'We will go fishing'

Australia’s 1969-70 tour of India led by Bill Lawry had started well for the visitors at the Brabourne Stadium, Bombay. (Those days Test matches were played at Brabourne Stadium – Wankhede Stadium wasn’t built till 1974-75).

Australia registered an easy eight-wicket win and moved to Kanpur where a century by debutant G.R.Vishwanath saw India salvage a draw.

The Australian captain Bill Lawry was full of confidence for the third Test at the Ferozshah Kotla, Delhi.

On the eve of the Test, talking to the media he exuded confidence in winning the Test in good enough time to allow him to go "fishing".

Australia won the toss and Lawry opened with Keith Stackpole against newcomer Subroto Guha of Bengal and left arm medium pacer Eknath Solkar.

Stackpole, the burly strokeplayer was in great nick and dominated the opening overs. With Australia on 33 and the skipper on six, Guha bowled Lawry as the left-hander shaped for an off drive. Ian Chappell joined Stackpole and the two batted beautifully to post the Australian 100 before Bishan Bedi lured Keith Stackpole out for Engineer to make a smart stumping.

The spinners now took over. Bedi and Prasanna bowling in tandem, quickly got rid of Walters, Redpath and Sheehan and Australia were reduced to 133-5. Chappell, however, was batting superbly, using his feet against the spinners and remaining positive in attitude despite the middle order collapse. He found good support in Taber, the wicket keeper. The two put on a century partnership to rescue Australia. Only when the 250-mark was crossed, Bishan Bedi got the breakthrough India wanted by bowling Chappell for 138. Australia folded up for 296 with Bedi taking four for 71 and Prasanna four for 111.

India started well through Engineer and Ashok Mankad and put on 85, thwarting the pace and swing of Mckenzie and Connolly and the early overs of spin by Gleeson and Mallett till Engineer was bowled by Connolly for 38.

Wadekar and Vishwanath made decent 20’s and then India collapsed against the off-spin of Mallett. Mankad top scored with 97 (destined to remain his highest score in his 22 Test career) and Mallett finished with 6 for 64 with Gleeson chipping in with two for 62.

Clearly the wicket was aiding spin and the Indians, despite conceding a 73-run lead in the first innings knew that they had three world-class spinners (Bedi, Prasanna and Venkat) in their team to exploit any help the pitch could give.

Bedi, the classicist – beguiling loop, good spin and an excellent arm ball; Prasanna, whom the Aussies rated the best off-spinner also relied on vicious spin and flight. He had the ability to beat the batsmen in flight and when on song he could be deadly. More importantly he had in "Tiger" Pataudi a captain who believed in him and was hugely supportive. Venkat was the taller of the two and a different type of off-spinner – quicker through the air and one who hit the deck more than Prasanna did.

On a responsive pitch, he could be devastating. As events were to prove, he wasn’t required.

Australia simply collapsed. Lawry, no doubt haunted by his "we’ll go fishing" boast, fought valiantly but Bedi and Prasanna (5–37 and five for 42 respectfully) were too "hot" to handle.

Australia were bundled out for 107 – Lawry 49 N.O.

Needing 181 to win, India started badly losing Engineer and Mankad to Mallett but Wadekar and young Vishwanath showed their pedigree as excellent players of spin to take India home by seven wickets, Wadekar remaining 91 N.O. and Viswanath, fresh from his debut century at Kanpur in the previous Test, 44 N.O.

India won by seven wickets and plenty of time to spare to allow Lawry to go "fishing".

There is, alas, no record in cricket history whether he did!

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