Thursday March 1, 2001

Sixteen straight!

In terms of pressure and sheer intensity, I cannot remember playing a day's Test cricket like today. From the moment the first ball was delivered to Raull Dravid, the tension was electric out on the field. Never have I heard such deafening roars from the crowd, who were almost begging, through their screaming, for a Tendulkar miracle. If you can imagine it, magnify and double the roar of a Boxing Day Test match in Melbourne. This may seem impossible to comprehend, but it was truly that loud as each dot ball from our bowlers built up a paralyzing pressure on the Indian batsmen.

Leading up to the dismissal of Sachin after lunch, it may have looked like India was on top of the proceedings. They had not lost a wicket in the first session of play and both batsmen had survived a mighty battle. Jason Gillespie and Glenn McGrath's opening spells were simply awesome. As Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh have done so often in the past, our fast bowling combination made scoring runs almost impossible for Sachin and Dravid.

"Obviously, Sachin would have felt robbed by the dismissal, but for us it was an incredible sense of relief and triumph seeing the back of one of the game's greatest batsmen"

Although we went to lunch wicket-less in the session, the feeling was one of confident satisfaction of a job very well done. Experience was reminding us that such a build-up of pressure never goes unrewarded, even if you sometimes have to wait for the sweet compensation. That initial prize came with the unorthodox, but sweet, wicket of the great Tendulkar. In a way, it was a form of justice for yours truly, as I have never received so many bruises in one game. Obviously, Sachin would have felt robbed by the dismissal, but for us it was an incredible sense of relief and triumph seeing the back of one of the game's greatest batsmen.

Standing at short leg to a player like Sachin is a daunting experience, as his heavy bat and incredible power mean nervous times when positioned so close to him. On this occasion, rather that the ball careering into my legs or arms, the ball instead hit me on the top of my left shoulder and lobbed into the cover region. It felt like I had been shot point blank by a shotgun until I saw Ricky Ponting sprinting, and then diving full length, to take a sensational catch. Sachin's misfortune led to a dramatic batting collapse, an eventual Test match victory and of course, a very sore and bruised left shoulder for me in the morning. Had the ball flown into safe ground, I have the feeling that I would have been in much more pain. Because of the ultimate result, I am sure my shoulder and back will survive the trauma.

This Test match victory has to go down as one of our best. In the run of sixteen straight victories, we have had many pressure situations, but few compare to this Test match. The lead-up to this series has been immense. Winning in India means a great deal to the team because it is a true examination of our ability and unity. Going one-nil up in the series is a huge bonus, particularly as we still have room for improvement. While our fielding was brilliant and desperate throughout, and our bowling was generally very consistent, we can still play better with the bat. In this game, one fantastic partnership pulled us through.

For the remainder of the series, our batsmen will be looking for more consistency and time at the crease. By achieving this, India will be in for a tougher time than they had here in Mumbai and we will leave these shores more successful than any other touring Australian side.

There is plenty more for us to play for here in India, and after a memorable celebration tonight it will be back to the work bench leading up to the second Test in Calcutta.

Celebrating from Mumbai

JL

Langer's earlier despatch:
The spirit of Bradman shines through

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