TOI is a joke worse than a tabloid, bina pendi ka lota. I am happy for Dada and impressed by his leadership skills, leading by example.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Asif_k: *
TOI is a joke worse than a tabloid, bina pendi ka lota. I am happy for Dada and impressed by his leadership skills, leading by example.
[/QUOTE]
Yes, I've always been Ganguly's supporter.
The tail enders are getting excellent batting practice. There is no pressure on them, nothing to lose, and they're enjoying Gillespies full tosses. Aussies look disgusted.
Some1- I remember Tom's comment. Boy, feedback is full of KK and KK.
Stumps - Day 4. India 362/6 :)
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Leg before Wicket 
poor guy doesn’t seem to have his entire body before wicket.
Great Batting by Indians.All did well except Dravid.I am sure he will deliver in next match.
Dada,laxman ( man he loves Aussies),Parthive and Akash were very impressive. Dada really surpised all indians and himself.he was flawless.Reminded me of Dada of 1995-96.Though I hate him to force me to spend $139. ;)
I think tomrrow Indian should bat 1 hour make 400-410 and give it to Aussies ofcourse if Indian dont get bowled out and see how it goes.I wana see Aussies under little pressure. So far India has done better than Aussies in this test match.It is good sign.I remember when we lost 3-0 we didnt score 300 in any of the test.So doing this in first match of series at Gaba is great.
Akashvani se Samachar Samapt hota hai.
There is nothing new here.In his previous aussies series also he was given “Shoulder Before Wicket”.
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*Originally posted by fair_&_balance: *
There is nothing new here.In his previous aussies series also he was given "Shoulder Before Wicket".
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Cracking Inning by Ganguly.. his shots againt Uncle Bichel were a treat to watch..
Steve Might be pretty harsh with Sachins Decision...
Did anyone noticed ABAY coming out of Sachin's mouth, after he saw the finger going up. that was mere disappointment, Sachin was not expecting such a decision coz heknew where his off stump was.. but I reall enjoyed that ABAY from his mouth and his expression.. poor Sachin,, Steve made a terrible decision..
but in all cracker of an inning from Gangluy and not to forget Laxman as well... it was nice watching good test cricket after a while..
this match will end in a draw. lets hope for the second one..
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by coOoLBreeze: *
Cracking Inning by Ganguly.. his shots againt Uncle Bichel were a treat to watch..
Steve Might be pretty harsh with Sachins Decision...
Did anyone noticed ABAY coming out of Sachin's mouth, after he saw the finger going up. that was mere disappointment, Sachin was not expecting such a decision coz heknew where his off stump was.. but I reall enjoyed that ABAY from his mouth and his expression.. poor Sachin,, Steve made a terrible decision..
but in all cracker of an inning from Gangluy and not to forget Laxman as well... it was nice watching good test cricket after a while..
this match will end in a draw. lets hope for the second one..
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I think it was like "WHATTTT " ( I cant beleive it). He was just shocked.
The LBW decision against Scahin was appalling.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by fair_&_balance: *
I think it was like "WHATTTT " ( I cant beleive it). He was just shocked.
[/QUOTE]
I thought it was ABAY...and yeah he was shocked thats why his expression were of not believing..
Ganguly seizes the day as India take the lead](http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2003/DEC/007675_AUSIND2003-04_06DEC2003.html)
Close India 362 for 6 (Ganguly 144, Laxman 75) lead Australia 323 by 39 runs
India had a day they could be proud of at the Gabba. Sterling performances from Sourav Ganguly (144) and VVS Laxman (75) went a long way in assuaging the pain of seeing Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar dismissed for only a run between them. There was a passage in play between lunch and tea when India were well and truly on top. Australia’s bowlers were under pressure, the field was spread and India’s traditional strength, their batting, came to the fore. India reached 362 for 6, a lead of 39, with one day left in the game.
When the day began, with India on 11 for no loss, there was still plenty of work to be done. Steve Waugh unleashed Australia’s bowling firepower on a bright, sunny day, but India had answers to most of the questions asked of them. Akash Chopra and Virender Sehwag looked the part at the top of the order.
