This one promises to be even bigger than Miss Saigon —- the ‘sumptuous, sizzling and spectacular’ blockbuster running in this festival week here. The bigger attraction will be starting on Thursday — just a few metres from the city opera house —- at the Adelaide Oval cricket ground. The fourth Test match starts in this city of churches and Chappells, and the legacy of Sir Don Bradman. The Don’s last years and his cricketing feat are well documented in the museum here.

And after recording his first duck in Tests, Michael Hussey is back at his “favourite ground” where he averages 315 in the two Test matches.

Hussey acknowledges the work of Indian bowlers but warns the Australian team is determined to move on and hit back in Adelaide. “You can’t go forever without losing. We’ve got to move on and look forward to Adelaide. They (Indian seamers) are good bowlers and, like any other bowler in the world, you treat them with respect. They had their day against us in Perth. We never underestimate any bowler and we treat whoever we are playing against with the utmost respect. We prepare very, very well against every team,” he said.

With this wicket expected to take turn, it will be the spinners who are expected to call the shots. So once again, it will be a crowded close-in area, and the combination of ‘Kumble-Dravid’ coming to the fore a lot more. Dravid is joint second with Stephen Fleming at 166, in catches taken, and is not very far off from 181 of Mark Taylor. India’s fielding coach Robin Singh provided another interesting aspect to this new world order of ‘c Dravid b Kumble’.

... contd.