Australia selector Marsh lands up to watch Test aspirants

Legendary Australian wicketkeeper batsman and current selector Rod Marsh was at the Manuka Oval here yesterday to watch Test aspirants Doug Bollinger, Ed Cowan, Phillip Hughes and Usman Khawaja in action. The Australian selection committee will meet today to pick the squad for the first Test against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Australia selector and legendary wicketkeeper Rodney Marsh (right) at
the Manuka Oval yesterday. PIC/Sai Mohan

Marsh was watching the game intently in the stands as Cowan battled his way to a fine century against India. The Western Australian received a huge roar while leaving the Manuka Oval gates, even Indian fans acknowledged his attendance.

Sachin Tendulkar

Sach is the roar
Besides the "Rohit...Rohit" chants on Day One, the crowd, especially the Indian contingent, hasn't been as vocal here at Manuka Oval. It was a quiet afternoon, the players taking tea, when suddenly Sachin Tendulkar walked into the ground, accompanied by fielding coach Trevor Penney and Co. The crowd went berserk.

It was his first appearance since Saturday's optional net session when he spent most of the time teaching DGVI Raghaavindra how to extract out swing with his throwdowns. He did a bit of catching and fielding exercises with Penney, Raghaavindra and fitness trainer Ramji Srinivasan. Two hours later, he was once again sent off to the team bus with an incredible roar.

Holland, no favourite
Aussie journalists were angry with left-arm spinner John Holland who incidentally took figures of 6-70 in India's first innings total of 269 here yesterday. At the post-match media briefing, Holland, who accompanied centurion Ed Cowan, didn't exactly reciprocate fairly few questions thrown at him.

When asked to explain VVS Laxman's dismissal (Holland clipped Laxman's leg-stump), he jokingly said that the ball must draw comparisons to the Ball of the Century (Shane Warne to Mike Gatting, Manchester Test 1993). In fact, there wasn't a single answer given by Holland that "was worth writing about" according to a few Australian journalists who were annoyed with the spinner.