Thunderous bowling leads to a rainy day

After a thunderous spell of fast bowling from Aussie speedster Brett Lee, it was no surprise that rain gods gave in to a shower. Blaming the Indian team would mean taking away the credit from Lee.

One day international number 2670 played at the Brisbane cricket ground will not be etched in the minds of Indian players for long. It was the first of the 15 match Commonwealth Bank tri-series between India, Sri Lanka and Australia.

After winning the toss Dhoni put in his new recruits to bat. Ponting and his men obliged Dhoni’s decision to bat by removing both the openers within seven overs.

Incidentally, the openers (Sachin and Sehwag) were among the four players who had the experience of playing in these conditions. The other two were Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan who had made their debut last time around. The total number of ODI’s played between the remaining seven players is 165.

India looked in deep trouble after the exit of their most seasoned players in the squad. But Rohit Sharma had a calming influence over the proceedings collaborating with Gautam Gambhir. Their 77 – ball – 65 – run association was a reminiscent of their form from the T20 world cup.

Gambhir got out to an in swinging delivery from Mitchell Johnson. After being dropped twice in a Johnson over Gambhir didn’t make the Aussies pay much getting out on 39. In a bid to accelerate the scoring rate Sharma got out to a feather faint nick of a Lee delivery giving soon to be retiring Gilchrist his 402nd catch.

Gambhir was surprisingly followed by debutante Manoj Tewari who had touched Australian lands just a couple of days back for the first time in his life. He got a fire brand reception from Brett Lee. Lee unleashed a mixture of deadly short deliveries and zipping fuller ones. Tewari fell to Lee’s modus operandi being cleaned up by a fullish delivery followed by bouncers. Tewari walked back and came in well built Robin Uthappa.

Sharma’s departure brought about the arrival of the Indian skipper Dhoni. He played in an uncharacteristically Dhoni way. He was slow and steady and had little choice but to stand as long as in the possibly remaining 29 overs. The Uthappa – Dhoni association didn’t last long as Uthappa gave Ashley Noffke his first ever international cricket dismissal.

The tail wagged better with Dhoni than the top order batsmen building a fruitful 45 runs and 42 runs partnership for the 7th and 8th wicket respectively. First Pathan tried to anchor a partnership with Dhoni. After his exit came in one of the Australia’s favourite whipping boy, Harbhajan Singh. He entered the field with a hostile reception from the crowd and he answered the derision with an enterprising 27.

Blaming the Indian team which had seven players playing for the first time in the world crickets’ most difficult tours would be unfair to Brett Lee. His 54-ball-five-wicket spell proved the transition of the Australian bowling from Shane Warne –Glenn McGrath to Brett Lee successful.

The rain fall cut short the match to a 45 over game and it ended with an impossible run by Sreesanth after he got out on the last ball of the match.

The Australian innings started the usual Gilchrist way. He and James Hopes slammed the bowling for 33 runs 4th over before Gilly walked out; mind you he walked out to an effervescent Sreesanth’s short delivery which he gloved on its way to Dhoni.

The find of the Australian tour Ishant Sharma bowled a perfect inswinger to clean up James Hopes. The delivery swung in sharply from a driveable length with pristine seam position. The delivery seemed to be too good for any batsmen in the world.

It looked like there was a silver lining in the dark cloud after all. It was now Sreesanth’s turn to celebrate. He got his favourite man Ponting out for a blob.

The Indian players looked charged up and were finding their way to a yet so far victory. But the rain gods decided to intervene again.

For an Australian supporter the downpour helped Indian team to get away with 2 points. But for a die-hard and eternally optimistic Indian fan, Australian’s were saved from blushes.

No one knows which team it helped. But the matter of fact remains that the game of cricket is full of uncertainties.

The comeback of sorts by the young Indian team was a sight to watch. Ishant was Ishant was spitting venom in the couple of overs he bowled. Sreesanth was also playing cricket, in fact bowling on the field.

But the most surprising picture emerging out of the tour down under is that bowling has become India’s strength.