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Ponting hails languid Laxman

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Ponting hails languid Laxman
Australian captain, Ricky Ponting, has hailed his team for their outstanding effort in the first Test against India, which his team lost, after a nail-biting finish.
The hero for the Indians was http://www.senore.com/Cricket/VVS-Laxman-c2772, who played another special, back against the wall knock against his favourite opponents as the hosts sneaked home by one wicket.
The match at Mohali was one with constant ebbs and flows and it was the hosts, who eventually had the nerve to pull of the most remarkable Test wins in recent time, with the last two wickets adding 92 runs to take their team past the 216 runs target.
Ponting conceded that Laxman was the batsman he had feared the most the night before the final day, he added that he was in awe of the talented Hyderabadi since his epic knock against the same opponents in Kolkata in 2001.
"Just having some dinner last night with a few guys I was sitting with, I really felt that [we should beware] the wounded player [Laxman], and batting down the order I felt he would make a big contribution today", Ponting said. "I was trying to make sure
that we weren't thinking they were going to be a batsman down again in the second innings and get too carried away".
In 2001 Laxman along with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Rahul-c83321 Dravid fashioned one of the greatest wins in Test history after their team was forced to follow-on.
Laxman scored 281 while Dravid scored a monumental hundred, to end Australia’s World record winning streak of 16 Test wins.
To make matters worse for the Australians, Laxman was batting with a runner during the innings, he suffered the injury during the first Australian innings and carried it throughout the match.
"Even with that [bad back] today he showed what sort of class player he is," Ponting said. "He has been a bit of a thorn in our side there's no doubt about that, I guess him and Sachin [Tendulkar] would be the two who've done the most damage over the years,
a couple of guys who've played a lot against us and have got good records against us. I hope his back's pretty sore for next week as well and he can't play".
The match would also be remembered for some umpiring howlers that had a major affect on the result of the match, the decisions went in favour and against both teams yet the visitors would be ruing the call made by umpire Bill Bowden when he ruled Pragyan
Ojha not out on when he was hit on the pads by Mitchell Johnson.
At this stage the hosts were six runs away from a win and Ojha attempted a leg-bye, Australian fielder Steven Smith attempted a run out and the ball missed the stumps and went for four over throw runs, brining the hosts’ with-in two runs from the target.
Television replays indicated that Ojha was plumb in front and should have been given out.
"I'm a big supporter of the UDRS, I actually queried the ICC before the series started about the reason why we weren't using the system", Ponting said. "One thing I know about the system so far is that you definitely get more correct decisions in a game
of cricket than you do without it, we understand how difficult a job it is for the umpires out there. There's no doubt, take this Test match alone, with the use of the system here I think we would've have a lot more right decisions in the game".
Ponting, who is one of the most successful captains in Test history, has had an appalling record in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750. He is yet to win any Test there whilst losing three out of the five games he has led the team in.
The second Test provides perhaps the last opportunity for Ponting to set the record straight, let us see if he has it in him.
 

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