It was a batting pitch without doubt
The spectators will have a lot to shout about
The Aussies won the toss ‘n elected to bat
And to watch the battle of the titans all the spectators sat
Gilchrist and Katich started with a flourish
The Protean bowlers did more than just blemish
Gilchrist got out at 55
And the Proteas hoped that they would survive
Then came the Aussie punter
Talking about runs who was a hunter
With Katich ‘n Ponting in the middle, the Aussies were cruising
While the SA’n bowlers were left bruising
The Aussies got to 216 for 2
The Proteas were left with a lot to rue
Hussey came in and looked as fit as a fiddle
There weren’t many he couldn’t middle
As the Assies crossed 370
It looked as if we were watching 20-20
Came in next was the hardest hitter of them all
Man, the Assies were having a ball
When the Aussies crossed the 400 run barrier
The Proteas must have felt they were being chased by a terrier
Dippennar got Ponting with a boundary line catch
The Aussies looked sure to take the match
Symonds and Lee took Australia to 434
They definitely looked hungry for more
With the marathon Aussie innings finished
The Proteas sure, needed to get replenished
The Proteas got off to a flying start
The SA’n captain looked a player really smart
Dippennar dipped with 3 on the board
Herchelle Gibbs came in to balance the load
Gibbs played shots nothing less than swashbuckling
Every Aussie fielder was made to run like a duckling
SA reached 100-2 in over number 13
Inspite of the Aussie fielding being mean
Smith parted when the score was 190
Inpite of which the Proteas looked jaunty
With smith gone Gibbs took charge
The Proteas must have sensed that night they were in for a large
DeVilliers parted when SA was 284
But Gibbs was the man they did adore
Kallis came in next but didn’t make much
Just couldn’t help it, the pressure was such
Gibbs was going ballistic till SA were 299
When the Aussies struck the Gibbs goldmine
So Gibbs departed playing one of the best innings of all time
If you haven’t witnessed it you committed an unpardonable crime
As wickets for SA kept tumbling
Boucher came in & anchored the innings without mumbling
The run chase made the SA’ns strive higher
We all believed the match would go down to the wire
Boucher held his end sensing he would again be a winner
The Proteas must have sensed kangaroo soup for dinner
The SA’ns batted down till number 9
Each one of them must have felt “This game is mine”
Boucher got strike at 434
Open for them was the winners door
Lee bowled the penultimate delivery
And Boucher sent it straight to the boundary
So while Ponting kept rubbing his chin
The Proteas pulled out a clean win
The SA’ns had every reason to be merry
Boy ! this was a match no one would forget in a hurry
This marked the end of one of the best games ever played
Wherein the pendulum both sides swayed
That night the the Proteas had miss Winning to date
Ponting must have enviously said “We’ll getcha next time mate !!”
By:-
SUDEEP BANERJEE,
