14.10.08

Borrowed Time

With the sun shining in the south-west of England and places to be (at work and doing what I do most in the English winter, watching rugby), I didn't catch a huge amount of the first Test. However, my impression, based on the odd snatched session, was of an old-fashioned draw from which honours emerged basically even but from which Australia will take a little more. In particular, Ponting's century, full of characteristic class and discipline, consigned his past failures in India to the history books, while no single member of what now seems to be customarily described as the Indian 'big five' stood out, and Kumble really struggled.

On the day before the Test I said that I felt that India looked the more settled side. At the time, in my own mind, I was equating that with them being slightly stronger, but I now think I was wrong to do so. Being settled isn't necessarily a good thing. When you watch the two sides you have a nagging feeling that while Australia have been forced to start to adjust to life after the greats - and are perhaps better off for it - India still haven't had to do so, and, perhaps, are just living a little on borrowed time.

They'll resume borrowing in Mohali on Friday.

3 comments:

Rob said...

I was impressed with Australia and their lack of a decent spinner made much less of an impact that I imagined. Of course it is only one match and pitches and injuries may yet conspire against them. Lee is looking more and more vital, its difficult to see them being effective without him.

As you say, Ponting's innings should go some way to silencing his doubters (who I suspect are Tendulkar zealots who cannot cope with Ponting's remarkable stats)

Brian Carpenter said...

Thanks, Rob, good to hear from you again. I agree about Australia in general - they're not the side they were (how could they be?) but their natural competitiveness and professionalism will always make them difficult to beat.

As for Ponting, does he have any serious doubters? Maybe a few Indian cranks who read a bit too much into the anamoly of his previous stats in India, but anyone who's seen him play knows how good he is. The best Australian batsman of his generation by a mile (and there's plenty of competition).

Rob said...

I agree on Ponting, I think he is something really special. I have been lucky enough to see quite a few of his best innings (on TV) and there are few better. His record in India was noticeably poor and I have seen quite a lot of 'Ponting is really no good/not in Tendulkar's class' type posts. I think he is fantastic.

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