India vs Australia 2007-08, Day Two, Third Test, WACA, Perth

Perth is the unlikely ground for Indians to put up a dominating display. But then this Indian team is one that can raise its bar when pushed to the corner. It has done it in the past in England, Australia, WI and for a brief period in SA. Australia had its moments. Symonds and Gilchrist's stroke play, Lee's burst late in the first day and Clarke's brilliant spell first up. In the final analysis it is India that has its nose well in front of Australia.

A lead of 170 against Australia at Perth is no mean achievement. Not many teams, barring the Lloyd windies, have done it in the past. It's indeed a rare display by Indians. The credit must go to three gentlemen. Sehwag, Dravid and Sachin. Sehwag's brief but explosive stay at the crease set the tone for India's middle order. Dravid didn't get bogged down as he knows he is getting back his rhythm. His extended front foot cover drives were brilliant and clear evidence that this guy his getting into his groove. Sachin was fabulous. Not many can match him when it comes to battling the odds. He had battled hard against the press, fans and opponents. He and Dravid are real tough characters to go along with Sourav and Anil. But for their effort India may not have reached 300. Centuries were there for the taking. Sachin got a rawwwwww deal and Dravid played an uncharacteristic terrible shot. I wish and hope Rauf learns from his mistakes. There is lot of umpiring left with still 3 more days to go.  read more »

Andrew Hughes give us his take on recent events in the 2nd Test between Australia and India that included sledging, racist allegations, absence of sportsmanship and a suspended umpire

George Orwell wrote that sport was 'war minus the shooting' and tended towards 'orgies of hatred'. Of all sports, the cricket field, an arena in which two sides are compelled to spend whole days in confrontation, provides an environment where a spark of controversy can be fanned to the conflagration of a diplomatic incident, from the bouncer which felled Bill Woodful in 1933 to Mike Gatting's finger-wagging in Faisalabad. Following the Sydney Test, there has certainly been an orgy of outrage if not hatred.

In this international standoff, the ICC is once more under pressure. They have been wrongly criticised for suspending Harbajhan's three Test ban, pending his appeal, surely a reasonable accession in which justice is merely delayed, not denied and which managed to take some of the heat out of the situation in the short term.  read more »

Sydney: Former Australian Test player Brad Hogg has decided to call it quits in all forms of the game, after electing not to play on for Western Australia in 2008-09.

Melbourne: Australia's spin bowling stocks suffered another blow Wednesday when veteran left-arm wrist-spinner Brad Hogg announced his retirement from international cricket.

By Google ALSO READ January 13, 2008 January 22, 2008 Indo-Asian ServiceSydney, February 27, 2008First Published: 13:17 IST(27/2/2008)Last Updated: 16:16 IST(27/2/2008) Australian spinner Brad Hogg announced his retirement from international

Melbourne: Australia's spin bowling stocks suffered another blow Wednesday when veteran left-arm wrist-spinner Brad Hogg announced his retirement from international cricket. The 37-year-old, who started his first-class career as a specialist batsman before turning to spin bowling, called stumps on a lengthy career after seven Tests, having ...

Australian spinner Brad Hogg announced his retirement from international cricket Wednesday.