Story Australian Domestic Season

[Mad Snake]

Jamie How, superstar. Great work!

 

[The Mongrel]

As you can probably tell, the diary has slowed to a sudden halt in recent times but I do want to finish it. Therefore, I've made the executive decision to turf any international fixtures not involving Australia.

Sorry guys, but it initially was intended to be an Australian Domestic diary and I'll never finish if I play all the international games.

 

[Ollie_H]

Thats fine mate, This is an excellent stor! You going to finish your other diary afterwards?

 

[Highlander999]

Just wanted to congratulate you on your SOTM award

 

[The Mongrel]

27 January

INTERNATIONAL FIXTURES
1st Test: Day Two - Australia v India
India wobble against consistent bowling
December 27, 2007

India 192 for 5 (Sehwag 67, Tendulkar 47) trail Australia 405 all out (Symonds 75, Katich 70, Zaheer 3-90) by 213 runs

An even bowling performance from the Australians has reduce the Indians to 5-192 to leave the tourists wobbling some 213 runs behind the home side at stumps of day two of the first test. A half-century from Virender Sehwag gave the Indians their best chance of posting a competititve first innings total as wickets fell ast regular intervals. All five Australian bowlers that were used picked up a wicket each - Brett Lee the first to strike in his second over as he removed Aakash Chopra for no score with a beautiful line-and-length delivery. Youngster Mitchell Johnson also joined the party to leave the tourists reeling at 2-23 as he had Rahul Dravid plumb LBW for eight before a minor resurgance in the form of a defiant 88-run stand between Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar put the Indian innings back on course. But on 47, the latter chopped on Stuart Clark before Andrew Symonds snared Sehwag hooking for 67. But the moment of the day came in the 49th over as Brad Hogg snared his first wicket back from the test wilderness, VVS Laxman bowled for 19. Earlier, Australia managed to push the score above 400 thanks largely to half-centuries to Symonds (75) and the returning Simon Katich (70). Adam Gilchrist threatened early with a huge six off RP Singh before the surprise packet Sourav Ganguly removed both him and Hogg (10) within three overs.

 

[LUMB_YORKSHIRE]

India dont look too good, nice work and a late congrats for SOTM

 

[thesweepmaster]

I can see India may follow on here and that would certainly put the Aussies in the driver-seat.

Great work mate, Congrats on the SOTM award, keep it up!

 

[The Mongrel]

28 January

INTERNATIONAL FIXTURES
1st Test: Day Three - Australia v India
Indian spinners keep hosts in with a chance
December 28, 2007

Australia 405 all out and 207 for 9 (Hussey 62, Kumble 3-40, Harbhajan 3-51) lead India 315 all out (Ganguly 61, Dhoni 54, Johnson 4-72) by 297 runs

Six wickets between Indian spinners Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh has given the tourists a real chance of claiming an upset victory as Australia fell to 9-207 at stumps of day three of the first test at the MCG. After the Indian lower order pushed the score above 300, only Mike Hussey passed fifty for Australia as they tried to extend a 90-run first innings lead. Hussey's knock of 62 ended suddenly as he was caught at bat-pad by Aakash Chopra off Harbhajan's bowling as the Aussies crumbled from 3-113 to lose six wickets for just 94 runs. Resistance also came from captain Ricky Ponting who looked in tremendous touch on his way to 43 in 52 balls before he chased a short-and-wide delivery from Kumble to give Mahendra Dhoni one of three catches for the innings. Earlier, half-centuries to Sourav Ganguly and Dhoni helped the Indians to 315 after struggling at 5-192 overnight. Whilst Ganguly looked in awful touch en route to 61 in 182 balls, Dhoni breezed to 54 in 73 balls before being trapped LBW by Andrew Symonds. Indian captain Kumble also contributed well to the total - a quickfire 40 in 50 balls finally ending to Mitchell Johnson who claimed four.

 

[thesweepmaster]

Wow! India have done really well here and could sill win the match but they do need to chase down almost 400 if the final wicket goes very early.

Great work mate, keep it up!

