Aussies power to Perth Test victory

[Nergal]

 

Throughout a year when the behaviour of Australia's men's cricket team has oscillated so starkly between naughty and nice, the most welcome early Christmas gift arrived shortly before 11.30am in Perth today when Tim Paine's team won a Test match.

While the hard-earned win was never in question once India's two remaining batting hopes had been nipped out inside the first 40 minutes today, the celebrations the 146-run win sparked have been nine months in the waiting.

It was the first win of Paine's captaincy, a position to which he was unexpectedly elevated in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal, and ended a six-match winless streak for a team that has had its methods and character closely questioned.

In a more narrow context, Australia now stands toe-to-toe with the world's top-ranked Test team heading into the final two Tests of the Domain Series at the MCG and SCG, matches that now loom as even greater drawcards on the cricket calendar than are historically so.

By contrast, India's hopes of an historic first series win on Australia's turf have copped a reality check after their batting was exposed on a fast bowlers' pitch, where Australia spinner Nathan Lyon was as tough to handle as any seamer.

India's escalating frustration became pointedly evident prior to the resumption when broadcaster Channel Seven aired footage, from the previous afternoon, of fast bowler Ishant Sharma and substitute fielder Ravindra Jadeja engaged in a heated discussion.

The exchange, captured by an isolated camera, took place while Lyon was checked out after receiving a head blow during his brief innings on Monday.

By that stage, Australia's lead was already closing in on 250 and the animosity between the pair suggested India realised the result was beyond them.