The Politics of Cricket By Baba Symonds

The World Champions showed class in overcoming the new Team India (World Twenty20 Champions) in the 6th ODI in Nagpur by 18 runs and clinched the Future Cup series. The last match will be played in Mumbai on October 17, 2007.

Powered by Andrew Symonds's 107 valuable runs, Australia scored 317/8 in 50 overs and then restricted India to 299/7 to win the match and the One-day series.

Man of the Match, Andrew Symonds, tore apart the Indian attack and helped Australia pile up a stiff score. Even the spinners who might have dared to think that Symonds will be an easy catch on the turning pitch found themselves caught in a dilemma. The bowlers conceded more than 100 runs in the last ten overs.

Symonds said his unbeaten knock was inspired by the racial taunts made at him at Vadodara. More than the taunts Andrew has been affected by the callous attitude of BCCI who denied any such incident took place. "When someone denies it has happened it is particularly disappointing," the all-rounder told The Daily Telegraph .

Symonds has performed extraordinarily in the current series making 365 runs at an average of 91.2 eclipsing Tendulkar's 10-year record for most runs in an India vs Australia series (357 at 119). He has done so in India which he thinks 'is never an easy place to tour.' He has been quoted saying how hostile this tour has been.

Writing for The Daily Telegraph , Symonds has clearly said the game and the opponent team should be respected. "We have had the edge on them here and we will get them again in Australia this summer. Over time, you can't disrespect the game the way they have because the game invariably bites you back. We won't stand down from a challenge, but at the same time you have to respect the game and your opponents."

"They have had their tails up a few times and they feel there are periods when they can beat us. But deep down I think they know if we bring our No1 game and do the basics well, then we're going to be hard to beat every time."

Time and again, except for the Chandigarh One-dayer, the Australians have brought their No1 game and have done exceptionally well at their basics. Symonds is not merely proving a point here but clearly telling the opponents that victories are better than verbal duals. Play your game, let the bat speak and don't shoot off your mouth, that's what Aussies are concentrating at the moment.

The Aussies have not been overtly social with the Indian team but Symonds gets on well with most of them, he wrote in the newspaper. He had praises for Sachin Tendulkar and Murali Kartik. It all started with Sreesanth where he was even advised by psychologists to channelise his aggression after the Kochi One-dayer. "His carry-on in this series has been way over the top. We don't mind blokes having a go and standing up for themselves, but he has gone above and beyond what's acceptable", Symonds wrote.

Symonds has criticised Team India of unsporting behaviour. He wrote, "The thing that annoys us the most is when they are going well, they will have a shot at you. But when they aren't going well, they forget to shake hands at the end of the game. That's not on in my opinion. If you play the game properly, shake hands, get over it, and move onto the next game. We hate front-runners. If you get knocked over, accept it, and do the honourable thing."

India should not let the Porsche, money, commercials and fracas at the pitch wear them down. It should get out of the victory hangover of Twenty20, concentrate on the game and play to win. That will the most honourable thing that Team India can do.