Ashes 2005 ...upside down version

YoYo
And so the might have fallen ! or have they ? With the 3rd test Ashes tantalisingly poised and the Poms set for a 2-1 lead, the Kangaroos will find themselves in unfamiliar territory.Long used to pumelling the Brits, the Aussies now find themsleves with a 100 overs to bat and save the game.Hayden's arrogance,Langer's tenacity Ponting's fluency,Clarks illuminating strokeplay,Gilly's patience will all be put to the test by a fired up Harmission and Flintoff. And how can we forget Giles. A poor excuse for a spinner he might be, but he certainly seems to be doing his job !

Which brings me to another spinner who is more than excelling in the Ashes. Shane Warne, is a champion of the truest sense.The leg breaks are fizzling and the English for all their brave strokeplay arent still sure of how to distinguish a googly from the slider and what other exocit variations Warne might have up his sleeve.Warne is a terrific advertisement for cricket, his off field indiscretions notwithstanding. Picture this:You are the batsman, hes standing with the red cherry at around 22 yards and a few more from you. His blond hair is spiked,face covered with sun screen.Lips perched,ball tossing in his hand,a foxy smile lights up his face,expectant of the mayhem about to ensue. He takes a few measured steps,gathers a bit of momentum,lets out a grunt before his mammoth wrists and arms send teh ball whizzing in a variety of angles and directions leaving the bat clueless. You stand befuddled not quite knowing what hapenned.? Did the pace beat you ? Was it the spin ? or Was it just a straight ball that you thought would spin? As confused as as desi in a spanish speaking area,you just forget what happened and settle down to endure another magical torture. Before long Warne will have you in his maze and you find yourself sipping lemonade in the pavilion!

Shanes variations and his accuracy in delivering those mark him as the outstanding bowler of any category,spin or fast. Before him leg spin bowling started and ended with the quixotic Abdul Qadir. England hadnt heard of it I presume and in the WI anything less than 95 mph wouldnt be bowling at all. Warnes contribution goes beyond the 600 wickets he took.Reviving the dying art of leg spon bowling, introducing own variations and in general his showmanship while doing his job.

Now if the rest of the Aussies were doing theirs, the Kangaroos would be jumping with joy rather than facing the threat of a 2-1 deficit and the igonimous series defeat at the hands of England