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Showing posts with label Chennai. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chennai. Show all posts

Tuesday 3 February 2015

Australia vs New Zealand 1996 World Cup Quarter Final

Defining Moments of #ICCWorldCup

Aus v NZ , 1996, Quarterfinal (Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai)

Traditional rivals and battle of the Trans Tasmanians.

In the sweltering heat of Chennai, the two teams clashed for a place in the semifinals against the West Indies. Australia were the clear favorites to go through to the next round. But the Kiwis had different ideas. 

From a shaky start, the Kiwis plundered the Aussie attack to all parts of the park  through captain #LeeGermon and #ChrisHarris (who played the innings of his international career that day). They crossed the 200 mark undr 35 overs and it looked like they would easily cross 300.

Thats when Germon holed out in the deep, Harris followed suit and the innings derailed. In the end, NZ scored 288 in their stipulated 50 overs. A challenging score nonetheless.

In reply, the Aussies started very cautiously trying to hold wickets but lost Taylor in the process.
#RickyPonting and #MarkWaugh progressed steadily to 80 before Ponting was caught the deep in the 20th over. This meant the required scoring rate had gone very high (around 7 runs for per over!)

This is when Australia threw their first dice.
#ShaneWarne promoted up the order as a pinch hitter to get the momentum going.
And he did just that. He scored 26 rapid fire runs and got the innings going again before getting out to #DionNash. Yet, Australia were far from safety and looking down the barrel.

In walked the other twin, #SteveWaugh. He along with Mark staged an unbelievable come back in the game. Steve at his dogged best and Mark at his fluidic best launched into the Kiwi bowling. A lot of evening dew didn't help the Kiwis either. Am sure they rued scoring atleast 30 runs less on that track and the position they were in!   

Mark Waugh completed a wonderful century (110) to sniff  out the Kiwi challenge. One of the best one day knocks chasing a big total! StuartLaw and Steve completed the formalities and Australia chased down the score with an over to spare!

Turning points:
 - Lee Germon's wicket in the Kiwi innings derailed their progress
 - Shane Warne's counter attacking innings got Australia much needed momentum
 - Mark Waugh took the cake by producing one the best one day knocks of all time!

Full highlights of the game here...




Tuesday 30 December 2014

Ind v Aus (3rd Test Match, Chennai, 2001)

Border Gavaskar Trophy
Venue: Chennai

Did you watch this one? Am sure you were spell bound!
NOT FOR THE WEAK HEARTED surely.

On the back of the greatest test match of all time in Kolkata, came this one from Chennai. Ind v Aus 3rd Test Match. With series levelled at 1-1, the final frontier was at stake for Steve Waugh's men.

Never did they imagine this situation (almost dreaming of lifting the #BorderGavaskar Trophy at the end of Day 3 in Kolkata to fighting out with a resurgent Indian team at Chennai). More so, because Chennai favoured Indian spinners better than legendary #ShaneWarne whose record against India remained poor.


Drama started from Day 1. From a very dominant 360 for 2, Australia collapsed to 391 all out including a very embarrassing #handlingtheball verdict against #SteveWaugh. The Indians strode out and on back of a magnificent #SachinTendulkar century amassed 526. A good lead on a fast wearing track considering India would need to bat fourth.

In the second essay, the Aussies were boweld out for 289 giving India needing 155 runs to win the already historic test series. Or there was another twist in the tail. There certainly was!

Chasing the score and comfortably placed at 100 for 2, the drama began. Sachin was caught in the slips by a beauty from #JasonGillespie. Dravid and Ganguly perished soon after but it was the ever reliable #VVSLaxman (looking ominous on 66) whose wicket made things extremely interesting at 135 for 6. Another 20 still to get.

Wicketkeeper batsman #SameerDighe and #AnilKumble pushed and prodded around for a while before Mcgrath claimed two more wickets to make it 150 for 8. What climax! In walks #Harbhajan with 5 runs to get. A big appeal against Dighe and he survives a leg before shout! Harbhajan playing all over the deliveries making the game interesting every ball.

Mcgrath doing all his best to dislodge the batsmen but with very less runs to defend, couldn't experiment much. As luck would have it, his stinging yorker was dug out by Harbhajan for a couple of runs to hand India a glorious, magnificent and legendary series win over Australia.

Final score line: India 2 - 1 Australia
The Final Frontier remains to be conquered!

Sunday 28 December 2014

Ind vs Aus (3rd Test Match, Chennai, 1986)

Venue: Chepauk Stadium, Madras (erstwhile)
Now: Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
 
Lets rewind the clock way back to 1986 ... rings a bell?
 
Yes, we're talking about second of the only two tied tests ever in the history of the game! 3rd Test Match.
 
A match that exploded to life on Day 5 partly due to bold declaration of innings by Australian skipper #AllanBorder and followed up by the Indians .. going for the target in sportingly!
 
Both teams fairly matched each other over the first four days but in search of victory Australia set up a target of 350+ on a deteriorating Day 5 pitch.
 
Indians started the chase cautiously. #SunilGavaskar and #MohinderAmarnath ensured no alarm bells would ring due to fall of early wickets. Once they negotiated the first session, India sensed a chance to go for the target. They changed batting orders to up the tempo as needed. Australia too kept chipping away at the wickets making it a very interesting for the commentators and nerve-jangling for spectators.
 
The last over equation read
6 Balls, 4 runs to win for India, 1 wicket to win for Australia
#RaviShastri on strike, #ManinderSingh the non-striker and #GregMatthews to bowl.
 
Ball 1 - Played defensively by Shastri
Ball 2 - Flicked towards deep square leg, misfield ensures he gets 2
2 to win from 4 balls

Ball 3 - Flicked to mid wicket for a single.
Scores level. India cannot lose. 

With Maninder Singh on strike the Aussies brought all their fielders closer to create pressure.
Ball 4 - Maninder manages to negotiate safely.

Ball 5 - Rapped on the pads, huge appeal and umpire #Dhotiwala raises his finger! Game tied.

Australians over the moon. Matthews jumping around. Maninder and Shastri distraught. Amazing scenes. Felt as if Australia won the game. Actually, they were let off the hook by India who should have won the game rather easily ...
 
Man of the match - #DeanJones for his superb 205 in the blistering Madras heat.
 
Still remember watching this game as a school going kid on #Doordarshan with friends and family. Exhilarating stuff!