21.10.08
Herald Sun - Australia’s knockers have got it all wrong
Congratulations to Anil Kumble and India on their victory and stopping Australia on its march to an amazing 17 victories in a row. It was an impressive performance.
I can hear all the “Eddie the experts” saying the reign is over and the decline is upon us. I don’t believe that for a second. India just played well and did not allow Australia to dominate. India was up for the contest.
Unfortunately, it looked from a distance that the wicket was pretty poor and not conducive to stroke play. In cricketing terms you were never in as a batsman, hence not one made a century. To its credit, Australia fought all the way.
The Edgbaston ’05 Ashes series was never far away from my thoughts and mind – but this time from the No. 8 position on the poker table in the main event tournament at Crown casino, and not the dressing
room after my back foot had hit the stumps.
Comparisons in cricket will always be there, it’s just the nature of the beast. I’ve been asked which is the better side – Ricky Ponting’s that has won 16 Tests in a row, or Steve Waugh’s. Both were excellent teams and Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden and Brett Lee have improved to be the best in the world right now.
Mike Hussey, Michael Clarke, Stuart Clark and Andrew Symonds are all at the top of their games, too. It’s still probably a bit too early, however, to start comparing them to the Waugh brothers, the Boons and McGraths etc, just yet. After all the fiasco that surrounded the Sydney Test, it was good to see the cricket did not suffer and the skill level and intensity was still very high.
There have been suggestions Australia lost its edge and was too concerned about its image going into Perth. Sport is about passion and attitude and knowing yourself. Australia plays best when it gets in the face of the opposition and is very aggressive. Maybe it was not as aggressive in its body language as it normally is, but I think that was the nature of this Test, in which it was behind for most of the game.
Maybe a few things were not as they should have been in Sydney, but to me the Australians’ body language showed me the team cared and it was important to them to win the game.
And when that is all thrown into the mix, sometimes things boil over.
But people want to be entertained and see sportsmen who care and have emotions and pride in their performance.
Congratulations, also, to Kumble on joining the 600-wicket club. He is one of the most competitive opposition players I have played against. He is a true champion and a credit to the game and his family.
He is very strong mentally. There were times when everyone wrote him off, but to his credit he stayed true to himself and stuck to his style. Well done, mate.
The Australia Day Test match in Adelaide is going to be a cracker and I’m sure the players will be looking forward to playing on a great pitch, and runs are going to flow.
India’s two spinners will play, so even better, and Australia will recall Brad Hogg.
The toss is very crucial in this Test. As we saw last year against England, it starts to get tough from late on day four.
If India wins the toss and its batting line-up fires, wow, what a contest it will be.
If Australia wins the toss and bats well, India will be under pressure because it has to win to level the series. Bring it on, I say.
There is something special about every match, but Adelaide is always a great venue and one the players look forward to playing at.
The atmosphere and the hill – I love the grass hill and miss it. It has such a wonderful vibe and is very picturesque.
Everything is there for this Test and the players are up for it. It should make interesting viewing.
My past week has been a different one. Playing in the Aussie Millions main event poker tournament has been an interesting experience.
I also want to clear one thing up. I am not missing the start of the County Cricket season because of poker; I will miss it as I have signed to play Twenty20 in the Indian Premier League competition and have taken up a role as an ambassador for the IPL.