da casino： Since the 1993/94 season, Australia has not lost a Test series at homeand India not won one away
John Polack14-Dec-1999Since the 1993/94 season, Australia has not lost a Test series at homeand India not won one away. Accordingly, it was probably to beexpected that the first match of their three Test battle in Australiawould provide the platform for the home team to flex its considerablecontemporary cricketing muscle. And so it proved here at the AdelaideOval; the locals today putting the seal on a comprehensive 285 runvictory.As it eventuated, play on the final day only lasted a mere 54minutes. Overnight batsmen Saurav Ganguly (43) and MSK Prasad (11)battled gamely through the first 20 of those but, after that, thesparse crowd of 4717 witnessed little more than a procession. Once theformer was out hooking at Damien Fleming, presenting Adam Gilchristwith the chance to take a brilliant one-handed catch down leg side inthe process, there was indeed precious little resistance. Fleming(5/30) rapidly became the star for the home side, capturing four ofthe five wickets to fall today and ending not only with a third fivewicket haul at this level but his finest ever Test figures no less.On a wearing pitch, the Australians only required Fleming and fellowpaceman Glenn McGrath (3/35) to bowl today, those two wholly exposingthe breaches that had been made evident in the Indians’ defences lastevening. Around McGrath’s dismissal of Javagal Srinath (11), Flemingcaptured four wickets for seven runs in the space of 23 deliveries inan excellent performance. There was, however, time for one moment ofextreme disappointment in between.After removing Ganguly and Ajit Agarkar (0) with successivedeliveries, the speedster was on the verge of the rare feat of asecond Test hat-trick to complement one taken in Pakistan in1994. But, in an extraordinary scene, the Victorian had his hopesdashed when Shane Warne at first slip grassed a regulation catchoffered to him by a slashing Srinath.Against an opponent with a record away from home as poor as their ownon home soil is brilliant, this was by the end another emphatictriumph for the Australians. A result which extended their winningsequence to the impressive tally of five in this form of the game andthe clinically slick efficiency by which it was underpinned, it wastypical of an outfit rapidly and deservedly beginning to comparisonswith some of the great all-time Test match teams. Gloss will certainlybe taken off the win in some quarters on account of the fact thatseveral close decisions went against the Indians but it is hard not toaccept the fact that the bottom line here was that the Australians’performance was simply too polished and too ruthlessly convincing forits foe.Fleming’s post-match comment that the Australians did not merely wantto win this game but also wanted to do so “on a big note” was aperfect indicator of the mindset, the unity and the sheerprofessionalism of this team.In the opposite camp, it is hard to imagine that anything but theopposite mood would be prevailing. They will have come to Adelaidewith high hopes of acquitting themselves well on a ground generallysuited to batsmen, but they will be leaving one down in the serieswith tough back to back matches to follow in Melbourne andSydney. Whilst they bravely attempted to defy the inevitable, therewill be many points for them to rue at the end of this contest. Amongthese, it should be their act of wanton self destruction after lunchon the first day upon which they focus most sharply. It was then thatthey surrendered the initiative to the Australians (an initiative theynever wrested back at any stage) in permitting Steve Waugh and RickyPonting to resurrect a cause which showed some signs of teetering at4/52. Captain Sachin Tendulkar remained typically gracious and upbeatin defeat, stating that his team still has “a good chance” in theseries, but he will well recognise that it will take a supreme effortfor his team to launch a swift turnaround.Notwithstanding the notion that its one-sided nature rendered this agame which will not necessarily assume any great place in history,this was a Test which will ultimately come to provide severaldifferent talking points. Foremost among these will be the worth ofthe two decisions made by umpire Harper to fire out Tendulkar and theprospect (rightly or wrongly) of having umpires exclusively from’neutral’ countries officiating at Test level in the future. Althoughthe Australian selection panel has illustrated an extreme reluctancein recent times to axe players from its outfit, it might also even beremembered as the last match of No 4 batsman Mark Waugh’s lengthy Testcareer.