Its Only Cricket

3rd Test: Australia wins Sydney Test (scorecard), South Africa won Test Series 2-1.. T20 & ODI series follows.
Current Cricket Series : South Africa vs Australia, West Indies vs New Zealand. Coming Up : India in NZ 2009.

Filed under Ind v Aus Delhi Match 2008

In cricket - wickets are not only taken by bowling good balls, but also by showing huge score on board. Opposition batsmen see huge total over head - find no where to go and ultimately throw their wickets!

Not Aussie team though. Seeing India's first innings score of 613 - Australian batsmen negotiated everything India bowlers threw at them to score 288 runs from 90 overs on Day 3 pitch but most importantly - lost only 4 wickets.

With retirements of bowling superstars (Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne), Australia for sure, are no more the uncrowned world champions of test cricket (which they were between 2001 to 2007) but Aussie team is still gutsy and fights every inch.

Mathew Hayden scored 83 off 154 balls. Interestingly, he hardly played his favorite sweep shot off spinners which he had applied highly successfully against Indian spinners in 2001 & 2004 tours.

Ricky Ponting scored 87 off 165 balls. and by the time this 2008 tour finishes - Ricky will thank spinners & conditions in India for improving his ability to play spin bowling & making him a complete batsman. He misread just one delivery in his entire innings today & was bowled off it!

Michael Hussey 53 & Simon Katich 64 also applied themselves passionately & kept Australia afloat in this Delhi test match were they still trail by 275 runs on first innings with 2 days of cricket to be played.

Virendra Sehwag was India's find as off-spinner on West Indies tour and proved the surprise package for Australia by picking up Hayden, Hussey and Ponting after Captain Anil Kumble went to Appolo Hospital after he damaged his left hand fingers while trying to take a catch off Mathew Hayden.

Some notes from Day 3 play
**Gautam Gambhir, was banned from playing next test match for elbow hit to Shane Watson. Umpire had reviewed the case the day before and made his decision today. more.

**Honey Bees flew over the ground and stopped play for some 7 odd minutes. All cricketers & umpires layed down on field. Interestingly - this was not the first time bees had run over Feroz shah Kotla ground but it has happened nearly everytime an International match is played here.. claimed commentator Ravi Shastri!

**Ricky Ponting got out on 87. some say it's Aussie unlucky number.. but, fact is not many Australian batsman have got out on 87 - only 15 of them!

Scorecard : India vs australia 3rd test, Delhi : 29 Oct - 2 Nov 2008

Preview : India must win series to regain Border-Gawaskar Trophy

Day 1 : Glimps of Gambhir Greatness after India win crucial toss

Day 2 : of double tons as India delay declaration

Gautam Gambhir banned for Elbowing Shane Watson

Day 3 : Aussie batters on roll, India still in control.

Day 5 : Dull draw at Delhi as Anil Kumble retires