidating than the Steve Waugh band of soldiers), ran over the Indian side. Our inexperienced bowling attack was not expected to bother the aussies anyway. But the famed batting lineup folded meekly. The thumping defeat raised fears of a lopsided tour ! But then i remembered...the next venue was Sydney! A favorite hunting ground for Indians, especially Sachin and Laxman. As Dravid continued to bury his head in the ground, Jaffer & Yuvraj were 'guest appearances' at the pitch. But Laxman and Sachin, the SCG darlings, led the Indian resurgence and fought with gumption. Saurav didnt make a ton, but made fighting contributions. But alas, a victory was not to be. Apparently Bucknor and benson, the 2 umpires, flipped a coin and decided to side with the aussies. The circus began:
1. Symonds given not out after a huge nick.
2. Ponting given after not out after another huge one.
3. Ponting given LBW after a huge inside edge.
4. Symonds given not out by the third umpire!@#$%, after a perfect stumping.
5. Symonds stumping not referred to 3rd umpire.
6. Jaffer bowled off a no ball.
7. Symonds given not out again twice.
8. Hussey given not out twice.
9. Dravid given out when bat was no where near ball.
10. laxman given not out when he was plumb in front.
11. Ganguly given out for a grassed catch.
Hmmmmm.....! Umpires are humans and they err sometimes. But these were morons who sometimes get it right. Add to this the 'tough but fair' aussies claim dubious catches and appeal for everything. Wasn't this the very team which cautioned India's excessive appealing once? Harbhajan was reported for calling Symonds a 'monkey'! India countered by reporting Brad Hogg for terming Indians 'bastards'! The shameless aussies say what Hogg said was harmless sledging banter in good humor, while what bhajji said was an extremely personal and demeaning racist slur. Well, if 'bastard' is not personal then i don't know what is. For heaven's sake, against england some time ago, they commented on atherton's wife while he was batting. Thats not abusing. Thats that famous aussie humor! Yeah right! Bhajji got banned for 3 tests despite of no video/audio evidence and umpires having heard anything (but i personally think they were deaf anyway, it didnt matter to them - nicks or abuses!!). How is it that the aussie abuses are always harmless sledging & their excessive appealing is playing tough? They still are the best cricketing side currently. But they definitely are not the 'Angels' of the game, as they perceive themselves to be. India was robbed of atleast a draw, with atleast 300 runs gifted and maybe about 150 runs snatched thanks to umpiring guffaws. Almost all the Australian players claimed it was a great victory despite the 'minor controversies'! 11 horrible decisions - minor? The umpire referring to Ricky Ponting for giving Ganguly out caught - A stroke of genius I must say! How would out justice system be if the scenario was such?
JUDGE: Did u commit the crime?
CRIMINAL: absolutely no.
JUDGE: Taking into consideration the accused's testimony, i declare him to be free! 'JUSTICE IS A GENTLEMAN'S GAME'!
And i almost burst out laughing amidst my furious disappointment, when Ponting said after the game 'I never thought about the 16 in a row record until you mentioned it'! ROTFL!
