




Dravid played the sheet anchor role and was looking rock-solid despite a dropped chance by Symonds on 18, though the fact also remains that Benson failed to spot a no-ball off Mitchell Johnson.
Things moved smoothly and safe before two bad decisions — first Dravid and then Ganguly — on either side of an out-of-form bat in the middle effectively sealing the fate of the match. Yuvraj Singh failed to stand up when the situation demanded the most of him, edging a Symonds delivery and dismissed for no score. M S Dhoni, who had looked equally out of sorts as Yuvraj at number six and Wasim Jaffer at the top, took a valiant stance for 117 minutes for his 35 before washing it off by not offering any shot to Symonds.
India had got off to a disastrous start, losing Jaffer pre-lunch for no score, edging Lee behind the wicket, while VVS Laxman failed to get his bat down in time and was plumb in front despite reassuring till the time he lasted. Sachin Tendulkar, who once again looked in sublime touch, fell while gaining an inside edge on to his stumps as he looked to leave that delivery from Stuart Clark.
With a four-plus required rate, India considered a draw as the only fair and practical result in the fourth innings on a deteriorating pitch.
However, it’s a shame that India, who flickered and fluctuated between dominating, winning and saving this match ended up losing because most in the order failed to match the application and sensibility that Kumble showed at the crease. And that included the two men in black and white.
... contd.


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