What of events at the SCG last night? A stunning victory or a sham of a sporting contest?
That it was gripping enough was undeniable but the acrimony that surrounded the match and more so its aftermath bring to mind that overused but apt phrase 'it is not cricket'.
That Dravid was not out is a plain as the nose on your face. His bat and the ball were in different postcodes. Crap umpiring was certainly evident (and the match was littered with dreadful decisions) but Gilchrist must have known that he was not out. Gilchrist used to have reputation of being a really honest sort of a joker - he was (is?) one of the last remaining test players who 'walked' - but that has gone. Is that Ponting's influence? I don't know. That the Australian skipper is an excellent batsmen and a good captain are undeniable but he does not strike me as a very nice bloke. After Dravid had gone the contest didn't really mean very much. Clarke's unlikely heroics with what turned out to be the last five balls of the match turned into just a meaningless sideshow for this old fashioned fan of the game.
No, I have reservations as to where the second Australia vs India Test match has left us.
I have Wisden from 1968 and 1969 arriving this morning and I can shut myself off in the 'good old days' and hope the nasty modern cricket world goes away.
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