Steve Smith’s Brain Fade, Australia Outplayed

At Pune, planet Earth was almost jolted off its axis when India suffered their first home Test defeat since Alastair Cook and co wrought havoc in December 2012. Indeed, it wasn’t so much a defeat as an annihilation by Australia. The opposition spin attack, so long derided by the cricket world, suddenly became world beaters, outclassing Ashwin and Jadeja at their own game on their own pitch.

Could Virat Kohli’s men put that embarrassment behind them, shake off the Pune dust and get back to winning ways at Bengaluru? Absolutely! For the first few days, it looked like a Test match of old. Spinners bowling maiden after maiden and batsmen concentrating on keeping their wicket.

However, whereas back in the Seventies, visiting batsmen often had the wherewithal to withstand such pressures, the current crop of Twenty20-softened strokemakers are often unable to grind out a score and save a match. When their mental resolve is further tested by exceedingly ungentlemanly, yet apparently legal, conduct (i.e. sledging), performances seem to suffer more. Which I guess is why the likes of Kohli, Warner and many other leading cricketers continue to indulge in the practice.

As for the cricket itself, Nathan Lyon’s sensational 8-50 on day one seemed to be setting the scene for the Aussies to make it two out of two. But on the next three days, India remembered why they were the world’s top cricketing nation and they fought back. Even Ishant Sharma conceded fewer than two runs an over as Australia struggled for runs. Ravichandra Ashwin twirled away for 49 overs but it was fellow spinner Ravi Jadeja who completed a six-four, restricting the opposition to a lead of 87.

When India batted next, it was the quicks, Starc and Hazelwood who did the damage. Rahul again passed 50, as did Pujara and Rahane, but the rest capitulated. The outcome was that Australia were left with almost two whole days in which to knock off the required 188 to win. However, they knew that this pitch was proving decidedly tricky with uneven bounce and lateral movement. It wouldn’t be easy.

In the event that was an understatement. David Warner signalled his intent not to block and nudge by striking an early six but he was second out, for 18, in the tenth over. As the day progressed, the wickets tumbled but it wasn’t just the batting which was disintegrating; so were relations between the two sides, sparked by the use and blatant misuse of DRS.

Kohli pointed out to the umpires the tendency of Steve Smith to glance towards the dressing room for guidance before deciding on any reviews. This is banned under the laws of cricket. When the Aussie captain did it again after being given lbw, umpire Nigel Llong wasted no time in sending him back to the pavilion. India were fired up even more, and Ashwin proceeded to his 25th five-wicket haul. More than that, his 6-41 meant that for the first time EVER, four different bowlers had achieved six-fors in the same match. Unlike in Pune, Steve O’Keeffe was not one of them.

That would be quite a record, one to remember this match by. However, instead it will go down in history as the one when Kohli said the Aussies had “crossed the line” and made it clear he reckoned Steve Smith had cheated. Smith was unconvincing when he described his look to the balcony as “brain fade”.

We all know that technology has its place when used to aid umpires in coming to difficult decisions. Nevertheless, it is encumbent on players and officials to ensure that DRS is not abused. If Steve Smith and others have been caught out, they should be punished, and umpires will unfortunately have to add checking players’ eye movements to their already long list of duties. I can see captains demanding a review on whether the opposition illegally sought a review. What next? Team A demanding a review of whether Team B sought illegal assistance on whether or not Team A had sought illegal assistance on whether or not to review a decision on Team B? Aarrggghhh!

Let’s just say that India deserved to draw level 1-1 and hopefully common sense will prevail when the sides next meet at Ranchi. Somehow I anticipate another dearth of runs, spinners in the ascendancy and more grumpiness from Kohli. I just wish the game is played in the proper spirit and is remembered for cricketing reasons.

Smith and Steyn Supreme

Two Contrasting Test matches ended in victories for the current big two, Australia and South Africa, but the stars were a veteran fast bowler and a debut captain.

At Centurion, the West Indies were thoroughly outplayed in all departments. Their only success was winning the toss, but that merely formed the prelude to a big innings for the home side. Ramdin's men enjoyed some moments when three successive wicket-maidens must have lifted their spirits. Enter AB de Villiers, he and the magnificent Hasham Amla produced a triple-century partnership and that was that.

When AB fell for 152, debutant Stiaan van Zyl came to the crease and contributed a brisk unbeaten hundred of his own. Brathwaite and Smith made a solid start but then the wickets began to tumble at regular intervals. Vernon Philander pitched in with four wickets and no batsman reached 40 as the visitors were bowled out for 201.

Following on, West Indies fared little better and once Leon Johnson was caught behind, that great warrior Dale Steyn produced one of those spells which few can cope with. He claimed 6-34 and the Proteas cruised to an innings victory.

Meanwhile there was another successful debutant at Brisbane. India looked good value, with Murali Vijay (144) and Ajinkya Rahane (81) building a promising score. However, 23 year-old Josh Hazelwood took five wickets to keep the Aussies in the mix. With Clarke injured again, in-form Steve Smith was given the captaincy but the pressure didn't show. He stroked his sixth Test century then the tail wagged vigorously. Mitch Johnson and Mitch Starc scored half-centuries to enjoy a 97-run lead.

Johnson proceeded to rip out the Indian middle-order and only Shikhtar Dhawan - in two instalments either side of an injury break - showed any resilience. Needing only 128 to win in four sessions, Ishant Sharma silenced the Gabba crowd early on but Chris Rogers crunched ten boundaries for his second 55 of the match. There were a few more flutters but an extra cover drive from Mitch Marsh ended proceedings to win by four wickets.

The cracked pitch probably contributed to a preponderance of catches. All of India's first innings victims were caught, six by wicketkeeper Brad Haddin. He added three more in the second keeping to the pacemen.

So another encouraging display by Australia, and young Steve Smith's conversion from dodgy all-rounder to world-class batsman looks complete. Let's also hope that Hazelwood is now free of the stress fracture hoodoo that has affected so many young Aussie fast bowlers in recent years.