Border Gavaskar Trophy 2: Where Australia Lost It

As cricket undergoes a little lull in India, worthwhile to look at arguably India's greatest victory of 2008. A four part special, not to be missed! Part Two:

hayden katich uFp3a 17022

Fast Bowling Initiatives

There was something seriously flat about Australia’s fast bowling efforts. If a non regular bowler like Shane Watson has picked ten wickets in the series, it was reflective of the paucity of consistency and accuracy with the rest of the Australian frontline bowlers. Australia was perhaps greatest hit by Brett Lee’s uninspiring performance right through the series. While Lee’s unimpressive spells did not see eye-to-eye with Ponting’s strategies, Lee himself was considered a bundles of valid but costly excuses for the team beginning with his failed marriage that saw him miss the home series against Bangladesh and also, a viral fever and stomach bug issues which hampered him in the latter half of the series. Mitchell Johnson picked up useful wickets but both, Johnson and Stuart Clark, failed to make an impact for Australia’s cause.

Opening Blows

When one of the two most experienced batsmen in the team goes through a rough patch, it impacts the team performance as well. While Ponting was coming to the subcontinent trying to rectify his paucity of runs scenario in the Indian sub continent, Matthew Hayden was hardly expected to pose a problem for his own team. Yet the belligerent opener proved more of a blemish than an asset. Only one innings of eighty-three in Delhi proved the highlight of the tour and at thirty-seven, even with his consistency, he is surely in line for a change in the already transitional side. Whether the India trip will eventually prove his Waterloo remains to be seen.

But while Simon Katich has shown more impetus and vindicated his selection, Australia suffered by the dearth of runs from their other bludgeoning opener. Hayden was not supposed to be Australia’s cause for concern on a trip to India although he was recovering from injury before the tour to India. Yet the runs off Hayden’s bat came few and far between and when they did, it was on a placid pitch in Delhi where the match eventually petered to a draw. More was needed higher up the order to set the cat among the pigeons for the Indians but little came by way of really striking fear at the heart of the Indians. Even worse, were his miscalculated attempts to take the attack to the Indians only to have a flabbergasted audience watch Australia’s most powerful batsman reduced to a chronic case of desperation.

End of Part Two

To Read Part One, catch Border Gavaskar Trophy - 1 : End of an Era Begins with a Dawn

Part Three:Border Gavaskar Trophy - 3 : Indian Positives

Part Four: Border Gavaskar Trophy - 4 :Did India Win or Australia Lose?