Cometh The Hour, Cometh The Men. Review on Indian Cricket Team

Cometh The Hour, Cometh the Men

Murphy's Law states that if you think things are worse, they will get worst. I believed in this for a long time as it seldom has failed me but the NATWEST SERIES FINAL was an anomaly as far as Murphy’s Law was concerned,

During the preliminary stages of the series India had defeated England at the hallowed ground of LORD'S.

India entered the final of the series after having won all but one match. Losing a rain curtailed match and one no result, but in the back of their minds there was the Finals Jinx which seemed to be proven 9 out of 10 times in the recent past.

Hopes were high and already our media men HARSHA, SHASHTRI, BYCOTT, were labeling India as favorites. The pitch at Lords is a belter as was proven earlier in the series but Nasser Hussain, had no hesitation in batting first, and boy did they bat on their to amassing a mammoth 325 runs.

Trescothick caught the Indian Bowling attack by the scruff of their neck and rattled them to all parts of the ground, on the way to his 3rd ODI century (the other two times he had scored a ton England had lost both the games) Nasser Hussain was not as convincing but scratched around first and was certainly aided by the errant Indian Bowlers, who kept spraying it around. Flintoff got his usual and brisk 20 something by hitting some beautiful shots, ENGLAND seemed headed for over 350 but a tiring Hussain and with his century in sight partnered by Justin Vaughan who was sent in stead of Irani and Collingwood and some decent bowling at the death by Zaheer saw England end their Innings at 325,

A mammoth score to chase and especially when India is the team chasing and it is the finals the punters would have shifted all bets in favor of an ENGLAND VICTORY.

THE CHASE: Ganguly desperate to redeem himself and his team of the tag of chokers began in an belligerent mood, a quick fire century partnership with Shewag who was also playing good sensible cricket within the first 15 overs shed a glimmer of hope in the Indian Camp. Then Ganguly departed and thus followed the now familiar middle order collapse we are so accustomed to and Giles with his guiles got Shewag first ball when he tried a late cut, Dravid and worst Sachin (who was intent on playing cross batted and trying to hit Giles so hard also went for just 16) the Indian camp and the Indian chase was in shambles after a promising start yet again memories of several debacles in Sharjah, Kenya, WC match with Australia n England revived me and I was cursing the Captain for falling when he had to go on, SIDDHU & HARSHA kept rubbing the salt in and Shastri cast his ballot for a definite English Victory.

Everyone seemed to forget that Yuvraj Singh & Kaif were there batting. These 2 men at the crease wielding their bats as a Jedi’s Life Saber thought very differently, they were intent on staying at the wicket and running their singles hard and fast & converting them to 2's, keeping the score ticking over and suddenly while the eulogies were still being read, someone realized that ''hey wait a minute it's not impossible'' and right on cue Yuvraj then followed by KAIF started to blast away, out of their running shell and kept finding the boundaries, The asking rate once at a whopping 9 runs was brought down to more manageable limits as both were showing signs of cutting loose but them after completing a masterful knock of 69 Yuvraj put a spanner in the works while sweeping and holing out, back in trouble again

I cursed HARSHA BHOGLE AGAIN whenever he says in a tense situation that India have a chance; right on cue a wicket falls, Kaif left with the tail to get nearly 65 runs in less then 8 overs My hopes which had risen along with my anxiety was in need of revival but the fall of Kumble put an end to that,

Bhajji in his swash buckling style got 18 and Kaif hit 4 crucial boundaries and once again India was in the game a toehold keeping the door open, Then Bhajji fell and Zaheer came that toehold was reduced to toes only, all hold was gone, it was do or die for KAIF the first time in the spotlight but he held on and as the second last over 8 from 12 was manageable and India got home through some grit and determination which has been missing for a long time, a

Jubilant and an utterly pleased Ganguly waving his shirt and the Englishmen distraught and shell-shocked over what had taken place especially Flintoff who just sat down and cradled his head in his hand pondering what had just occurred was as remarkable as any of Harry Houdini's great Escapes.

It was a stellar performance from the youngsters as the senior’s bar Ganguly failed. Firecrackers started to go off all over Mumbai and I opened up a bottle of Australian Chardonnay (wine) and savored the Indian Victory toasting to their success and praising them calling my uncle who is also a fanatic and he too was popping the corks and the jubilation was reminiscent of the 1983 WC victory and raised goose pimples all over my body as happens whenever you witness a truly remarkable and historic moment and it made me proud to be an Indian that day, I only hope they keep it up.