Australia (Perth vs Melbourne)

Cricket, Tennis, Rugby.... name it and Aussies are in it. First let’s talk about cricket and the recently concluded 3rd test between India and Australia. Good thing India won the test in 4days and thereby has a chance of drawing the series which Aus. lead 2 - 1 thanks largely to the Sydney test. I would like to appreciate the Indian team for the success, truly a great victory. Not many teams have been able to win in Perth but India managed it and it was not by any means luck; they fought the game fairly and dominated each session on all 4 days. On the whole a great victory for the Indians.

On Saturday I also watched one of the greatest tennis matches in recent times. It’s the Australian open 3rd round between world no.1 Roger Fedrer and world no.49 Janko Tipsarevic. From the start Fedrer was not in good shape both his volleys and movement on the baseline, in simple terms he struggled. A few days back Marat Safin after his loss, told the press that Fedrer was in good shape and in sure contention for his 13th Grand Slam title and I started to wonder whether this match is going to be the greatest upset of the first grand slam of the year. Tipsarevic aged 23 put up a real great fight and Fedrer was clueless of his serve and made the world no.1 struggle for most of the points. Tipsarevic had a better percentage record when compared to Fedrer in 5 setters but the world no.1 proved why he is the best by winning crucial points at the right moment to clinch a place in the 4th round. Truly, this has to be one of the greatest matches of Australian Open 2008. In the post press conference Fedrer acknowledged Tipsarevic by saying it would be nice if some matches ended in draw but in tennis you don’t have it.

Take a bow Janko Tipsarevic.

Down Under Blues...

When Anil Kumble took over as the new captain of the Indian team he would have never expected these kind of problems would crop up but this is not something new for the Indian team. The controversy over the umpiring decision in the recently concluded 2nd test between India and Australia has raised many eye brows.

Steve Bucknor and Indian team are very good pals and especially Sachin Tendulkar, who has been declared out in the most bizarre ways. If my memory is right, McGrath was bowling to Tendulkar who tried ducking a short ball and fortunately or unfortunately the ball did not bounce and hit him on the helmet, as always the whole of the Australian team went up and Mr.Bucknor declared him out and it went into the record books as LBW (Leg Before Wicket). Can you imagine, the ball hitting the helmet and you are declared LBW. And Mr.Bucknor is regarded as the ICC panel's elite umpire, I wonder how they came to this sort of conclusion.

During Australia's previous tour of India, former captain Rahul Dravid hit a ball and it was caught brilliantly by Michael Slater but after the ball bounced off the ground and he was declared not out. No one could imagine what happened next, Slater came and bombarded Dravid saying you should leave if you are out and not wait for umpire decision and it’s the same Australians who talk this nonsense when Symonds should have walked out. In fact he gave a statement after the match saying he gives credit to the bowler. What sort of sportsmanship is this?

Sourav Ganguly caught by Clarke when replays clearly show that the ball bounced of the ground, umpiring at its best. Dravid caught behind when the ball clearly flips the pad. Mark Benson (England) another officiating umpire can hear all this but not when Ponting nicked one to Dhoni and neither did he hear the Symonds issue.

The true spirit of the game, where the hell has it gone maybe when you play Australia in Australia you should leave all the spirits and all the sportsmanship. There were previous instances of ball tampering, does any of you know 'Cricket Australia' is known for changing balls in the course of the game... hey... come on that's not ball tampering... they are just changing balls... but aren’t the umpires only supposed to do this.

This is Australia at its best, playing and winning at regular intervals. If they think they cannot play against a particular bowler then don’t worry they will accuse the bowler for chucking, racial discrimination (we all know what sort of person is Andrew Symonds..!!)

The ICC is always mum when some issue crops up with the Indian team, may be all the big heads can answer this. And the BCCI for their part, "we have made a strong protest with the ICC", hell with it... why can't you cancel the series and ask the team to return. This is not something new for the Indian team, every time the team tours Australia something or the other keeps cropping up. And Mr.Ponting gives a press meet saying, "Don’t question my integrity" - all I have to say is none of you people play with the right spirit of the game.

Till 1992 world cup South Africa was banned from playing International Cricket, maybe Australia too needs a treatment like this.

Till then Happy Cricketing - Cricket Australia