Saving one’s bacon

If there was any speculation after day three, as to whether Andrew Symonds had saved his place in the Test team with three quick wickets, there could be no doubt at the end of day four. The only question is will he get man of the match. Surely, that honour belongs to Michael Hussey for his incredible efforts on the second morning, but more wickets for Symonds tomorrow could make it interesting.

After an excellent spell yesterday, Symonds entered the fray with Australia well placed at 4-193, 237 runs in front of South Africa. He opened his account with a third ball six and proceeded to 72 from just 54 balls, heaving another five blows way over the fence. At the same time, Hayden exploded and when the partnership was over 15.1 overs later, the score had been advanced by 124 (at 8.18 runs per over). When the dust settled just three balls later the innings was closed, having seen 10 runs and three wickets from the final Kallis over.

Symond’s added to his success for the match with 2-6 including the vital wickets of Kallis and first Test hero, Jacques Rudolph. Symonds modestly admitted that he was pleased to have finally made a contribution.

Of course, Symonds will hold his place for the Sydney Test. The team will probably remain unchanged except for the return of Langer, who had a net yesterday. It’s hard to know how close Symonds was to being dropped for Sydney. Many, myself included thought he should not have played in Melbourne. I’m assuming that he would have been dropped for Sydney had he not made a contribution in Melbourne. Would the three wickets on day three have been enough? Given the benevolence extended to Symonds thus far, I suspect that those three wickets would have been enough.

While on the subject of saving one’s bacon, how many others have rescued their careers from the brink? Of course, it’s all speculation as we cannot know the minds of the selectors. I’m pretty certain the Matthew Hayden rescued his career from oblivion in the final Ashes Test. And what a turn around. Perhaps Steve Waugh did the same against Pakistan in late 2002, scoring a century in the final Test. It is possible he did the same just five Tests later with his famous last ball century at the SCG.

The iconic 4th Test at the MCG in 1982 which England won by 3 runs is remembered for the last wicket stand of Alan Border and Jeff Thomson. Border finished on 62 not out. Border has scored 83 runs at 16.6 for the series, closely following 84 runs at 16.8 (at least he was consistent) in a three Test series in Pakistan. Many in the press were crying for Border to be axed. In the euphoria of the match, it is often forgotten that AB was probably batting for more than the match. He scored 89 and 83 in the next Test and the rest is history.

In 1997, Mark Taylor was on the verge of dropping himself. In the final first class match before the Ashes, he was dropped on one by Dean Jones. He proceeded to 60 odd and played in the first Test. Having failed in the first innings of the first Test as Australia was shot out for 117, Tubby made a famous and celebrated century as Australia made a match of it before going down. The rest, as they say, including an Australian record of 334 not out, is history.

If you can think of any other examples, feel free to let me know and I’ll compile a list.

And for a “not quite” story: Just before he batted in the 2nd Test against Pakistan in 1972-73, John Benaud was told he had been dropped for the next Test. He proceeded to smash an angry and brilliant, match winning 142 and played just one more Test for Australia in a dead rubber in the Caribbean.

The Ghost of Greatbatch

It was November 1989 when Mark Greatbatch batted for almost two days in Perth, making 146 not out from 485 balls and enabling New Zealand to save the one off Test. While that is rather sobering when compared to another left-hander, Jacques Rodulph’s 102 not out from just 283 balls, we should remember that 283 balls is almost a whole One Day innings, and that Rudolph was up against a high quality attack. While Greatbatch had to contend with Alderman, Rackemann, Lawson and Hughes, Rudolph was up against the best spinner of all time, one of the best seamers ever and the fastest bowler on the planet.

Perhaps one thing in Rudolph’s favour was a lack of flair and imagination from the opposing captain. A few points about Ponting:

1. His churlish outbursts and on field remonstrations with the umpires are tiresome. Ponting behaves like that not because he is right but because he is bitterly disappointed. Why carry on like a pratt when the batsmen are offered the light and go off. If the lights are on and it’s almost dark, why would you put Brett Lee on to bowl. Der. And his lengthy argument at the death in the final One Day match against NZ about the no ball for 3 men in the circle – what was that about? Let’s assume for a moment that Ponting wasn’t wrong – and he was wrong – isn’t the umpire always right?

2. Warnie needs the occasional rest.

3. Ponting eventually moved Warne to the other end but much too late. For one hour after lunch, Rudolph didn’t face a single ball from Warne (and of course, Warne bowled for the whole hour). The South African batsmen dictated terms by choosing their ends. Ponting should have spelled Warne for an over and brought him on at the other end to try and catch Rudolph out.

4. The selectors must be pulling their hair out. Ponting has made it known that he is a big Symonds fan. The selectors want the all rounder project to work. And Ponting bowled Symonds for 3 overs in the entire match. It beggars belief. What a show of no confidence. Symonds position in the team surely must be under review. It needs to go to MacGill or a specialist batsman. For what it is worth, he did field magnificently.

5. Ricky must have been asleep during his formative years under the shrewd captaincy of Mark Taylor because he is obviously unaware of the concept of a partnership breaker. I recall that Ponting himself was occasionally a partnership breaker for Tubby. In the Greatbatch match, Border bowled his ordinary all rounder, Tom Moody for 17 second innings overs. Border had five and Dean Jones three. I’ve heard Hussey can bowl quite well. I’ve never seen him but feel that I should have been given the opportunity today.

6. We’ll never know if Australia would have won with more time. Well, we know that they would have won but we don’t know how much time they needed. It’s rather obvious that Ponting could have declared an hour earlier than he did, in allowing Hodge to make his double ton. The nice thing is that it was very recently that Ponting rather self righteously announced that Australian teams do not delay declarations so that personal milestones could be achieved! Very funny.

Perhaps Ian Chappell is right. Make Warnie captain. Just kidding but there is no question he would do a better job on the field.

Congratulations to Phil Jacques on his call up. He is a player that will go far. Lang and Haydos should be worried.

And with Jacques Kallis expected to make a come back for Melbourne we have “Jacques” coming out of our ears.

Well done the Boks. Today was a fantastic effort. And what’s more, for the first time in many years, the Sydney Test match won’t be a dead rubber.