Tendulkar has done it. An ODI hundred in Australia, and India winning the first ever final of a tri-series in Australia. Both Hayden and Tendulkar made the most of conditions- a slow track but with consistent bounce.
But as we all know batting requires luck, because even on a good track, one error is all that is needed to go back to the pavilion. Just take a look at three moments in the match which could be very crucial to the outcome-
1. Ponting tries to pull a short of length ball from Praveen Kumar- in his trademark swivel on the front foot - in front of square leg, with the bat coming down onto the ball. Usually safe, but he inside edges on to the stumps! Perhaps too early in the innings to play that shot- perhaps not judging the bounce as yet.
2. Hayden square cuts Pathan, and gets an inside-bottom edge which missed the stumps before he started to plunder about a few dozen runs in the coming overs. Again Pathan had bowled it closer to him, and it was early in his innings to play it square when the width was not quite there. But luck went his way!
3. Tendulkar plays a cover-drive (as his first forcing shot) to a slightly wider Ball from Bracken and inside edges and the ball goes between pads and the leg stump! He converts that luck into a memorable innings which puts India 1-0 up.
Although one cannot reduce a game of cricket to just 3 balls (since both bowlers and other batters do have opportunities all through the match), but these were 3 balls where the three big batsmen of the match made similar mistakes but had different outcomes!
There is a thin line betewen failure and success and one wonders if any filtered stats can take these into account.
More later during the Brisbane ODI- the 2nd Final of the CB Series. Till then it is back to Linaries where Anand leads in Spain follwed closely by Carlsen...
Saumil
Mumbai India
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