Second test match of the series… and so far things don’t seem to be looking any different. Australia has posted a fabulous score of 376 in a single day at a run-rate of 4.2… now that’s some mauling.

India bowled as well as they probably could in the initial session and picked up 6 wickets at regular intervals. What should have once again concluded within 200-220 is now heading for a possible 450 plus score, which on this pitch would be a clear match winning total.

And the hero of the day was good ol’ Hoggy who came straight out of the leading cast of a pet show to whack the crap out of the Indian attack. It was a truly fabulous innings for he led Australia’s remarkable counter-attack while Symonds was busy nicking the ball to the fielders, checking how good were the vision of the umpires.

Nevertheless, it didn’t take long for Symonds to do what he knows best… club the ball around typical caveman style with all the brutal aggression and cheeky skill that he possesses. Symonds has once again proved to be the saviour of Australia and notched yet another hundred.

The highlight of the partnership between Hogg and Symonds was how well they played spin. Spinners are a bunch of wolves… they need to tantalize you, intimidate, get you holed into a corner, before they sneak up and kill. This partnership showed the age old theory that to play spin, you ought to go after them, not allow them to come close and you will remain on top… and most players around the world never seem to understand this.

On the bowling, Rudra Pratap Singh bowled well to pick up four top order batsmen and the ball to Hayden was a peach which a Wasim Akram would be proud of. Harbhajan chipped in and it was nice to initially see him flight a bit and get that loop going… However when the counter-attack happened, that quite disappeared predictably.

RP was typical a mixed bag… he is as unpredictable as a bull in heat. When he did bowl at a good line and length, results came and a session later he would spray the ball all over looking for his soul mate. Ishanth Sharma was drafted and I was a bit surprised at the wisdom of his inclusion… My thoughts were they should have included Pathan who may have added more solidity to the already frail batting line-up. Ishanth has the talent and bowled quite well… unlucky at times… experience will make him better hopefully.

I know for a fact that most Indian fans and the Indian media make a huge outcry when umpiring decisions go against their team and don’t comment anything about it when bad decisions are in their favour! While this is an obvious and unhealthy bias on their front, I for once am joining this bandwagon. Were these umpires stoned? It looks like the new-year brew is still running wild on them. How can so many obvious decisions go wrong to this extend? A third umpire getting it wrong takes the cake and every pussy in town.

And coming to the comments of Sunil Gavaskar on the umpiring, there is nothing more better to prove that he is an absolute slime ball. If he did feel that in Australia, umpires favour the home-side more, he should have gone on to say it. Instead, he chose to put it across that apparently Michael Holding in an early series, while commenting for another channel “seems to have” suggested that umpires have a severe bias towards the home team. What is he trying to prove here? He doesn’t have the guts to put out his thoughts, instead hints at someone else and puts words on someone else to serve his cause. Clever to trigger a row but what a disgusting slime ball!

Decisions can be bad and can be pathetic like today but the game goes on. To improve umpiring, it may be better if there are proper rankings also established for them just like for teams and players, based on decisions asked, given and accuracy rate. Perhaps that might motivate them better and be more on the toes. May be there is something like it which I am not aware of… but this can be given a more serious thought.
India’s problems in wiping out the tail, which I have been frustrated on and commented in length in various posts again caused what should have been a great day in the office to become a nightmare that is still running. Bad umpiring or not, they should have still got them out for far fewer runs. As long as they continue to treat Brett Lee & co as the reincarnation of the golden windies batting force, it will remain the same old story for Team India.

India’s fielding coach need to be sacked… there is nothing more to it. I know for a fact that Robin Singh was a fabulous under-19 coach. It maybe because he is stuck with his peers from his playing days, that they might not be treating him seriously. No offense to Robin’s efforts but I do not think he is making any impact at all… a serious time for a change… we need someone who can run a boot camp with the Indian team and whip them into a better fielding unit.

Once again Bravo Hogg… the only guy who has really taken the fight to the opposition to prove himself…. You deserve more respect.