Australia v. India - First Test, Gabba

[Donny]

After the first two overs, Australia is 0/12.

Bracken makes his debut. Williams is 12th. man.

[Donny]

Before this goes much further, I want to write something about the toss.

In my local cricket scene and whilst chatting to young cricketers on the net, I'm hearing them mimic Steve Waugh's "The toss doesn't matter. It's how you play after that that counts"

There are two aspects to this. 1. He has had the team to back up that statement and 2. He set out to, and has done successfully, bluff the other captains.

In recent years, we've seen Fleming, Pollock, Hussain, Streak and now Ganguly win the toss and send the best batting team in the world in to bat. Each time, the Aussies have amassed a mountain of runs and won the Test.

When they tossed, this morning, I imagined Tugga walking back into the dressing room and giving his team a grin and a wink. "Guess what fellas ?"

In the last eight Tests at the Gabba, Australia have averaged 463 in their first innings, while their opponents make 223 – that's an average first-innings lead of 240. Not surprisingly, Australia have won six of those eight matches, all of them by convincing margins - 2 by an innings, one by 10 wickets and 3 by more than 100 runs.

I'll just add that Tugga's attitude is positive and correct. Whatever happens at the toss, you still have to go out there and play well to win but what he has other captains doing is a con. A very clever con but nevertheless, a con.

[Donny]

In the 6th. over, the players went off the field. Rain.

Australia are 0/26.

[pies4ever]

i totally agree with what you said there donny m8,this test at the gabba i can see the aussies mounting a huge bloody score here,and to be honest i dont think the indians have the bowling attack to stop the aussies,only bowler they really have is singh,their batting is 1st class next to the aussies..


cheers bryan..!!

[HAL]

[Donny]

Waugh demands respect
By Robert Craddock
December 4, 2003

THE Steve Waugh farewell tour begins in Brisbane today and to the very end the boy from Bankstown has stayed true to the traditions of the game.

As Waugh prepared to lead an understrength Australian team in the first Test against India on a greentop at the Gabba, he yesterday called on long-time rival, Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, to show some respect.

This morning's toss is critical, the winner will steal a major advantage on a grassy deck in forecast steamy conditions - but what happens before the toss could be just as interesting.

On the last tour of India, Ganguly had Waugh fuming when he failed to turn up for the toss on time on four occasions during the Test and one-day series, often leaving the Australian captain standing in the outfield.

Tension also flared before a one-day game in Indore when Ganguly claimed a victory at the toss but was over-ruled as match referee Smith intervened, warning Ganguly about brinkmanship after declaring the coin had landed in Waugh's favour.

Quizzed about what he expected from Ganguly today, Waugh said: "I expect we will walk out together as Test match captains should do. "It is a sign of solidarity and respect for each other.

"I would expect we will both walk out together and have a handshake and a chat, toss a coin and make a decision."

The first day of the opening Test match signals to many Australians that summer is here, but this Test series holds special meaning to tens of thousands of cricket fans.

As the Australian team makes its way around Australia - Brisbane, Adelaide (Dec 12-16), Melbourne (Dec 26-30) and finally Sydney (Jan 2-6) - it will be the final chance for fans to see Waugh in action and to cheer a champion before he retires from international cricket.

The forecast for Brisbane isn't promising: a few showers and high humidity are expected today with thunderstorms tomorrow and rain periods Saturday.

The Ganguly-Waugh relationship is one of the most intriguing in world cricket for they are men from different worlds.

Though he is one of the game's highest earning players, Waugh remains a blue-collar Bankstown boy at heart with little respect for silver spoons and silver tails.

By contrast, Ganguly, the son of a wealthy Calcutta printer who lives in a sprawling family mansion, is nicknamed The Maharaj (king) and has been known to carry himself like one.

He is strong, articulate, stubborn and independently minded and has been since a young age.

His family were fierce rivals with a family that ran another printing firm in Calcutta but Ganguly secretly dated, eloped and married their daughter, a decision that initially stunned both families but later made them friends.

Both men yesterday made honourable efforts to wave olive branches in each other's direction.

Waugh said of Ganguly: "I get along with him fine. There has been a lot said about our relationship. We have both learnt from the mistakes of the past series.

"We'll just get on with the job."

Ganguly said he had great respect for Waugh and his deeds.

"The guy is written off and he turns up and scores runs for Australia," Ganguly said.

"The way Australian cricket has been played over the last three or four years, a lot of credit goes to him.

"He's really turned this team into world leaders.

"Once he retires Australia will miss him."

Ganguly may not be everyone's idea of a perfect captain but his fighting spirit and occasionally abrasive edge has given the Indian team a more aggressive vibe.

He was a key figure in India's 2-1 defeat of Australia in India in 2001 because of the way he stood firm despite Australia's many and varied attempts to upset him.

In the field he was occasionally sledged about his alleged liaison with film star Nagma which was headline news in India at the time.

Australia also once took the mickey out of the fact that he is primarily an offside player by putting all but one fieldsman on this side of the wicket for a brief term in Calcutta.

But even though his batting form wavered his belief in himself and his side never did and he added a sharper edge to a side often criticised for being too passive.

[ScottyMac]

$2.60 for a draw at the gabba at the TAB here in Vic.... Rain is the only thing that will save the indians!!!

Put money on the draw!!!!!

[Donny]

Even with rain interruptions, The Aussies are sailing along at 5 r.p.o.

After 13 overs, it's 0/70 with Hayden on 36 and Langer, 26.

[Donny]

Laxy held one !!

Hayden (37) got the edge and Laxman couldn't get out of the way.

[Donny]

Hundred up.

1/100 with Langer on 32 n.o. and Ponting, 21 n.o.

[Donny]

At tea, Australia is 1/143 with Ponting on 51 n.o. and Langer, 43 n.o.

[Donny]

2/185. Ponting went for 54 to Zaheer.

Langer is 67 n.o. and Martyn, 11 n.o.

[Donny]

Up comes the 200. 2/203.

Langer is 81 n.o. and Martyn, 15 n.o.

[HAL]

I will take that under advisement.

[Donny]

I must share some of Richie's comments.

On Ganguly sending Australia in: "Captains don't like to dwell on these things but it's floating before Ganguly's eyes at the moment"

And: "This is not the first time a captain's been sucked in to sending the opposition in at the Gabba. The first one I remember was Len (Sir Leonard) Hutton.

When he turned up for the next Test in Sydney, he was asked, "How are you?" A morose Hutton replied, "I haven't slept. Neither has anyone in Yorkshire"