Sunday Memory of MCG – Saleque Sufi

Carlton Mid ODI International Tri Angular Tournament, Played at MCG on 18 March 2015

Australia 269/6 in 49 Overs (AJ Flinch 96, SPD Smith 47, SR Watson 41, UT Yadav 2/55) beat India 267/8in 50 Overs (Rohit Sharma 138, SK Raina 51 , MA Starc 6/43 ) by 4 Wickets

In January 2015, the best livable city of the world Melbourne is buzzing and humming with sporting activities .The iconic Australian Open Tennis has just commenced .Rectangular stadium at Melbourne Olympic Park is hosting exciting matches of Asian Cup soccer .KFC Big Bash T 20 matches are at final stages. Three musketeers of world cricket Australia, India and England are engaged in Carlton Mid ODI tournament as prelude to ICC World Cup Cricket Tournament 2015 .Australian cities including Melbourne are getting ready arranging all festivity and fervor. For a sports admirer like me it is a heavenly delight. Luckily for me I have found an allay in my son Shahriar and his new married wife Rizwana .They share my passion of games and sports. Yesterday 18 January 2015 we were at MCG to enjoy the Carlton Mid ODI match between reigning ICC Champion India and strong favorite of this year’s tournament Australia .As expected after fascinating contest Australia deservedly won the match by 4 wickets with only an over to spare. If several magical milestones were not created at the other end of the world at New Wanderers Stadium Johannesburg almost at the same time by South Africa and AB de Villiers the MCG much could get the highlights. Nevertheless it had its share of excitement, high quality contest of bat and ball of two top dogs of world cricket.

India winning the toss and electing to bat had to swallow an early reverse as in the very 5 th ball of the first over of Mitchell Starc Shikhar Dhawan fished at one leaving him at pace to be held by Flinch. Sunday fans could hardly enter the ground and settle. Rahane joined Rohit and these two Indian players of the future started the resurrecting act on a wicket looking pacey and bouncy. Australia is experimenting their pace bowling combination resting their Mitchell Johnson and emerging talent Josh Hazelwood. Pat Cummins appeared with Starc and a new comer GS Sandhu not included in the World Cup Squad was also given opportunity. Sandhu and Faulkner did some damage removing Rahane and talented Kohli before they could make substantial contribution. Kohli looked out of self as he struggled with his timing and his feet were moving the way it always does. His early departure meant a lot on the fate of the match.  Rohit on the other hand was in his true element right from the start and was looking very impressive. I would not hesitate to say that other than Starc the Australian attack did not have the usual penetration. Cummins, Faulkner, Sadhu and Watson looked pretty ordinary as Rohit and Raina absorbing the early shock got going smoothly taking singles and belting the occasional loose deliveries across and over the fence. The pair put on 126 precious runs in 22 overs before Raina in effort of hitting out in the very fast of batting power play got out scoring 51. Rohit was going great all the way and was joined by MS Dhoni. Rohit went on making his century and breaking records of Sourav Ganguly and Ricky Ponting as far as the highest individual score in MCG of Australia India ODI matches. I was very keen to see him bat at ODI after his record breaking ODI innings of 264 against Sri Lanka in 2014. His strokes were all classical and no slogging. Dhoni gave him company till he was cleaned up by sizzling Starc whose final spell wrecked the Indian innings which otherwise was blossoming .India lost 4 wickets for only 24 runs for his very aggressive bowling during which he was also on a hat trick. The wicket of Rohit scoring 138 in 139 deliveries in the 49 th over made a lot of difference. Another 15-20 runs to Indian score of 267 could make the contest more interesting. After his match winning performance at SCG Starc had another brilliant bowling performance of 6/43 .He will form ideal foil of Mitchell Johnson as lethal combination in the ensuing world cup. Raina batted well but feel at crunch time .India was definitely 20 runs short as it appeared later that the difference of fielding of the two times matter at least 25 -30 runs.

Australians in reply made dynamic start through effervescent Warner and little bit sedate Flinch. 50 were posted in 10th over before Yadav could remove dangerous looking Warner for 24. Watson joined Flinch. Indian attack was looking toothless .Only Kumar was moving the ball and earning respect. Sami, Yadav and co was being belted all over the park. Watson badly required a big score as in this team his position is getting at stake day by day. He looked dynamic as played some good strokes but could not continue 41 before losing his furniture to left arm spinner Aksar Patel playing down the wrong line. Flinch was playing well within himself. Inform Smithlooked very mature .He effectively controlled his flamboyance in playing a second fiddle to well settled Flinch. The pair put on match winning 101 third wicket partnerships before his natural aggression brought his downfall. He tried a forehand cross court type punch to a ball rising awkwardly on him to be caught by Aswin at Mid-on. That wicket at 216 triggered a mini collapse .Flinch left at 96 caught behind off Yadav, Bailey and Maxwell could not stay longer .The match fortune started fluctuating till the newly developing Bevan style finisher Faulkner and reliable Haddin finished it off with an over to spare. Australian cruising at one stage panicked a little bit .But the depth of Australian batting resources saw them across the finishing tape.

In the ultimate analysis we can conclude that the teams match well in batting .But Australia has their nose ahead in bowling and definitely in fielding. India has to explore better bowling option and definitely has to improve fielding a lot. Australia with two wins is seating pretty for the final of the Tri Angular series.

What I have seen after watching few matches at MCG that good spinners on the wicket have some purchase. Left hand spinners can get batsmen struggle. Pace bowlers have to bowl on the off stump corridor consistently on just short of length .Fielding has to be razor sharp for defending scores. Bangladesh has to take lessons before appearing against Sri Lanka at MCG in a very crucial pool match.