The Economic Times on Sunday Why the four tech giants The Economic Times on Sunday DECEMBER 25-31, 2011 16 centrespread are so different p.32 DECEMBER 25-31, 2011 17 centrespread

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India-, 2nd Test, 1985-86 -Australia, 4th Test, 1982-83 The closest had come to winning a Boxing Day Test. As nail-biting as it can get: and With nearly the whole of post-lunch session to play on the have put on a 70- last- , just four runs fifth day, India finished at 59/2 chasing 126 to win. Sunil short of an improbable victory, tickets waived for the final Gavaskar (8 runs from 54 balls) and weather did not help day, 18,000 home supporters cheering, Botham bowls a matters. Earlier, Ravi Shastri and Shivlal Yadav had restricted loosener wide off the stumps, Thommo slashes, Chris Tavare Australia to 262. Solid top-order performance saw India fluffs the chance at second , the ball balloons to Geoff score 445 with Kris Srikkanth scoring a breezy 86 of 89 balls. Miller at first slip, who holds on to dear life…What a match. Allan Border’s 163 helped Australia reach 308. By all accounts, one of the best Ashes Test ever. Match AUSTRALIA 262 & 308 Drawn AUSTRALIA 287 & 288 INDIA 445 & 59/2 England ENGLAND 284 & 294 won

by 3 runs

England-Australia, 2nd Test, 1950-51 The first Boxing Day Test proved a thriller and a bowler’s -Australia, 1st Test, 1981-82 match. , , Freddie Brown (for Eng- The who’s who of modern-day pacers — Roberts, Holding, Garner, land), , and used the Croft (for the Windies), Lillee and Alderman (for the Aussies). With- deteriorating wicket to great effect. three days, the in the first 30 minutes of Day 1, Australia were tottering at 26 for match swung either way, with batsmen offering a sliver of four. got into the act (100 no) to give the Aussies hope, only to fall. England came in to bat for their 2nd , some respectability. With a little over 30 minutes left of the first needing 179 runs to square the series. Only (40) day’s play, Lillee reduced the Windies to 10 for 4. In the second showed some spunk as the Poms caved in for a meagre 150. innings, Holding restricts Australia. Chasing 220 for victory 's team collapsed for 161, with Lillee mopping up the tail. AUSTRALIA 194 & 181 Australia AUSTRALIA 198 & 222 won ENGLAND 197 & 150 WEST INDIES 201 & 161 by 28 runs Australia won

by 58 runs England-Australia, 3rd Test, 1974-75 SOURCE: VARIOUS WEBSITES Sometimes called the “mystery” Test, as to why Australia did not go for a win. In the fourth innings, England were without Mike Hendricks, and was hobbling with an injured knee. Australia needed 16 runs with three in hand, when their tail decided to shut shop. The home team fell short by eight runs. This Test is also remembered for two other reasons: Dennis Amiss’ superb 90, the highest individual score in the match and two spectators walking into the pitch, impersonating the umpires! Different ball game AUSTRALIA 242 & 244 The only one-day ever played on Boxing Day was when INDIA 241 & 238/8 Australia took on Sri Lanka in the Benson and Hedges Match Drawn tri-series (1989-90). was the third team. Mark AsAs thethe India-AustraliaIndia-Australia TestTest seriesseries kickskicks Taylor and made their ODI debuts. A 108-run, sixth wicket partnership between offoff atat thethe MCGMCG (popularly(popularly calledcalled thethe G),G), and Simon O’Donnell helped the Aussies put up 228. Sri Lanka-Australia, 2nd Test, 1995-96 wewe bringbring backback memoriesmemories ofof somesome ofof thethe O’Donnell then went on to use his medium pacers to Centuries by , and , greatest contests that took place at the snare 4 wickets. Eight Lankan wickets fell for 97 runs. hostile fast-medium by Glenn McGrath, instinctive cap- greatest contests that took place at the taincy by (using Ponting to bowl a few overs) — all birthplacebirthplace ofof TestTest cricketcricket these were overshadowed by a controversy that roiled the crick- AUSTRALIA 228/5 SRI LANKA 198 et world. Umpire Darrell Hair hit the headlines when he no-balled seven times in three overs. Surprisingly, the other umpire Steve Dunne found nothing wrong in Murali’s action. TEXT: YUSUF BEGG In the end, the Aussies had a facile victory in just over four days. DESIGN: MUKESH Of the 5 Tests India has played, they have lost 4. Their first one in 1985 was a draw AUSTRALIA 500/6 & 41/0 Australia Of the 35 Boxing Day Tests Australia have played, they have won 19 won SRI LANKA 233 & 307

by 10 wickets The highest attendance for a Boxing Day Test — nearly 250,000 — was at the Australia-England match in 2006