'Most impressive showing by an overseas team'

Former Australian captain Steve Waugh says India's performance in the ongoing second Test here is one of the most impressive by an overseas team to this country.

Reviewing the second day's play in his syndicated column, Waugh stated that it was a sort of day when the people at home sit back and wait for an Australian comeback but, for once, it never came.

India took their overall lead to 170 runs by close of the second day on Thursday. India had made 330 in their first innings and shut Australia out for 212 to take a lead of 118. In their second innings, India were 52 for one at stumps.

Waugh still feels there is much cricket to be played in the match and sees fast bowler Brett Lee as the catalyst through whom the Australians could provide a twist in the tale.

"Brett has become the world's No. 1 fast bowler this summer and Friday is the day he will have to prove it. It will need some special Lee magic to hoist Australia back into this Test after India's day of triumph yesterday," he wrote.

Waugh recollected how people whispered at every street corner after the Indians had drawn the Test series he had played in four years ago, that they didn't play in Perth and that next time the Indians would not be so lucky and a WACA Test would be non-negotiable.

"All summer people have been penciling it in as an Australian win."

The Indians' exceptional swing bowling, Waugh has said, will take a lot of fans back to the early 1980s when Kapil Dev proved a real handful for the Australians with his masterful late swing. "You have to admire the high-class work of the Indian bowlers," he said.

News Source : Samachar