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Thursday 25 December 2014

Aus v Ind (2nd Test Match, Sydney, 2008)

From the most memorable game of cricket to the most disgraceful one. This one comes from Sydney 2008.

The much vaunted series of 2007-2008 started off with Australia steamrolling India at #MCG easily and going 1-0 up in the series. The teams then met in the #NewYearsTestMatch at Sydney. India had a point to prove to beat Australia on their home soil and restore parity in the series.

What transpired over the next five days was embarrassing, ugly and disgraceful between the two teams including
 - The Symonds-Harbhajan #Monkeygate episode
 - The Benson-Bucknor umpiring on Day 5
 - The aftermath of the cricket test where India planned to boycott remainder of the series
 - The court trials on Monkeygate episode ... ouch! are we talking #cricket here?

What all this also did was overshadow some scintillating performances in the game from both sides
 - Symonds' matchwinning scores (163 and 61). He was MOM.
 - Superb hundreds from Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman in first innings
 - Maginificent hundreds from Matt Hayden and Mike Hussey in second innings
 - Sterling bowling efforts by Anil Kumble and Brett Lee in both innings
 - Michael Clarke's 3 wicket burst in one over to win the match
 - Anil Kumble' valiant batting vigil worthy of an army general defending his national pride.
 - This was Australia's 16th consecutive win (a record they equalled with Steve Waugh's side from few years ago)

Having seen everything unfold on that fateful 5th day, it was a game for India to draw and move ahead. Instead they succumbed to pressure and yes the umpires! The Aussies didn't show sportsmanship by not shaking hands with Indians after the game, Indians purposely passed time to draw the game which they couldn't save eventually. All love lost. Sadly the game of cricket lost that day!

Here are highlights of Day 5 of that test match

Would test match cricket be ever the same after this test match?

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