Adieu Warnie and Pigeon
Until 1996, we never had a cable connection at home. Like the typical Indian kids of those times, we were also very interested in cricket. But having only Doordarshan at home meant that we never got to see cricket played overseas.
1996 was also the year I got into engineering college. Since engg exams are always in December, and since we got about a month of study leave before exams, I used to watch test matches played in November and December, which obviously meant test matches played in Australia, New Zealand or South Africa. Getting to hear commentary by experts like Richie Benaud, Barry Richards, Ian Chappell etc helped me understand the game and its nuances a lot better.
That was also the period when Australia started their upward journey towards being the best team in the world. With Mark Taylor as captain, the team was filled with a lot of superstars - Steve and Mark Waugh, Shane Warne, Ian Healy, Glen McGrath. I was fortunate enough to see this team build up into the best team in the world. The signs were there right then; this team used to have that never say die spirit which is so typical of the Aussies. I have seen them turn around games from losing situations. Over a period of time, I really started appreciating the brand of cricket the Aussies played - positive, aggressive, unafraid, yet fair.
After watching them for a couple of seasons, I became a major Aussie fan. I still am. I enjoy watching them play and this team has given its fans a lot of wonderful moments to cherish over the past decade. I have also taken a lot of inspiration from this team personally. Steve Waugh, in particular has been a real hero for me. I can hardly remember an occassion when Australia were in trouble and Steve Waugh did not get a big score to bail them out and put them right in command.
Shane Warne has been another superstar for Australia. Warnie has been the big match player for his team. I guess the World Cup Semi final of 1999 against South Africa is one game that every cricket lover will always remember. Australia looked dead and buried with SA 48/0 chasing 214 to win. Enter Shane Warne, and what happens?? 3 wickets in 3 overs, 2 of them with unplayable deliveries and SA in big trouble at 54/3. The game went on to be one of the most dramatic tied games ever and Australia went into the finals. I guess that game typifies the kind of player Shane Warne is. When the team is in trouble, give him the ball and he'll get you a couple of wickets - simple!!!! There are only a handful of occassions I can think of where Warne has failed his captain. I think the Ashes of 2005 was perhaps Warne's greatest performance. Really sad that he ended up on the losing side after such a lion hearted performance.
Glen 'Pigeon' McGrath has been another Aussie great. His uncanny ability to target the best batsmen in opposing teams and dominate them for over a decade is the stuff of legends. Be it Sachin, Atherton, Gary Kirsten or Lara, McGrath has time and again dismissed them in test matches. Yes, there have been occassions when these great batsmen have dominated him, but on the whole, he has won more battles against them. McGrath has also been an extremely dependable bowler for Australia, invariably producing wickets when his team is on the verge of desperation.
There are lots of things about this Australian team that will remain etched in my memory forever -
1. The great slip cordon of Healy, Taylor, Warne and Mark Waugh. Anything in the air in their direction and the batsman didn't need to look back. He could just start walking
2. McGrath's run up and the Australian crowds cheering him
3. Healy or Gilchrist saying 'Bowling Shane' after yet another unplayable ball from the master
4. McGrath bowls, the batsman edges it to first slip and Taylor / Warne / Mark Waugh gobbling it up
5. Australia in big trouble and Steve Waugh building a huge partnership with Healy
6. Australia in big trouble and Gilchrist hitting a century in double quick time, demoralising the opposing
team
I could just go on and on. I have idolized this team for a long long time and it's sad to see most of them having retired or on the verge of retirement. With Warne and Mcgrath also intending to retire after this Ashes series, that old slip cordon will completely change now. All of them would be in the commentary box next year. I have been a touch sad hearing about the retirement of these 2 greats. Who will Ponting turn to now when he needs a wicket badly?? I don't know. I don't think there's going to be a replacement for Warnie in my lifetime. He's the master, others are just good bowlers. Warnie is going to leave a huge huge void, not only in Australian cricket, but in world cricket. McGrath over the past 2 years has not been the bowler he once was. His retirement may not be such a huge blow. I will miss him all the same. What an action and what a dependable bowler!!! I'm sure Aussie fans have that sense of security while Pigeon is bowling. That will no longer be there.
I only hope the Aussies don't decline now. It's hard for them to remain the best team without these great players, but I hope they remain a good side. World cricket will suffer if Australia decline to become a weak team now. They have been the benchmark for over a decade now. They have raised standards in cricket and have provided tremendous entertainment over the past 10-12 years. Just think of the greatest games in the last 10-12 years and I'm sure most of them have involved Australia. Be it the Kolkata test where Laxman made 281, be it the 99 World Cup Semi final, be it the Johannesburg game where SA chased 434, be it the Adelaide test of 2006 where Australia converted a sure draw into a victory on the last day, or the Jamaica test where Lara made 153 and won a test match by himself. The entire 2005 Ashes for that matter. All outstanding games. Invariably, it took a superhuman effort by someone to beat Australia. That speaks volumes for the quality of this team.
I hope these great players leave the arena with a win. I think Ponting and his men owe it to these two for having taken Australia to the heights they have achieved. I have personally been sad since I heard the news of their retirement and I'm sure I'll be emotional the day Warnie and Pigeon walk off the field for the last time.
1996 was also the year I got into engineering college. Since engg exams are always in December, and since we got about a month of study leave before exams, I used to watch test matches played in November and December, which obviously meant test matches played in Australia, New Zealand or South Africa. Getting to hear commentary by experts like Richie Benaud, Barry Richards, Ian Chappell etc helped me understand the game and its nuances a lot better.
