2007/8 Australia vs India, 2nd test match at the SCG

“Three wickets for Clarke in one over have sealed a record-equalling 16 Test wins in a row for Australia in the second Test at the SCG, so they take a 2-0 lead in the series. This game has had everything – excellent batting and disciplined bowling, but will be remembered, too, for some questionable umpiring decisions.” from cricinfo.

My brief summary

1st inning: Australia

It isn’t very helpful/hopeful when the 1st batsman scored a duck on a the first few balls, but that was exactly what we did; 1/0. And what happened after wasn’t exactly good either…

Scoring not many runs at all, Australia was on 6/134 before a massive turnaround in scores; when Hogg and Symonds came to bat. This partnership scored a massive 173 runs and saved Australia’s score. Brett Lee did pretty well too, scoring 59 runs. At the end, we totaled a respectable 463 runs before getting all out. Highlights (good and bad): 2 ducks (Hogg and Clark) and a century (Symonds 162).

1st inning: India

India didn’t start out on the right foot either when Jaffer got “Jaffered by Lee” (thank you to commentators, for a whole new meaning to this surname) at 1/8. But everything went uphills from there compared to Australia; Dravid and Laxman’s partnership ended up 156.

Everything was looking good for India with the bowlers scoring quite a bit of 4′s at the end, ending the 1st inning with 532, leading Australia by 69. Highlights: 2 centuries (Laxman 109 and Tendulkar 154).

Still anyone’s game.

2nd inning: Australia

And day 3 ended with Australia starting their 2nd inning with a few close calls.

Day 4′s weather wasn’t very good, with on and off rain and bad lighting on the fields. Nonetheless, Australia tried their hardest and got ended the day with 4/282.

Last day: Australia scored some good runs (Hayden scoring a big 123 and Hussey an even bigger 145) before declaring at 401 for a chance of victory.

One goal for the Australians now: to bowl them all out in just a few hours.

2nd inning: India

Seems like a difficult task and it is one, but Australia slowly took them down, “Jaffering” Jaffer at a beautiful 1/3, getting Laxman at 2/34, Tendulkar at 3/54 – an awesome achievement.

Then things started getting slower, with the next wicket falling at 4/115 (Dravid) and very soon after, Singh (Yuvraj) who got a duck. Ganguly fell at 6/137 and Dhoni at 7/185.

Although the treats are mostly eliminated, time was running out for the Australians, running out fast. 2 more overs in the bowler’s hands and 3 wickets to take down, Ricky Ponting sent Clarke into the attack.

AND HE’S GOT HIM! Harbhajan Singh CAUGHT OUT! We have a chance, definitely. Now it’s 8/210.

Rudra Pratap Singh comes out. And THAT’S OUT!!! A GOLDEN DUCK! Clarke’s on a hat-trick now!

Last wicket to take down with only 8 or so balls left to bowl. Even with Ishant Sharma stalling the game (taking out the wrong glove), Clarke stayed in focus. Though Sharma did not get out on the first ball (upon appeal).

Excitement and cold sweat takes over the crowd as Clarke bowls. AND HE’S GIVEN AN OUT!!! Beautiful bowling by Clarke again and a lovely catch by Hussey.

An astounding win for the Australians!

A close match with all elements in a test match. Such a great match, a great amount of effort by both teams. Congratulations to both teams, and thank you for such an entertaining and exciting match.

Status

Toss: Australia (bat)
Match: Australia won by 122 runs (Australia: 864, India: 742)
Man of the match: Andrew Symonds

I never really liked the summer that much.

Sure, I love hanging out at beaches (though I often get BBQed, even worse for Andrew because he’s a porcelain), wearing mini skirts (and get cat-calls from random passing cars), get to spend Christmas and new years free from worry, and watching the cricket (as I did today) with a fan in the lounge (no air conditioning at home) and sweating it out on a lazy summer’s day. But I never really liked it that much.

