Never Before, Never Again....

I am not old enough to comment on this with authority, but few will disagree with me if I claim that this was the greatest ODI ever played. Imagine creating a world record before lunch, only to see it being consumed for dinner. Whew! I had goose pimples and my hair was standing on it's end. I was Mr Bean after an electric shock. That was the efect the game had on me.

Whoever said cricket is losing it's charm and is very one-sided, well, boss, think again! Because yesterday, Australia and South Africa played each other in a way that reminded people for the umpteenth time that cricket is a game of glorious uncertainity. I cannot stop commenting to all the people I meet about how lucky I was to watch the match.

Being a Sunday, I was out loafing around as usual, so I was unlucky to miss the first Innings when Australia massacared the South African bowling to post a mammoth 434 runs. Whew! (I'm beginning to use this word too often...but I just can't seem to think of anything else). Captain extraordinary Ricky Ponting led the way with a spectacular assault on the beleaguered SA bowlers, already struggling without Pollock.

Then the chase began. At the loss of the first wicket, Ponting must have started practicing his victory speech. But then, who on earth new that a bald guy who goes by the name Herschelle Gibbs had different ideas? Together with his captain, the ever non-flappable Graeme Smith, he went around smashing the Aussie bowlers all around the park. Ater the pair got out, it was pretty dicey, because SA, though on course, never has the luxury of losing a wicket and still continue to be on track, because the total they were aiming to bring down was so intimidating! But such situations, which generally crush the weaker willed players, also bring out the heroes in some. And this clarion call was answered by a imunitive little fella, whome people call Mark Boucher. Cool, Calm and Collected, Boucher held fort at one end, regularly smacking the boundaries while at the other end partners came and went, but not before making invaluable contributions themselves. All in all, it boiled down to the last over, when there were 7 runs reuired, and 2 wickets in hand. With one of the fasted bowlers in the world bowling this over, things could go either way.

Ball 1 : Lee to Boucher - Single. Boucher slams it back down the pitch. Lee stops the ball bravely, with his foot. One run.

Ball 2 : Lee to Hall - Four!!! Pulled over mid wicket, over the in field.

Ball 3 : Lee to Hall - Out!! Tries to repeat the shot, but hits it straing the Mid On

Ball 4 : Lee to Ntini - Single. Ntini runs it down to third man. after this the fielders converge into the 30 yard circle to stop the single.

Ball 5 : Lee to Boucher - Four!!! Slammed over mid -on ...... The greatest ever ODI brought to an end....No one was more deserving of scoring the final runs than Boucher

There were tears in my eyes.....

Images:



















All pictures sourced from BBC and Deccan Herald.