SCG test : A slur on the Australian sporstmanship and umpiring standards

For the uninitiated and for those who didnt follow the 2nd cricket test match between India and Australia at the SCG (Sydney Cricket Ground) and who may be wondering what the hype and hysteria is being genereated in the media, allow me to walk u through the proceedings.

Well India are currently touring Australia for a period of 40+ days to play 4 tests as part of the Border-Gavaskar trophy. The test iternary is as follows :

1st test :26 - 30 Dec 2007 - MCG
2nd test :02 - 06 Jan 2008 - SCG
3rd test :16 - 20 (WACA) - Perth
4th test :24 - 28 Oval - Adelaide

In the first test, India were truly and squarely thrashed by the hosts by 337 runs. The touring party then landed in the city of the "The Opera House" for the 2nd test. Well here is when the action (of all the wrong kind) begins.

Ponting won the toss and elected to bat. The Aussies lost the openers cheaply and Ponting and Hussey also cudnt contribute much and the new talent , the baby faced Micheal Clarke went on a 1. At this stage the formidable Aussies werent in a healthy state with the total around 160 odd runs with 5 wickets down. This brought Symonds n Gilly to the crease. Soon Gilly departed and Symonds was the last recognised middle order bat and the tail was to follow soon. Hoggie was givin Symonds good company when with the total around 190 odd runs for 6 down,...Symonds survived a caught behind appeal which was so loud and clear that everyone except the umpire @ the bowler's end cud hear.The Indians were disappointed but little did they know that this was a precursor for greater misery to follow.

Symonds survived 2 other sure-out decisions and went on to make 162 runs thus contributing decisively to Australia's first innings score of 463. In the second innings Ponting was not given out for a clear n loud nick which the snickometer faithfully reported whereas Rahul Dravid was given out to a sound when the ball kissed his pads and when his bat was right behind his pads. Rahul's was a crucial wicket as he was starting to look solid. Similarly was the case with Ganguly...his catch was grassed and still Ganguly found himself the victim of unfair and biased umpiring and this decision mind u , was given after the umpire referred to Ponting rather than to the square-leg umpire or the 3rd umpire. In all, 8 decisions went against the Indians and 2 against the Aussies. The umpiring was so sub standard (3rd rate I must say)that BCCI has decided to lodge a formal complaint against both the officiating umpires (Steve Bucknor n Mark Benson).

During the 1st innings when Bhajji was batting alonside Sachin...Symonds was continuously sledging the sardar and when Bhajji called up Symonds and gave him a piece of his mind, Ponting (the cry baby) runs to the umpire suggesting that Bhajji has racially abused Symonds. And if at all Bhajji called Symonds a big monkey(thats what the media quotes ), I'm unable to fathom where does the racial undertone come from ? Ponting's statement implies only one thing and that is too obvious for me to state here. Aussies have always known to go overboard with their sledging which they very hypocritically justify as their culture , their way of playin the game (what they very unabashedly call as playing it the hard way...I wud say there are other ways to play the game the hard way mate...ask Anil Kumble and he will tell what real guts and hardplay is and he shud know it bcoz he bowled with a broken jaw against the Windies. Kumble fractured his jaw and the doctor put a supportin' plate and told Kumble to take 3 weeks rest n then start normal practice, Kumble went back and resumed the next day, from where he left off..bowled 14 overs with a broken jaw n took the prized scalp of Lara..this is what is called as playin the hard way mate.) and when any team gives it to them in their own kind...they wilt and suddnely turn mamma's gud boys. Oh mummy mummy ...look Bhajji is callin Symonds a big monkey...isnt that bad Mommy ?? See I'm such a good boy..I came and reported to you what Bhajji said. But I wont tell u that Hoggie called Kumble a ba****d .. u see mommy ba****d is such a harmless word but hell, moneky is a such an infuriating word. By calling a monkey..u are questioning a person's race :O ... and that is such an unpardonable offence mommy, isnt it ?. Bhajji should be severly punished .

Well, agreed, that Bhajji isnt bowling anywhere near his best but he is surely bowling with enuf guile to have the Punter in loops. Ponting was dismissed on all 4 occasions by the sardar in 2 tests and it wont be unfair to say that Ponting must have been on the lookout to keep Bhajji @ bay..and in such a case when a golden opportunity presents itself how can the punter ever not grab it...and yeah, grab it he did, with both hands. Otherwise why would he go and report to the umpire abt the ongoing spat involving Symonds n Bhajji..when Symonds himself quoted in the newspapers that it was jus a friendly verbal exchange and when the Aussies believe that sledging is a way of playin the game.. so, surely punter's action here smacks of hollow sportsmanship and double standards.

With the win here in the SCG test, Ponting's men have equalled Steve Waugh's record of 16 successive test wins but this test would be remembered by many, not for the Aussies 's feats but the controversial catching rulings, biased umpirings, hypocritical approach of the aussies's towards sledging (Bhajji case) and the excessive appeals and over the board ungracious celebrations. With emotions boiling all over abt this issue, many want the Indian team to come back but I think Team India should stay back and compete and defeat the Aussies but only after the racial abuse charge against Bhajji is dropped and after ICC replaces the 2 men in black-n- white, especially Mr. Bucknor (many past incidents prove Bucknor having a -ive bias towards team India. It is so sorry to see an umpire of such repute goin thru such a stage). Thank u Mr. Benson, thank u Mr. Bucknor...u both have been so very kind and gracious. It was an unforgettable experience having u both in our midst.

Finally....if the charges are dropped and if BCCI has its way abt the 2 umpires then cricket enthusiasts all over the world can look forward to some spirited display of cricket. At this point, I cant help but feel a sense of Deja-vu and to understand that we need to go back in time

Occasion : India - Australia test match and Australia with a record no. of 16 wins.
Year : 2001
Result : India won.

It was Team India who 'd brought the mighty Aussie juggernaut to a halt in tests when Steve n his men 'd successively won 16 tests on a trot.

And here we are again face to face with the same team and the same record. Will we see history repeating itself ?? Well you never know :).We may be in for a surprise. Lets wait n watch the drama unfold :-). My prayers and BEST WISHES go out to Kumble n his men. Common TEAM INDIA.