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ShareHyderabad: In the end, it was heartbreak for the 42,000 spectators who had screamed their lungs out. The India-Australia rivalry isconsidered the marquee contest in terms of revenue generation, bums on seats, and above all, the quality of cricket.
At 2-2 going into the fifth game, one of the teams was expected to lift its game. Here on Thursday, a quartet of Australian batsmen and one Indian -- Sachin Tendulkar -- played out of their skin. India, led by Tendulkar's imperious 175 and an earnest effort by Suresh Raina, lost by a heart-breaking three runs chasing a mammoth 351 for victory. With matches like these, the future of one-day cricket only looks brighter.
Australia would have felt similar kind pressure before. Ricky Ponting would have known that his team, though the best in the world, has had the ignominy of being on the losing side during the two top run chases ever in ODI cricket. South Africa did it at the Wanderers when they chased down an unbelievable 434, New Zealand did it in Hamilton in 2007 when they went past Australia's 346.
On Thursday, India almost pulled off a miracle. Australia had posted a mammoth 350 on a track which produced 697 runs in all. At the break, Ricky Ponting may have thought of a late-night party and you couldn't have really blamed him. The match was probably in the bag. Australia had fought tooth and nail so far to stay on par with India after four games.
They have lost eight of their first-choice players to injury. It is a testament to their character that they managed to squeeze the best out of their resources. They did produce a powerful batting display after winning the toss.
Their senior players, Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey, contributed, while Shaun Marsh smashed a century and Shane Watson showed why he is turning into one of the most dangerous opening batsmen in world cricket. On a batting strip, the bowlers couldn't afford to err and putting catches down was a sin. Both sides, in the heat of the battle, were guilty of both. First, MS Dhoni spilled a chance when Marsh tried to cut Harbhajan. Marsh was on 29 then. He went on to score a match-winning scored 112.
Milestone man Sachin Tendulkar couldn't have timed his innings -- arguably one of the greatest ODI knocks -- any better. After nearly two decades, 435 matches, 45 tons and over 17,000 runs, the Sachin show, easily the most successful Box Office hit, still entices the world.
And through it all -- the aching body, the burden of expectations and the barbs of critics -- Tendulkar showed that he still can an conjure unbelievable inningsand change the script of a game.
The seven runs he required to cross the 17K barrier was eagerly anticipated and vociferously cheered by the capacity crowd. He played out four dot balls off Ben Hilfenhaus before flicking one past square-leg for three runs to go past the milestone. He took 17 balls to score the first seven. He finished with 175 off just 141 balls. With the pressure of expectations surrounding his personal landmark behind him, Tendulkar changed his bat and got down to business.
Shortly he played his first shot of real intent -- a punch over mid-off against Hilfenhaus. Coming into this game with scores of 14, 4, 32, 40 in the series, a lot was expected of him. He responded like he has over the past two decades, rather unfailingly. The 81-ball century was the fastest by an Indian against Australia.
Tendulkar has mellowed with age. Even then there have been these occasions when he has turned back the clock, shed the role of an accumulator and played at his attacking best. On Thursday, Tendulkar took it upon himself to knock over the mammoth target of 351. He almost did, if only some of his teammates showed more gumption.
With the series tied at 2-2, both teams needed something special. Australia through a dominating innings from Shane Watson, Marsh's century, got what looked like a match-winning score.
However, when Sachin Tendulkar bats like this, there isn't much many bowlers have been able to do over the years to stop him. Ponting, with his strike bowlers back in Australia, could only watch as Tendulkar took his game to another level. Watching Tendulkar bat, during most times of his innings, was like watching a highlights show.
None of the Australia bowlers were spared. Not once did he look like he was going to tire. There were no visible signs of cramps in spite of him batting till the 48th over and scampering for singles and converting ones into twos. But there wasn't a moment when he wasn't in control. In search of quick runs he failed to pull off a paddle scoop when
India looked poised for an unbelievable win. There was a stunned silence at the stadium before Tendulkar got a standing ovation. It's a pity that he ended up on the losing side.
Pity, because he deserved a better deal just nine days short of 20 years in the game.
