Where Were You?

This is a question going to be asked for years to come. You ought to answer ‘where were you’ when greatest one day game ever was played on March 12th, 2006 at that magnificent sports auditorium known as New Wanderers in Johannesburg. I know I’ll be talking about this Sunday morning for quite some time.

I woke up rather early for a Sunday around 8.30 am US Eastern Time since I had plans to go for a drive as weather was just awesome in Washington DC this weekend. As I usually do, my first act in the morning was to get online and check latest scores. I was most interested in learning the news from Mohali where India was playing England. Fourth day of that Mohali test was a great advertisement for test cricket. A test that had lost so much time and most likely heading towards a draw suddenly turned in to a result oriented one and Indians were eyeing a certain victory on final day. But what caught my attention was that Australia had scored 434 in another continent and I just couldn’t believe it. It wasn’t against a Kenyan attack like Sri Lankan did in 1996 when they nearly scored 400. A South African attack even without Shaun Pollock has enough teeth in it. Invariably it reminded me of 2003 world cup final when this modern day murderer of bowling attacks called Ricky Ponting and Damien Martyn had fun with very impressive (until that final) Indian bowling line up.

My Sunday morning had more to come for when I noticed South African score at that stage. Graeme Smith was playing on 90 on mere 50 odd balls and I was like can they? Realistically I knew it’s a matter of one or two wickets and South Africans will be soon bundled out somewhere around 280 or so with 10 overs still remaining. Just than Smith lost his wicket on same score and I admired my understanding of one day game. Hundreds of times we have seen teams batting second crumbling under pressure of huge score despite a great start (mainly thanks to fielding restrictions) and this match was following same pattern.

Hold on. Experts have said for ages that only fools make predictions in cricket. But this is world record 434 isn’t? And isn’t best team of past 10 years, Australia, that is defending this score? And against whom may I ask; the perennial chokers of game of cricket, South Africans. What followed though wasn’t based on a script written ever before. A score of 300 was reached in just 33rd over and I knew anything can happen today. I was ruing my inability to watch the match live and just manage with live scores. No matter, I still couldn’t stop following ball by ball scores.

By the 40th over I had doubts if 1999 world cup semifinal will still be called greatest game ever. And by the time it all finished whole world knew what just happened was almost surreal. I ran down to tell my roommate if he was interested in ‘news of the day’ and shocked him. There were so many moments in the game, when I skipped a breath. I thought Justin Camp can do it but he didn’t do much. Van Der Wath came and started hitting like he was an Afridi or a Sehwag or a Gilchrist. I was surprised how come a bowler is doing it knowing not much about him. I instantly checked his records and I realized he was a big hitter. He didn’t stay too long either. Telemachus didn’t waste any time. By now I was thinking a tie might be ideal result. When Andrew Hall gave away his wicket I could see it happening. Boucher though threw away the tag of chokers from face of South African cricketers for ever, next ball.

I was not at Wanderers, I wasn’t even in front of a TV screen watching it live, and I wasn’t holding a radio close to my ears listening to running commentary either. Still I lived the tensions of this greatest game with all those lucky souls who saw it happening. I am grateful it was a Sunday, I am grateful for internet and not the least I am grateful for lovely Washington weather but for which I wouldn’t have woke up early on March 12th, 2006.