Indian curators show how wickets should be done

It was the consensus of all cricketers and those interested in cricket that India and Australia played out the best ever series of one-day cricket in a seven-match contest that ended on Saturday. The time honoured axiom that it is not the winning or the losing that matters, but how one played the game was never better exemplified than the manner in which these two teams played out the series.

True at the end India won the series 3-2 with two games ending in watery graves. 'But the real winner was CRICKET, one of the games associated with another treasured axiom- that it is a great leveler.

Before going on to comment on this exciting and nail-biting series that had a full house of spectators on the edge of their seats at every venue, we offer our congratulations to the curators of every venue for providing wickets that were belters.

Tagged the 'cowboy game'

Limited-overs cricket, which is tagged the 'cowboy game', because the players, the umpires and even the sight screens wear coloured clothing; and where there is a shoot-out first and questions are asked later in the game.

This style of cricket was originally invented to lure the spectators who were dwindling from the established game, because it was lacking in excitement and thrills and spills. Whatever is said and done TEST CRICKET' is the thing and the ONLY thing. Over the years limited over cricket became an instant hit and began to attract spectators like moth to a flame. But some of the games failed to go the distance because wickets that were prepared were not in keeping with what was required for this style of game. It left spectators grumbling and cursing.

Tons of runs being made

When the seven-match one day series between India and Australia was mooted, it promised cricket luv'rly cricket, on condition that the wickets to be prepared were going to see ton of runs being made.

And that exactly was how the wickets were prepared at all venues. For this the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the curators at all venues can take a bow. Never before have wickets that helped batsmen play strokes like the wickets in India for this series have been prepared in any other cricket playing country. And as the big individual scores and totals made show, the wickets were excellent. Spectators fill venues to see batsmen putting bat to ball and sending it screeching to the boundary, or like rocket launched the ball zooming over the ropes and into the stands.

Shouting themselves hoarse

These two lovely sights was in abundance and had spectators clapping and cheering and shouting themselves hoarse yearning for more. And did not the batsmen on both sides oblige in style!

Fours and sixes rained at every venue. The sixes hit were amazing. In fact spectators were in danger of getting hit by the ball which was rocketed to the stands more often than the fours that were struck. With the series on equal terms with Australia and India winning two each, with two games buried in a watery grave, the seventh and final game was tagged a blockbuster, a humdinger and a mother of all finals. And that is how it was played out. Australia won the toss and asked India to bat on a wicket that was expected to remain the same throughout the 100 overs. And that is how it stayed with batsmen revelling.

Sixer hitting shared

Imagine 38 sixes been hit. Both sides shared the sixer hitting - India 19 and Australia 19. The fours hit were 59 - India 30 and Australia 29.In all 38 sixes and 59 fours. Never before has this game rolled out so many fours and sixes.

India made 383 for six and Australia 326 with India finally winning by 57 runs which sent them and their spectators into raptures. We who were taking in the action on Star Cricket were awe struck unable to figure out what was happening. The man who was the cynosure of all eyes in the final game and the

star attraction was right hand dasher Rohit Sharma. Surprisingly shut out of the longer version of the game, Sharma was in his elements as he hit hard at is detractors with a blistering 209. He joined the illustrious band of two other Indian cricketers who have smashed double hundreds in 50-over cricket - demi-god Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag. In 222 minutes at the wicket Sharma hit 12 fours and 16 sixes in 158 balls.

Dhoni's helicopter shot

Then Mahendra Sigh Dhoni put on show his helicopter shot to send the ball over the stands and out of the ground. He smacked 62 in 38 balls with 7 fours and two sixes. Although he was run out before opening his account in the final game Virat Kohli was amazing-- the manner in which he toyed with the Australian bowlers. He showed good timing and directed the ball where ever he wanted with muscle power. Left hander Shikhar Dhawan was another success of the series for India. He is having a dream run with the bat scoring with consummate ease and his explosive starts with Sharma put the Indian batting on victory street. Then when Australia chased an unlikely victory, Glen Maxwell, Shane Watson and James Faulkner joined the celebrations blasting 60, 49 and 116. Maxwell mauled 3 fours and 7 sixes in 23 minutes in just 22 balls.

Watson hamstring injury

Watson who was hampered by a hamstring injury, fired 2 fours and 6 sixes in 22 balls in 28 minutes. And when Maxwell and Watson left, Faulkner took centre stage to keep Aussie hopes alive much to the dismay of the Indian supporters. With Australia sliding to a big defeat at 211 for 8, Clint McKay

joined Faulkner and with a grand stand of 115 kept the game on tenterhooks. During this stand Faulkner added to his stature hammering a masterly 116 in 107 minutes, 73 balls with 11 fours and 6 sixes.

Australia could have stunned the cricket world and recorded a historic victory had not their consistent scoring captain George Bailey not run himself out stupidly. It was unlike Bailey and he must be kicking himself. With Australia tipped to surrender the 'Ashes' series to England beginning this month in Australia, the Australian selectors will be well advised to slot in Bailey into the middle order.

Batting looks uncertain

The Aussie middle order batting looks uncertain and unsettled. Bailey with his ability to smash any attack with his beefy hitting will be the ideal man to resuscitate the other batsmen and give them the all important oxygen.

Bailey must be given a free hand to bat one-day style and attempt to bash the England bowlers, like did Adam Gilchrist of old which is certain to add urgency to the batting and upset the England bowling.

All in all the seven match one-day series in India was a resounding success, thanks to the curators who produce wickets meant for this style of slap bang cricket and may they serve as examples to all curators all over the cricket world.

In limited-over cricket, spectators don't flock to see who is winning or who is losing, or who is taking wickets. What they crave and yearn to see is batsmen hitting the covers off the ball. The trend must continue.

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