The Corridor of Uncertainty

What more do you expect from test cricket?

                Recently, half part of the mostly awaited tour of Indian cricket ended. Alongside, Ashes concluded with what may be titled as end of Ponting era or Aussie domination. The series between India and Proteas termed as final frontier was really a nerve wrenching, except the last day of final test. The end of series also accompanied the end of one of the successful year for Indian cricket, and what could one say about Australia. There were loads of expectations rather assumptions that Australia would give whitewash to Britishers. But what happened, you know all. The new british coach-captain pair of Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss worked the magic for England. The English outplayed Aussies in every department and it resulted in 3-1 loss of Aussies. Anderson and Cook were heroes for England on this Ashes tour. Anderson grabbed 24 victims whereas Cook scored more than 750 runs at an average of more than 125 with 3 tons. Cook has now 16 test tons on his name before he turns on 27. One day, he surely will be highest test ton scorer for England if he continues with same speed.

                The action packed series between India and South Africa saw some stunning performances from few Indians and may Africans but Kallis stood among all and that too throughout the series. After celebrating Tendulkar’s one more achievement, 50^th test ton, it was all Kallis everywhere. More than 750 runs in 3 tests say about the magnitude of quality that Jacques possesses. He has now made new entry to number two spot in the list of highest number of test centuries, crossing Ponting in the process. It’s a while now that Punter has halted on his last 39^th ton. And after watching the recent Ashes, there seems to be hardly any chance of his revival. There are now headlines shining that Jacques can catch Tendulkar. The history has repeated. Once the same was being told about Punter, and then Tendulkar suddenly shifted gears and earned some more tons, leaving Punter behind. Now, the same punter is struggling to his most make survival. What a tragedy?

                Kallis frustrated Indian bowling attack on what is supposed to be lively pitches. Despite toiling against Kallis, there was nothing for Indian seamers. Kallis stood tall and defended whatever was good and attacked whatever was poor. But he stood undefeated. It was fact that Indians were unable to dismiss him. For the most of the times, Kallis remained unsung hero of cricket fraternity. He rose to many occasions whenever his team required him. Kallis is the greatest all rounder in current playing generation and also bears the strong statistics and many match winning performances which puts him in the list of great all rounders the world has witnessed. He is nowadays compared alongside the likes of Sobers, Richards and Bothams. Kallis’s numbers showing his batting average, runs or wickets surely has preceded that of the priors. Though the numbers can’t be the single important criteria to crown the greatest all time all rounder, the number of situations in which Kallis has run an extra mile or taken some most needed wicked are none the less. But even the comparison can’t be done between Sobers and Kallis. Sobers was much more than a great all rounder. His more than 800o0 runs with average of more than 57 which included feats like humongous 365 against Pakistan or 6 sixes off 6 Malcom Nash balls tells the story of Cricket’s perhaps earliest all rounder. Leave the comparison apart, both are great in their respective times and though their performances lure cricket pundits to make comparisons amongst them, they remain incomparable.

                Another South African who made the difference between performances of India and Proteas is not a man but a gun, named Steyn gun. He is so accurate, quick and energetic that the red cherry from his hands travels just like a bullet. Dale’s consistency is superb. The numerous spells he threw against all Indian batting legends like SRT, VVS, Sehvag, Gambhir and Rahul were really peculiar. Every time the Steyn delivery was beating the batsmen through rise, angling in or angling away and was steadily traveling to the gloves of Boucher. His deliveries were constantly pitching in the area famously called as corridor of uncertainty which may mislead a batsman about the angle which it would take after pitching in.  One such beautiful delivery was by Sri when he knocked down Boucher in Second innings of final test.  Sri has really worked hard and shown some character on this tour, and also got rewarded with a 5 wicket bag. Zaheer succeeded in leading bowling attack when it was really needed after first test. Zaheer’s absence from first test gave Unadkat his first, rather unexpected, test cap but he failed grab some attention. Ishant was ineffective and wayward in this series but needs to be nurtured for world cup.  Harbhajan’s presence was unfelt. But Steyn, apart all bowlers, was way ahead. What a fearsome and yet beautiful show that was? He literally dominated the Indian batsmen and proved again why he is still the spear head of Africans. He alongside Morkel and Tsotsobe kept the things under control for South Africa.

                Finally, India managed to level the series first time against and in Africa, though the final day of final test proved to be anti-climatic to the one of the most climatic series India played ever.