Monday, December 18, 2006

India kill and bury South Africans at the Wanderers

By John Cheeran
The agonising wait of a billion people is over with Indian cricketers completing their hunt at the Wanderers, led by an unflappable Rahul Dravid. India mauled South Africa by 123 runs despite a defiant 97 from Ashwell Prince.
Once Anil Kumble sent back Prince for 97, victory was certain.
The blind batting indulged by Shaun Pollock, imitating Sourav Ganguly, of course helped South Africa to reduce the margin of defeat.
Captain Dravid has inspired his colleagues to pull off a coruscating moment in Indian cricket history -- India's first Test triumph on South African soil.
It is no surprise that the same man - who else but Rahul Dravid -- who master minded India's first Test win in Pakistan has also crossed the Rubicon in South Africa.
After the brickbats of the last three months and relentless sniping from a desperate Bengali Broherhood, this must be the sweetest moment in Dravid's cricketing life.
Dravid has achieved what the media darling Sourav Ganguly failed to achieve in his five-year reign.
Finally, Indian cricketers have proved that they are not Wanderers but fighters on the cricket field.
And most importantly, Dravid has proved that you don't have to be snooty and ugly and strip your shirt to defeat rivals.
Credit goes to the entire team and coach Greg Chappell and captain Dravid.
And who can forget Shantakumaran Sreesanth's heroics with bat and ball.
You must remember not just Sreesanth's eight wickets but the mighty sixer he blasted off Andre Nel a feat that symbolized the indomitable spirit of the Generation Next in Indian cricket.
Those who are trumpeting Ganguly's return should do well to listen to the message from Johannesburg.
This is the victory of the Generation Next. This is the victory of the youth brigade.
It is a victory made possible only by the dare-devilry of a young Sreesanth.
And India's 123-run victory over South Africa is a vindication of Dravid's and Chappell's experiments with youth.

1 comment:

mahesh said...

hi John,
Please do not ridicule and taunt Ganguly(shirt and snooty comment). Let bygones be bygones, let us hop gh

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