Sehwag made the most of Andy Bichel’s ordinary spell earlier on, driving and flicking with confidence. It was only the full, swinging deliveries outside the off stump that created trouble. He was dropped by Damien Martyn off Nathan Bracken in just the fourth over of the day. But, Bracken had his revenge, and first Test wicket, later on, when Sehwag’s flashing drive resulted in an edge to Matthew Hayden in the slip cordon (61 for 1). Hayden wrapped his hands gratefully around the ball, and ended Sehwag’s breezy 45.
Soon after, Gillespie imposed himself on the game. He tricked Rahul Dravid (1) into poking at a delivery that swung, seamed away and kissed the edge on the way to Hayden at slip (62 for 2). In the same over came the moment that Steve Bucknor will be reminded about by every Indian supporter he comes across in the rest of his life.
Gillespie let rip a quick one on the stumps. Tendulkar picked up the length of the ball early and shouldered arms in the firm knowledge that the ball would clear the stumps. As the ball thudded into pad, Gillespie, wild mullet flapping in the wind and fire in the eyes, went up in appeal. Bucknor looked back blankly till Gillespie gave up hope, and then raised his finger. Tendulkar gone for a duck, 63 for 3, and suddenly talk about the follow-on target of 124 seemed valid.
But Ganguly did not entertain any such negative thoughts. He hit the crease running, and drove through the off side with the panache that once prompted Dravid to say, “in the off side there is God, and then there is Ganguly.” He leaned into the line of ball, not necessarily moving his feet in exaggerated fashion, and stroked, nay caressed, the ball to the fence. The timing was spot on, and soon the placement matched it.
Even the fall of Chopra, in the first over after lunch, for a well-made 36, once again to the firm of Hayden and Gillespie (127 for 4) did not slow down Ganguly. For that, much credit must go to Laxman. When Laxman played a characteristic swivel-pull, that left square leg dead in his place, for four, it seemed as though he was batting on a hundred. There were several more gorgeous shots, fit for a king. There was the flick off the hips, the on-drive and the backfoot punch through covers.
When Ganguly brought up his century with a sweep off Stuart MacGill, a well of emotion poured forth. Under pressure, against the best side in the world in their backyard, the captain of India had come good. It sent out a strong signal and did much to set up the series.
Laxman, another man who has been under needless pressure in recent times, was out in the middle to share the moment with his captain. Sadly, even though he himself looked good enough for a hundred, Laxman gave his wicket away, completely against the grain of play. He sliced a short, slightly wide delivery from MacGill straight to Simon Katich at point (273 for 5). Laxman had made an elegant 75, laced with 11 delectable boundaries.
Unfazed, Ganguly carried on in the company of Parthiv Patel (37 not out) and racked up 144, with 18 boundaries, before he holed out to Gillespie off MacGill (329 for 6). By this stage, India had taken the lead, and stretched it to 39 when play was called off due to bad light.
362/6 :k: very good batting by Ganguly
Well played India:k:
Amazing performance by Indians... They even surprised themselves, let alone aussies..
i expect a tough second match
Fox News -
Tendulkar’s dismissal robs crowd
By Mike Coward
December 8, 2003
NKFULLY, Steve Bucknor is Jamaican. If he was an Australian citizen, one hell of a diplomatic row would be under way following his astonishing leg-before verdict against Sachin Tendulkar.
Of course, it is well understood that even the best umpires make errors of judgment and Bucknor has enjoyed an impressive reputation for some time. But this was an aberration and an insult to the peerless Tendulkar, whose genius as a batsman is universally admired. Indeed, he was given a rousing reception when he went to the wicket yesterday. It was, after all, only his second appearance at the Gabba and his first for 12 years.
To his credit, Tendulkar conducted himself in exemplary fashion and withdrew with poise and dignity without a run alongside his name. If there was ever a definitive example of the spirit of cricket, the creed which has so occupied the Australian cricketers and their governors in recent times, this was it.
Given the fate which befell him on his last visit to Australia four years ago, Tendulkar had every right to be enraged. On at least two occasions during that three-match series, he was given out in the most controversial circumstances, the most galling being in Adelaide when adjudged leg-before for nought when hit on the shoulder endeavouring to evade a short ball from Glenn McGrath. On that occasion the umpire was an Australian, Daryl Harper, and the legendary graciousness of the Indian cricket community was tested like never before.
There was also severe doubt about his first-innings dismissal in that Test, bat-pad against Shane Warne, and a leg-before verdict in Sydney in the final match.
