The Wisden Verdict
by Tanya Aldred
Saturday, December 22, 2001

If you ignored the circling kites and the brightly carpeted pitch, it could have been England. Black skies, soggy air, ever-moving covers, anoraks galore, floodlights full-beam, Test Match Special circumlocuting. The odds on rain washing out a Test match at Bangalore would have been long. They would have been longer still on England being the dominant team. Nasser Hussain is entitled to kick over the hotel Christmas tree in frustration.

But his England tend to find a silver lining in most things. This time it was in the bowling of Matthew Hoggard and Andrew Flintoff, who polished off the Indian innings in 38 minutes, and collected their best Test figures: 4 for 50 for Flintoff, 4 for 80 for Hoggard. Admittedly, the conditions were as foreign as egg and chips, but they still bowled India out for 238. England will be pleased with that next summer on an emerald Headingley special.

With more rain forecast tomorrow, it probably won't be enough to have India quaking in their boots, but it should ensure that Darren Gough and Andy Caddick spend the festive period worrying a little more about excess Christmas pudding than they'd have hoped to.

Flintoff and Hoggard deserved this pitch, and they deserve the seaming paradise of New Zealand. They have a vitality and zest for everything. Flintoff knows that his batting has been a red-faced disaster so has thrown everything - back, guts, glee - into his bowling. Hoggard knows he is next in line for the England new ball and, fit as a carthorse, has manfully shouldered the attack in unpalatable conditions. When the final wicket fell, they exchanged a manly handshake and walked off together - Flintoff slightly disreputable with his England cap at a jaunty angle and diamond ear-ring glinting, Hoggard smiling goofily and waddling his flat-footed Donald Duck walk. They were applauded as they went. The 16 Santas who did a lap of honour around the ground had done their job - this was a Christmas Flintoff and Hoggard will remember. Tanya Aldred, our assistant editor, has been covering the whole tour for Wisden.com.

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