DOWN AND UNDER=BEGINNING OF AN END OF AN ERA AND AURA

Cricket is a game of uncertainties and a sense of ambivalence is always associated with it.But when australia is playing,there is no dubeity about the fact that they are going to thrash their opponents.Over the years,the aussies towered above every other cricketing team and overall dominated the world of cricket.They are the world number 1 team at present according to every ranking system in both ODIs and tests.But every beginning has an end.The aussie domination is coming to an end slowly but swiftly.The retirement of players like mc grath,warne,langer and gilchrist is getting too much for "the kangaroos"and the new young team led by the cheater cock ricky ponting is not well balanced to beat strong teams like India and South africa.



It was december 2007.India went down under for a 4 match test series and a triangular ODI tourney.Australia won the first test at MCG quite effortlessly and maintained the impression of being the best.It was the second test at SCG which has changed everything.It was the test where cricket was played less and controversies dominated the whole 5 day test.Remember the "monkey" or "maa ki" incident with bhajji and the fishing boy being the culprits.Because of some sloppy umpiring,rogued captaincy by the punter and to some extent,poor batting by indian tailenders, australia won the test which infact played an important role in their downfall.

3rd test at perth.Inmidst of many controversies,this test was played where Indian team led by the dignified jumbo,thrashed the aussies and given them a messege that "talk less and play more".The 4th test at adeliade was a draw and India has to satisfied with a 2-1 Series although they dominated the whole series.

Then came the CB series with sri lanka being the 3rd team.India and australia went into the finals which was a best of three.I can still recapture what ponting had said before the first final."we want to finish it off in 2 matches because it would be tiring to play the 3rd one"

He is simply great .He can see the future.India mauled them in the first two matches led by the MASTER BLASTER who scored a brilliant hundred in the first game and a patient 90 odd in the second and an extraordinary spell by praveen kumar.3rd final was indeed not required punter.

please someone ask ricky who will win the next worldcup????

Then in octobor 2008,aussies came to india with the border-gavaskar trophy under their scrap.

The war of words was alrealy started and inmidst of all this ,the first test was played at bangalore.It was a draw and i think australia dominated the whole gameIn post match match conference,ponting said "indians were playing some old school cricket".is it so Mr.CC??

The next test at mohali.India played so called "old school cricket" to trample the aussies by some 300+ runs.Ponting said after the game "they played exceptionally good cricket and they deserved to win" but i was dissapointed because he didnt explain what "old school cricket".

3rd test at delhi was a dumb draw .4th test at nagpur.India dominated the first 2 and half days but after that aussie fought back well to see them on the verge of winning the test.Just when aussies were in the driver's seat to thrash the indian tailenders,ponting again came into action

and led aussie to lose the match followed by a stupendous spell by ishant.

India won the series by 2-0.

It is dec 2008.The proteas has come to australia for a 3 match test series and a ODI tournament.1st test at perth.australia gave them an impossible target of 414 with 1 and half days left.But nothing is impervious in cricket.They achieved the total with so much ease that left the aussies bewildered.

2nd test at MCG.This time australia gave them a target of 183.No need to say the result.

today only is the 5th day of the 2nd test and south africa has already won the series.I am looking forward to the post match interview about what ponting has to say.

Thats the situation at present.Australia is a still a strong team but against the weak opponenets like WI or bangladesh.But when it comes to teams like SA or INDIA,they were no where near of being a mighty team.

Except ponting,haddin and mitchel johnson,no one is performing at present.So team australia,time to play physical cricket now rather than playing mind games or whatever.

"IS THIS THE END OF AN ERA".....time will say.