It may well be that elite batsmen of considerably less skill and status indirectly contributed to Tendulkar’s demise yesterday.
There can be no doubt that in recent years the game’s elite umpires have grown increasingly weary of batsmen playing with their pads rather than their bat. The umpiring fraternity has said nothing publicly or committed anything to paper but, to constant observers of the international game, their stance is obvious.
And while umpires are principally gunning for batsmen who insist on playing behind their pads against slow bowling, clearly there is now great danger for any batsman who pads up against any form of bowling.
Tendulkar will think long and hard before again padding up to Jason Gillespie or anyone else, for that matter, especially when Bucknor is on duty.
No-one was more surprised at Tendulkar’s downfall than Gillespie, who after a half-hearted appeal turned his back on proceedings at the end of his eighth over.
It is simply hard to credit how an umpire of Bucknor’s experience could so misjudge, misread the bounce of a traditional Gabba pitch. The delivery would have cleared the stumps by a considerable margin.
It seemed he was so unsettled by the moment that he again erred in judgment when to all and sundry it seemed Akash Chopra had turned a delivery from Stuart MacGill into the hands of Simon Katich at short leg when he was 27. This time, the emphatic appeals of the Australians were ignored.
The Tendulkar decision was particularly distressing for patrons already short-changed as a consequence of the foul weather over the first three days and some bizarre interpretations about suitability for play by Bucknor and his South African colleague Rudi Koertzen.
These days, umpires’ light meters are used far more often than commonsense and are fast becoming the bane of the traditional game and its long-suffering patrons.
Tendulkar is such a consummate professional no doubt he will put the incident behind him and, in all probability, prosper later in the series. But the fact remains an elite professional is entitled to expect more in this arena.
As it happened, the drama did not deprive the crowd of as much entertainment and excitement as they had feared.
They were treated to some exquisite batting by Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman against an attack which, despite a satisfactory debut by Nathan Bracken, sorely missed the steadying influence of McGrath and Warne.
It is always a joy to watch masterful Indian batsmen in full flow andtheir partnership has set an imposing benchmark for the summer.(keep it going boys, keep it going.:bravo:
Ganguly, who has had a tough time of it of late, achieved what he set out to do: make an emphatic statement. He wants all and sundry to know that this Indian team have more steel than their advance publicity has suggested and that they will be proud and legitimate opponents for Australia this summer. After all, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy resides in India and not Australia.
Ganguly’s square and cover driving and controlled swivel-pulling was thrilling and his placement always immaculate.
While Ganguly played with a dramatic back lift and a full sweep of the bat, Laxman, in the time-honoured tradition of the subcontinent’s finest batsmen, used his wrists to dissect the bowling quite beautifully.
The Australian
I wonder how he got through the high school with such a name. 
drats! I wait and wait and hope for a good Ganguly inning and when it comes I forget all about the game and waste time making money!
But Ganguly cent and no six? What's the world coming too?
But it's no great achievement. Aussies are playing their H team right now. Wait till they play Shoaib then I'll admit they can bat
i really hope to see more such stuff especially against Lee and McGrath ...... to watch that i won't sleep a single minute all night long ..... If india continue it this way it surely will be the begin of the downfall of the mighty A U S T R A L I A
^ I hope it's not a downfall - we need some competition to see good cricket
I’ve figured out the secret of Indian players doing well. Each one needs a private foreign coach. Hey, the rich BCCI can afford it surely. For eg, Reid for Zaheer, Wasim for Nehra, Chappell for Ganguly, maybe Jonty for Kaif…
http://www-usa.cricket.org/db/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2003/DEC/008133_AUSIND2003-04_07DEC2003.html
Ganguly had spent six days with Greg Chappell in preparation for the Australian tour. Chappell wasn’t willing to take any credit for Ganguly’s hundred today, saying that the hard work was always done in the middle. He did say, though, that most of all, he had emphasised to Ganguly the need to stay positive and let the merit of each ball dictate his response.
The most noticeable feature in Ganguly’s batting today was his footwork. The essence of his off-side strokeplay is playing away from his body, for it allows him the freedom of extending his arms and create space for those silken drives, but his front foot was moving positively across today, which made his defense more secure and certain. He left balls outside his off stump with a rare assurance and his handling of the short ball was remarkably decisive: he either swivelled to slap them away in a controlled way, or ducked securely. <<