previously at mohali

Just when it looked like Australia had lost all hope and fielding skill…

Australia

Ricky Ponting has had a few nightmares recently of the Indian top order tearing his weak bowling line up apart.  At 350 for only 4 wickets, which was really only 3, he was seeing it all come true. then, India were out.  Suddenly he must have assumed that was the sort of dream you wake up to with a wet patch and some embarrassment.

India

There was a time when it looked likely that India could bat for 12 days before getting bowled out by Australia.  Somehow, that didn't happen.  What happened was a sort of fast-motion slow-feeling collapse that had more to do with the fact Australia wouldn't go away, than India playing shit shots.

Who's in front

Yet again, we are level.  Because of the exact position of the game, India are more of a chance of winning, and so they should be, at least they batted like humans in their innings.

Play of the day

The looks on the faces of the crowd when Sachin went out.  It is worth him making a 90odd just to see the humanity in the crowd when he goes out.

Testicular moment of the day

It doesn't make a lot of sense that Mitchell Johnson bowls well in India.  The only other places he bowls well are on hard bouncy wickets; so going to India should be another reason for him to have an emotionally negative reaction to cricket.  But, that was some bowling, five wickets in India's top eight on a pitch that was doing anything for him without the help of any violent reverse swing.  He is the sole reason, with bat and ball, that Australia have a lead and aren't begging for mercy at the toes of India.  Perhaps that tattoo has restricted blood to his head, which can only be a good thing for Australia.

Working class moment of the day

I've always thought of Raina as a pretty batsman. This innings, was not so much about the pretty.  Forget about him getting hit, just look at how he played the spinners.  He seemed determined to go out to them.  North and Hauritz beat him in flight more than they beat the combined 10 other batsmen in flight.  Raina got through it, with good luck and good determination, but then played across the line of one that kept low before cashing in on a century.  Damn.

Weird factoid of the day

Sachin Tendulkar has extended his world record for the most dismissals to rubbish spinners. Ravi said, "A truly special effort that will never be matched. He leaves Bradman in his wake.  To beat Sachin's achievement someone would have to start at the age of 15 and play for over 20 years while going out to useless spinners at the rate of 1 in 4 innings, you just can't see it happening".

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