The crowd at the Chinnaswamy stadium was it's usual boisterous self, all 100,000 of them. They know a good test match when they see one, and Aussies always put on a great show. Mitchell Johnson bowls to Murali Vijay. It was a crucial match for Vijay, trying to cement his place in this strong Indian batting lineup. Vijay lets the ball alone, crowd responds with a mild mannered disapproval. You can sense their excited impatience.
Next ball, Johnson to Vijay, 87.7 mph, closer to the off, still outside and no need to play a shot; Vijay doesn't. Fourth ball of the over, Johnson to Vijay, 88.2 mph, It lands outside off and goes further away, left alone by Vijay. The crowd is now restless, one might think that Vijay is batting very well, playing ball on it's merit, but that leave didn't seem to impress the crowd. Infact, you can hear a few boos going around, murmurings of disapproval. Poor Vijay! his own countrymen seem to be imploring him, no, taunting him to take a run.
Vijay seems anxious to get to the other end too as if he were facing the deadly Holding, but he wasn't and Johnson is medium-pace at best. You can sense that he doesn't want to be facing the bowler right now. Johnson to Vijay, 86.3 mph, on the middle stump line, that round-armish action brings the ball into the middle and leg line. This was gold, Vijay's eyes light up and he clips it away for a single. Stadium erupts and a huge roar goes up as if Vijay scored the winning run for the match. Surely he did, since the crowd has assumed a life of it's own and have started to cheer wildly. The crowd raise in unison as a relieved Vijay completes the run. Running from the non-striker's end was Sachin Tendulkar, on 99.