That was also the period when Australia started their upward journey towards being the best team in the world. With Mark Taylor as captain, the team was filled with a lot of superstars - Steve and Mark Waugh, Shane Warne, Ian Healy, Glen McGrath. I was fortunate enough to see this team build up into the best team in the world. The signs were there right then; this team used to have that never say die spirit which is so typical of the Aussies. I have seen them turn around games from losing situations. Over a period of time, I really started appreciating the brand of cricket the Aussies played - positive, aggressive, unafraid, yet fair.
After watching them for a couple of seasons, I became a major Aussie fan. I still am. I enjoy watching them play and this team has given its fans a lot of wonderful moments to cherish over the past decade. I have also taken a lot of inspiration from this team personally. Steve Waugh, in particular has been a real hero for me. I can hardly remember an occassion when Australia were in trouble and Steve Waugh did not get a big score to bail them out and put them right in command.
Shane Warne has been another superstar for Australia. Warnie has been the big match player for his team. I guess the World Cup Semi final of 1999 against South Africa is one game that every cricket lover will always remember. Australia looked dead and buried with SA 48/0 chasing 214 to win. Enter Shane Warne, and what happens?? 3 wickets in 3 overs, 2 of them with unplayable deliveries and SA in big trouble at 54/3. The game went on to be one of the most dramatic tied games ever and Australia went into the finals. I guess that game typifies the kind of player Shane Warne is. When the team is in trouble, give him the ball and he'll get you a couple of wickets - simple!!!! There are only a handful of occassions I can think of where Warne has failed his captain. I think the Ashes of 2005 was perhaps Warne's greatest performance. Really sad that he ended up on the losing side after such a lion hearted performance.
Glen 'Pigeon' McGrath has been another Aussie great. His uncanny ability to target the best batsmen in opposing teams and dominate them for over a decade is the stuff of legends. Be it Sachin, Atherton, Gary Kirsten or Lara, McGrath has time and again dismissed them in test matches. Yes, there have been occassions when these great batsmen have dominated him, but on the whole, he has won more battles against them. McGrath has also been an extremely dependable bowler for Australia, invariably producing wickets when his team is on the verge of desperation.
There are lots of things about this Australian team that will remain etched in my memory forever -
1. The great slip cordon of Healy, Taylor, Warne and Mark Waugh. Anything in the air in their direction and the batsman didn't need to look back. He could just start walking
2. McGrath's run up and the Australian crowds cheering him
3. Healy or Gilchrist saying 'Bowling Shane' after yet another unplayable ball from the master
4. McGrath bowls, the batsman edges it to first slip and Taylor / Warne / Mark Waugh gobbling it up
5. Australia in big trouble and Steve Waugh building a huge partnership with Healy
6. Australia in big trouble and Gilchrist hitting a century in double quick time, demoralising the opposing
team
I could just go on and on. I have idolized this team for a long long time and it's sad to see most of them having retired or on the verge of retirement. With Warne and Mcgrath also intending to retire after this Ashes series, that old slip cordon will completely change now. All of them would be in the commentary box next year. I have been a touch sad hearing about the retirement of these 2 greats. Who will Ponting turn to now when he needs a wicket badly?? I don't know. I don't think there's going to be a replacement for Warnie in my lifetime. He's the master, others are just good bowlers. Warnie is going to leave a huge huge void, not only in Australian cricket, but in world cricket. McGrath over the past 2 years has not been the bowler he once was. His retirement may not be such a huge blow. I will miss him all the same. What an action and what a dependable bowler!!! I'm sure Aussie fans have that sense of security while Pigeon is bowling. That will no longer be there.
I only hope the Aussies don't decline now. It's hard for them to remain the best team without these great players, but I hope they remain a good side. World cricket will suffer if Australia decline to become a weak team now. They have been the benchmark for over a decade now. They have raised standards in cricket and have provided tremendous entertainment over the past 10-12 years. Just think of the greatest games in the last 10-12 years and I'm sure most of them have involved Australia. Be it the Kolkata test where Laxman made 281, be it the 99 World Cup Semi final, be it the Johannesburg game where SA chased 434, be it the Adelaide test of 2006 where Australia converted a sure draw into a victory on the last day, or the Jamaica test where Lara made 153 and won a test match by himself. The entire 2005 Ashes for that matter. All outstanding games. Invariably, it took a superhuman effort by someone to beat Australia. That speaks volumes for the quality of this team.
I hope these great players leave the arena with a win. I think Ponting and his men owe it to these two for having taken Australia to the heights they have achieved. I have personally been sad since I heard the news of their retirement and I'm sure I'll be emotional the day Warnie and Pigeon walk off the field for the last time.
Comments
yes the slip cordon sure wil be totally diff from those gr8 wonderful days!!! no more tubbs, junior, hollywood there!!!
also this is just the start man.. Marto is gone.. follwed by these 2 giants.. they are sure to be followed by, Matt, JL, Gilchrist (maybe aftr the WCup), Gillespie,
n nt just them.. BC Lara, SR Tendulkar, Kumble, Pollock, Inzy (maybe), Jayasuriya ..
man the world of cricket is goin to be poor.. n the entertainers wil be gone...
u knw this is the genration of cricketers we grew up watchin.. they hv been there since i hv started watchin the game.. now they wil nt be thr n i am nt goin to like it one bit..
its goin to be an year of Sadness