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Momentous Day - A Momentous win |
By Stephen Brown
It was a momentous day a momentous win,
and India came behind to win it. The
previous two wins by India in Australia
were against a team besieged by world
series cricket, and India was now
without its spinning greats Bedi,
Prasanna, Chandarasekhar and Venkat. It
surely was a great day for India.
On the first day India was bowled out
for 237 with Viswanath the saviour for
India scoring 114 off 122 balls and 11
4's. Next Australia took hold of the
test by scoring 419, with Border making
124 and Doug Walters 78. In reply of the
3rd day India hit back dramatically with
an unbroken 165 run stand before
Gavaskar was given to what he thought
was a questionable LBW decision.
Gavaskar was vividly upset by this
decision and he and Chauhan left the
field. After a delay Chauhan came back
but without Gavaskar who was out for 70,
Chauhan lasted little longer to be out
for 85. India's demise set in and India
was bowled out for a disappointing score
of 324.
Everything favoured Australia on day 4 and
Australia only needed 132 runs to not only win
the test but the series. Australia though under
estimated India's attack as well as the MCG.
Australia started badly in the 4th innings
losing 3 quick wickets to Ghavri and Doshi,
picking up Dyson, Chappell and Wood cheaply.
After Doshi picked up the wicket of Hughes, a
young bowler by the name of Kapil Dev bowled an
inspirational spell to take 5 of the next 6
wickets to fall. This soon to be a great
champion had ripped through the middle and lower
order conceding very little runs. Its history
now but Australia was bowled out for 83 runs and
India had won by 49 runs against all odds, Dev
had the great figures of 17 overs 5 for 28.
History tells us India did not just win the test
but had drawn the series, and had won the hearts
and minds of the Australians that day. This
surely was one of the momentous days of Indian
cricket.
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