Why

Why

Friday 20 November 2009

It Just Happened for the third time in Test Cricket - Halley's Comet of Cricket

Last year India's tour of Srilanka, I was eagerly waiting for this event to happen. It is such a unique thing that, it has happened only twice in the history of Test cricket. Unfortunately, it didnt happen and I had to wait a full year and few months for this moment to come.

This happens to be just a thing for cricket fans like me and their silly desires to watch something that is comparable to that of Halley's comet (rarity). I am not sure whether I will ever watch Halley's comet in my life, and this cricketing moment looks very much heading that way.

When the night watchmen, Amit Mishra got out this morning, out walked Sachin Tendulkar, needing 35 runs to get to his 30,000 runs in International cricket. These records come and go, I was more keen on him taking strike. At the end of 57th over, Sachin faced Muralitharan for the first time since 2008.

This was the moment, I have been waiting for. The prospect of watching the Test's highest run getter facing the Test's highest wicket taker.

For the record, it has happened twice before in the history of Test cricket, previous one being that of Brian Lara facing Shane Warne at Adelaide Oval in 2005, when he went Allan Border's record to become the highest run getter.

The first instance was way back in the history, at a time when test cricket was evolving. It was in 1886-87 season when Arthur Shrewsbury of England faced the might of Fred Spofforth.

Looking forward, I can safely say, it will take a while before something like this can happen. My only guess is Ricky Ponting facing Muralitharan, being a Sachin fan, I wouldnt like this event to happen.