The Suspense Beats A Hitchcock Thriller

In the end, it was as well that the match concluded in such an ASTONISHING FASHION for it helped to mask a succession of unseemly incidents.

- Mike Coward

For the past 26 years, passionate cricket people in Australia have often, talked in a most animated way about the tied Test. Now, after the quite extraordinary events in the sound space that was the Chidambaram Stadium, Madras, they will have to specifically qualify their remarks. For there are now two epic encounters which beg earnest and lively discussion at the very mention of the word “tie”.

It is, of course, utterly pointless to argue as to which was the more fantastic game: the tie between Australia and the West Indies in Brisbane in December 1960 or the astonishing conflict — and the word is used advisedly — between Australia and India. 

Of course, it matters nought, both were remarkable matches, perhaps the jewels in cricket’s crown. There was, however, a fundamental difference between the two matches, which cannot be ignored. It is well documented that Riche Benaud and the late Sir Frank Worrell’s teams enjoyed a close friendship throughout the West Indies’ watershed tour of Australia that summer of 1960-61. Sadly, no such mateship and understanding exists between the teams under the leadership of Allan Border and Kapil Dev.

BAD BLOOD

Indeed, it is difficult to recall a more acrimonious Test than this one. While the cricketers of Australia and India may respect each other’s capabilities as cricketers, they seem to have little else in common. Perhaps, in the end, it was as well that the match concluded in such an astonishing fashion for it helped to mask a succession of unseemly incidents.

For reasons best known to the protagonists themselves, bad blood exists between the teams. It was evident in Australia last summer and, quite obviously, nothing has changed.