 

[formula1man]

looks like it'll still be tough for india but they always have achance.
congrats on SOTM

 

[The Mongrel]

29 January

INTERNATIONAL FIXTURES
1st Test: Day Four - Australia v India
Century in Ganguly's 100th sets up epic finish
December 29, 2007

India 315 all out and 261 for 6 (Ganguly 106*, Laxman 68, Lee 3-73) trail Australia 405 all out and 217 all out (Clark 13*, Zaheer 3-59) by 46 runs

Sourav Ganguly's fifteenth test ton as set up an epic final day showdown between Australia and India as the visitors recovered from the worst of starts to require 47 runs with four wickets in hand on a tremendous fifth day at the MCG. After taking just three overs to finish the Australian innings, the Indians were set a target of 308 for victory. But the chase started in the worst way possible as Virender Sehwag was dismissed off the first ball of the innings to a great ball from Brett Lee to have the Indians at 1-0. Rahul Dravid's innings wasn't much better - he followed up his eight in the first innings to fall to Mitchell Johnson again; this time for one. Opener Aakash Chopra didn't trouble the scorers in the first innings, but looked ominous as he breezed away early to try and rectify the score throughout a 58-run stand with Sachin Tendulkar. But on eighteen, the Little Master fell to Stuart Clark whose metronomal line-and-length bowling did the veteran in before Lee removed Chopra for 41 to reduce the visitors to 4-84.

But the stage was set for Sourav Ganguly in his 100th test to produce a masterclass and look in much better form than the first innings as he finished the day unbeaten on 106 in 187 deliveries. His 147-run stand with perennial Australian annoyance VVS Laxman a joy to behold for the prominent Indian supporter base before Laxman fell close to stumps for 68. Where they would have rested easily with five wickets in hand at stumps, Lee again turned the match on its head by removing the dangerous MS Dhoni for 11 to leave Ganguly and captain Anil Kumble (2*) a big task to chase down the remaining 47 runs with four wickets in hand to hand Australia a rare defeat on home soil.

 

[formula1man]

India might just have this one

 

[The Mongrel]

30 January

Cricinfo Ball-by-ball coverage of day five​

INTERNATIONAL FIXTURES
1st Test: Day Five - Australia v India
Lee and Hogg keep the streak rolling
December 30, 2007

Australia 405 all out and 217 all out beat India 315 all out and 290 all out (Ganguly 125*, Lee 5-86) by 17 runs

Brett Lee and Brad Hogg combined to take the final four wickets to extend Australia's test winning streak to fifteen straight wins with a nail biting 17-run victory on day five of the first test at the MCG. Needing 47 runs to win, India were surprised early as Ricky Ponting opened with the spin of Brad Hogg - his faith repaid quickly as Hogg removed Anil Kumble in his second over to get the all important first wicket. Hogg again struck to remove the outspoken Harbhajan Singh for four as the off-spinner played a daft slog over mid-wicket - only to hit nothing but air and be stumped by Adam Gilchrist. Hogg would soon be removed after overnight centurion Sourav Ganguly took him for eight in an over but not before Lee took his fourth wicket to remove RP Singh with a brute of a bouncer. With the introduction of Stuart Clark helping tie down Ganguly in his 100th test, it was just a matter of time before Lee removed Zaheer Khan which he finally did to claim his ninth five-wicket haul in test cricket en route the Man of the Match award.

In a gripping final day's play, Ponting could find himself hit in the pocket before the New Year's test in Sydney after being charged with dissent as he questioned a decision of Umpire Mark Benson. Lee bowled a ball to Zaheer Khan which flew through to the wicketkeeper after hitting what the Australians thought to be bat. Replays showed the ball struck the top of Zaheer's pad which made for an embarrassing situation for Ponting as he questioned Benson's decision. Australia head to the Sydney test attempting to equal a record 16 consecutive test victories set by Steve Waugh's side in 2001.

 

[Ollie_H]

Wow what an update, Loving this story mate!

 

[thesweepmaster]

Fantastic bowling from Brett Lee and Brad Hogg, Australia did deserve there win but India played very well.

Great update mate, keep it up!