In fact, I started to feel the hot summery weather take its toll on me again. All that sweating, dehydration (not very good for people with low blood pressure), and for me, the bloating feeling that leads to a lack of appetite. And it doesn’t feel pretty.

Had breakfast at about 9am, skipped lunch because I felt sick through and through and lazed around watching the cricket as Brad Hogg and Roy rocked out on our grounds (great partnership, by the way!). I was starving by dinner and ate a very little amount of food to keep my dad happy (he doesn’t like it when I don’t eat properly) because I was in no mood to eat.

On top of that, I felt really sick (hard to breathe) after dinner and laid on the cold tiles in my parent’s room (my room is really hot in summer and cold in winter… sucks~) while I chilled out a bit. Felt better after a while, especially approaching evening when it cooled down.

Yep. Definitely the hot weather’s doing.

Also, at night, I never sleep well because, well, my room is so heated and it’s really uncomfortable… And before I know it, I have to wake up again…

Sigh.

Another reason I don’t particularly like summer.

Bro asked me to cook lobsters with his character (an online game) and AG’s sleeping… Have nothing to do and I’m bored so here I am with weird thoughts.

1. Burwood’s Boost Juice bar isn’t that bad anymore~ Friendlier staffs (polite and fun) and they are actually mixing the right stuff!
2. I read somewhere that an increase in temperature (e.g. fever) will increase metabolism… something like 7% increase in metabolism with every degree…
   On the other hand, my science teacher told me to drink tons and tons of cold water (though not recommended) because the body needs to heat the water up and stuff…
   So which is more effective… heating yourself up or cooling it down?
3. Post-modernism list:
   Memento is a great movie! *_*
   Confessions of a dangerous mind bored me…
   Yet to watch Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind~
4. AG’s mum got me this “oceanus” gift set from the Body shop and it’s the bestest scent!
   If you have a chance, pop in and try the fragrances! =)
   If you likes, buy a bath bomb (around $5) and chill in the bath with it~ *hearts*
5. AG ordered a new mobile (cos he dropped weights on his mobile while training and it, to say the least, isn’t working) since 23rd December and it STILL hasn’t arrived yet… Grrr!!
6. ASHES: AUSSIE CLEAN SWEEPED ENGLAND!!!

Ooh, sleeping beauty woke up, I’m gonna phone him now~

Caught a virus =(
Feel horrible ><
Went doctors & waited for 2½ hours… ><;

But who cares about all that…

We won the 2nd Ashes test!!!!!

Superb performance by the bowlers!
We took England for 129 in the second inning after their massive 551 runs in the first.

Expatiating corner

I’m never having Boost from Burwood Westfield’s anymore:

1. rude (saying “thanks” would be nice… oh and calling out our names would be good too, you asked for it after all)
2. can’t follow instructions (tastes wrong and there are chunky bits in it)
3. stingy with yogurt (tastes like an ice-crush when I ordered a smoothie)… and it didn’t just happen once or twice, it happened every time I had it from there! *gives a dissatisfied Jono/Happy-cup look*

Wai~ <3 Come on Aussies come on~! Great game! ^^

It was second day at the Gabba, and after getting England all out for 157, Ponting didn’t enforce the follow-on, meaning Aussies up for bat.

We declared at 1/202 (Anderson making a pretty cool runout on Hayden) with Langer making his century.

England was up for batting their 2nd inning on the 4th day.

After the 3rd wicket, Australia just wasn’t getting any wickets, and I was beginning to get worried.

Turned out I had nothing to worry about for this test; Australia took 5 wickets by the end of the day.

The game ended with Warnie and Clark taking down an impressive 4 wickets each, Lee and McGrath; one each.

The Englands totalled up up to a good 370 for second inning (with Pietersen and Collingwood both missing out on their centuries by just a few runs… Ouch!), but Australia still leads by 277 runs.

Man of the match: Ricky Ponting.