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Name:Krishnan Swamy
Australian Players: A Disgrace to a gentleman's game
I think it was a well-deserved lesson for the Aussies. Winning matches at
home is not everything, and the true test is winning in all conditions, and
that includes places like India and Sri Lanka, and not necessarily just the
WACA, Gabba and the SCG. By S Waugh's own admission, this was indeed the
final frontier. And guess what, something tells me that the Ashes is not
going to be a breeze either.
One piece of advice for the Aussies. Maybe, people like Glenn McGrath should
refrain from writing in the press. His statements of having "figured out
Sachin and Rahul", "knowing Laxman's weaknesses", "having a plan for all
Indian batsmen" and having team strategy meetings on "how to tackle the
spinners" is beginning to wear thin. What happened to Ze Grand Plan when
the Aussies got tonked around for 500 plus in two consecutive innings. Glenn
McGrath is nothing but an over-grown school boy with a bad attitude.
Mr.McGrath, I hope you have taken your lesson well and will be more
circumspect before making statements that end up sounding ludicrous. Justin
Langer wrote far more maturely in the press.
A great Indian victory. Australia must have fancied their chances at 135/7
but the Indian citadel held firm. See you again in some 4-5 years time,
Australia. And then, it will be 36 years since the last victory in India.
Cheers!
Sam:
MacGill instead of Warne, yes.
Name:: Anujay Vootla
Australian Players: A Disgrace to a gentleman's game
Dear Mr. Steve Waugh:
I have had several sleepless nights watching cricket but it was worth
watching, Thanks for the great entertainment provided by the Australian
team. McGrath and Gillespie are great bowlers but they can still be great
without those wagging tongues and contorted faces. I mean the sledging which
is euphemistically wrapped under mental disintegration. Warne was unlucky,
only because he was concentrating too much on a strategy for Sachin while
Laxman struck him un-noticed like a tornado. Still Warne is a great spinner,
just that his unseen psychological Armour that his team provides was never
there. Pointing was a disappointment. Gilchrist was a meteorite blazed in
Bombay and failed to ride the same luck. Hayden was awesome just because he
practiced and prepared himself well within his potentials. Slater made a
joker out of himself trying to be a bully playing a backyard street game.
Mark Waugh is poetry to watch but he failed to strike a rhythm. Langer
didn't deliver but the standing ovation should go to you Mr. Waugh in spite
of your mental disintegration tactics, you are a gem to Cricket. Your team
really played great but it happened so that the wishes of one billion people
weighed in a lot. Even while loosing you Aussies have taught a lesson to the
Indians. The Self belief. The revival of that mental toughness is definitely
connected to your mental disintegration volleys in the media. Even though
Ganguly reacted as an armature he has the potential to master this art. Of
course without the pig headed arrogance. Thanks for baptizing Saurav with
fire. Thanks for all the good you have done to the Indian Cricket and Test
Cricket overall. I salute you Mr. Waugh, Forget Mike Brarely you are one
heck of a captain, not just on the cricket field. I wish we have more
captains like you in every field. long live Mr. Waugh.
Sam:
I personally think that Warne is no longer the same bowler after his
surgery. Waugh is mentally tough but some of the others tend to fade under
pressure. The way the Australians, especially Jason Gillespie, fought on the
last day was pretty inspiring.
Name:Jyothi
Dear Sir,
I think that the aussies were very unlucky overall.nothing seemed to work
for Jason Gillespie who I think was the best bowler for australia in the
series.On such flat helpless wickets his skill was very admirable. I was just
thinking about what would have happened if India had a similar target to
chase in australia where the pitches have just a wee bit of bounce.
Lucky Indians.....We play on pitches that are unique to our country and our
captain cries foul when he finds that the pitch doesnt suit his bowlers.
mamamia we surely pulled a duck out of our hats to beat the aussies.
Anyway godluck India!!
Sam:
I don't agree. Good teams win on any surface. These were not
overly spin-friendly tracks. I have seen real dust-bowls in India and
these were as good as any wickets prepared in any country for a
five-day match. Australia couldn't cope, that's the truth.
Name:Sameer Viswanathan
Australian Players: A Disgrace to a gentleman's game
Its interesting that this series has sparked off a resurgence of interest in
cricket in Australia. The "un-defeatables" have finally met their match in
India.
It was a amazing series in that the Indians lifted their game and fought
like their lives depended on the outcome and the aussies never let up. Its
interesting that in the washup the main news in australia seems to be the
controversy about the one fingered salute by Hemant Badani. A careful look
at the replay shows that most of the players were waving while Hemant was
giving the bird. Seems like the touring Aussie fans have taken on the role
of the whingeing Pom. Very amusing reports on aussie TV with the mortally
offended tourists complaining as if getting the bird was so damaging to
their self esteem. Surely the peurile gesture of one player does not make
the team? I have seen Warney do worse at the SCG. The chants going around
the SCG during any cricket match are far worse. Wonder why such a fuss is
being made?
Sam:
This one player was the captain. But there has been a lot of play
given to it by the media. Perhaps because there is nothing else on
which to focus.
Name: Bala Natarajan
Dear Australians,
I request this note be passed on to the touring Australian team.
I want to thank the team for providing a wonderful performance in the entire
three test series. The tests were so close that it could have been Australia
winning in the "final frontier". The team was very professional in their
conduct. There were nice gestures when Indian batsmen scored runs. All the
cricket playing nations should learn from the Australian attitude.
I am also sorry about our captain's attitude and behavior. In contrast,
Steve Waugh was at his best even in defeat. He is a role model both on and
off the field. I was very much touched by his kindness and kindness of the
Australian cricketers for caring about poor and orphaned children in India.
How many of our own players are like that, I wonder!
Steve, you and your team won the respect and the heart of millions of
cricket loving fans. I think that it self is the greatest victory of all!
Good luck to you and your team in the one day series and the Ashes tour this
summer.
Bala
Sam:
I guess some people see things differently, Bala, but your points are taken.
Name:Gourishankar Pani
It's time the Ausies heed to what John Buchanan says - to be humble, and
behaved like other cricketers. Success at home had gotten to their heads.
The tantrums of Slater, the antics of McGrath and Warne are the case in
point. Ricky Ponting looks lost while facing good spin bowling(read
Harbhajan). This puts to rest the debate whether this Australian team is the
best ever. When they are put under pressure, they are simply not good
enough. The media had glorified the team and given more respect than what
was due. The much vaunted attack could not take a single wicket in a whole
day in Calcutta and the LONG batting line-up could not hold the fort for a
session. So it's high time guys like McGrath ate the humble pie and learnt
humility.
Thanks,
Pani
Sam:
I don't see exactly how humility is going to help a person's
cricketing ability. Commonsense, yes.
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