Pakistan suffered most

Cricket, especially did not have it good in 2008. Especially affected were the sub-continent and the country to suffer most was Pakistan.

It was all because terrorists began to play a game of their own, that certainly wasn't sport which went to prove spoil sport and at the end leave the game of cricket most hurt.

Pakistan has not had competitive cricket for a long time and when things looked 'okay' and the wicket was laid for their neighbours India to tour, terror struck in Mumbai and a contest between the two countries that would have been worth watching was hit for six.

But just that terror struck should not mean that it is the end of the world for sport and for cricket. That India and England joined hands and said to hell with terrorism and continued with their engagements was a lesson to the terrorists that they will not bend, but continue to play keeping in mind that sport is the great leveller.

When England decided to continue with their tour of India, after calling off the remaining two One-Day Internationals and coming back to play the two Test matches, the whole sporting world said a big thank you to the England cricketers.

Had England said no, then the cricket world would have been in uncertainty and its very foundations would have been shaken and that the cricket world would have been split between the whites and the coloured was a foregone conclusion.

But the cricket Gods had other ideas. It was divine intervention that allowed the England tour of India and that they played the Two Test matches without any hindrance and flew back safely is a plus point for the cricketers, the game and the administrators.

True, England lost the two Test series one-nil. But the result did not matter. What mattered was that they played the game and isn't the game the thing?

England gave the wonderful game called cricket to the world and by continuing playing and upholding its lofty traditions has been an example and every sport fan must say a big thank you not only to the Englishmen but also to the Indians for keeping the flames of cricket burning and burning brightly.

Though the England cricketers took the field they would have done so with a lot of apprehension. Fear would have been uppermost in their minds and may have not wielded the willow they would have liked.

But yet although losing, they gave has good as they got to the Indians and in losing just One Test were certainly not disgraced.

India, if their victories over world champions Australia and now England are an indication will soon be the next world cricket superpower.

Led by dashing wicketkeeper batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni who will soon have a temple built in his name by his adoring fans, has a team packed with world beaters.

What they need is more cricket to show their true capabilities.

Aussies shell-shocked

The Australian cricketers must still be suffering the trauma of having been shell-shocked by the South Africans losing the First of three Tests by six wickets in Perth on Sunday.

True that any side has to learn to accept defeat as much as they would victory. But to lose by six wickets and after having set the visitors a massive 414 for victory, would indeed have been galling and something that they would find hard to accept.

Getting over 400 for victory and on a pitch that would sure have suffered a lot of ware and tare, was unimaginable. But surprisingly the wicket played like a first day one which would not only have surprised the South African batsmen, but doubly stunned the Aussie bowlers who could not obtain any help from it.

Not many teams have achieved this feat and the Proteas must have celebrated to the wee hours of the morning and their supporters and countrymen in South Africa too would have don similarly.

As for the Aussies, they must be wondering as to what hit them. Having dominated the game for nearly four days, that they had to cave in and surrender must be something that they will not find easy to shed from their system.

When the final day began, the stage was set for one of the most exciting and nail-biting finishes. On the previous day, skipper Graeme Smith suffering with a painful wrist, batted on doggedly and solidly to lay the foundation for this famous victory.

When the Proteas started their chase there were doubts whether Smith would be fit to wield the willow. But in his long century innings Smith suffered unbearable pain and suffered it for his side, knowing very well that there is no gain without pain.

And when victory finally came, it would have been Smith who would have been the most happiest and delighted.

Smith was well supported by Jacques Kallis, Abraham de Villers and Dumminy who all batted in the manner born to stuff the Kangaroos and inflict a defeat that would have been anathema to the Aussies.

Australian cricket was riding on a crest of a wave of success for decades, jackbooting all of their opponents ruthlessly and that the very same game that was joy to them had to turn a semi-circle, boomerang and be cruel on them with shattering force that burst their invincible bubble is a lesson that nothing is permanent in this world, not even in the world of sport.

However, this defeat should go to wake the Aussies from their slumber and come back firing all cylinders.

But with the Aussie heavy artillery now a spent force all retired, the young guns are incapable of firing and causing heavy losses on the visitors.

However, battling on home ground, if the Aussies were to surrender the series, it would be something that the Aussies would not be able to rise from - not even phoenix-like.

When this is being read, the Second Test would be in progress in Melbourne.

A joyful and sport filled New Year to all our readers!