The chances of a 10-wicket haul by a bowler in an innings are as remote as a Test match ending in a tie. Both these instances have been recorded only twice in Test cricket and India have figured in both types of rare instances. Jim Laker’s 10-wicket haul and Anil Kumble’s all 10; Australia- West indies tied Test at Brisbane and the Madras tied Test between Australia & India.
The Madras Test was played in the oppressive heat and humidity of mid September at the Chidambaram Stadium. Australia, under Allan Border were regrouping after the retirements of Lillee, Marsh and Chappell, and was a side short of international experience. On the other hand, through Gavaskar, Kapil, Amarnath, Azhar, Shastri and Srikkanth had a wealth of Test experience.
Border won the toss and decided to bat first on a good batting wicket, David Boon and Geoff Marsh gave a good start to Australia and had seen off the new-ball attack of Kapil and Chetan Sharma. Shivlal Yadav, the off-spinner, got rid of Marsh (22), but Boon and Dean Jones got entrenched against the three spinners (Yadav, Maninder and Shastri) and the two quick men (Kapil and Chetan). Australia ended the day 225/1. It had been a long, arduous day for the Indians and though the Australians batted slowly, the honour of the first day belonged to them.
The second day offered no respite to the Indians. Dean Jones was magnificent; sapped by heat and sweat, racked by vomiting, retching, cramps and dehydration, encouraged, cajoled and prodded by his captain Alan Border, Jones played a glorious, stroke-filled innings of 210 off 330 balls (27 fours and two sixes) and with Boon (122) and Border (106) also getting into three figures, the Aussies declared at 574-7. Yadav bowled nearly 50 overs to return the best figures for India – 4-142, Maninder went for 135 and was wicket-less whilst Shastri got just 1-161.
India lost Gavaskar (eight), early to the spin of Mathews & ‘Jimmy ‘Amarnath was run out soon after and when the swash buckling knock by Srikkanth 53 off 62 balls (nine fours and one six ) was ended by Mathews, India were reeling at 65-3. Azhar & Shastri steadied the ship putting on a 77-run partnership before Ray Bright ended the stroke filled 50-run knock (64 balls, eight fours) of Azharuddin. Chand,rakant Pandit playing the match purely as a batsman (More kept wickets) gave Shastri some support but both became victims of Greg Mathews, the bohemian, quick off-spinner who wore ear-rings and dyed his hair in various hues. India were struggling to avoid the follow-on, but situations such as these brought the best out of the Indian captain, Kapil Dev. Recall his innings in the World Cup in England when India were 17-5 against Zimbabwe or his assault on Eddie Hemmings in a Test in England when India were trying to avoid the follow on.
Madras has always seen a few vintage performances by Kapil with bat and ball. The crowd saw it through his bat on the third day of this Test as well as he flayed the Aussie bowling (McDermott, Reid, Waugh, Bright and Mathews) to all parts of the stadium hitting 21 fours in his 138-ball knock of 119 and was instrumental in India avoiding the follow-on. Receiving good support from Chetan Sharma (30) and Shivlal Yadav (19), Kapil was last out as India ended at 397,177 runs behind Australia on the fourth day.
Despite Kapil’s heroics, the match had gone Australia’s way.Although this Australian side was young and had just 140 Tests between them, they were a talented, battle-hardened lot. Realizing that they had a great chance to force a win on a fifth day wicket aiding spin, they went for quick runs in their second knock and declared at 170-5 made in 49 overs.
India, on the fifth day, were left to score 348 to win in 87 overs on a wearing pitch with the Aussies on psychological high as they had dominated the proceeding on the first four days of the match. It was a bold move orchestrated by the Aussie skipper, no doubt, goaded by the coach, Bob Simpson.
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