A historic Test match between India and Australia began in Kolkata on March 11, 2001.
Everyone knows everything about that Test match. I shall describe all that.
What happened just before that, however, is not as well documented. It involved these two.
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Everyone knows everything about that Test match. I shall describe all that.
What happened just before that, however, is not as well documented. It involved these two.
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But for that, some back story.
Waugh's Australians were one of the greatest sides in history, but this phase was incredible even by their standards.
They set a new world record by winning 16 Test matches in a row.
It began in Zimbabwe.
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Waugh's Australians were one of the greatest sides in history, but this phase was incredible even by their standards.
They set a new world record by winning 16 Test matches in a row.
It began in Zimbabwe.
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That tour is remembered mostly for this photograph, from the second ODI.
Just before the only Test match, Waugh and Langer visited an animal orphanage in Harare. There was a lion on show.
As they came close, the lion decided to urinate on them. Waugh was amused:
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Just before the only Test match, Waugh and Langer visited an animal orphanage in Harare. There was a lion on show.
As they came close, the lion decided to urinate on them. Waugh was amused:
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"We decided to agree that this was a good-luck charm rather than the most smelling aftershave ever worn."
Australia won 16 consecutive Test matches after that.
You cannot blame them for *actually* thinking it was good luck.
Now they were in Kolkata.
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Australia won 16 consecutive Test matches after that.
You cannot blame them for *actually* thinking it was good luck.
Now they were in Kolkata.
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They visited the historic Alipore Zoo, now a mere shadow of its glorious past.
Once there, they decided to get another "dose".
And lightning did strike twice.
Unfortunately, as we know, things did not quite go their way at the Eden Gardens over the next few days.
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Once there, they decided to get another "dose".
And lightning did strike twice.
Unfortunately, as we know, things did not quite go their way at the Eden Gardens over the next few days.
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Perhaps the good luck charm works only between two "doses" of lion urine.
But wait.
Waugh scored 110 in the Test, his first hundred on Indian soil.
He later retained The Ashes in England.
He scored two hundreds on the tour, at Edgbaston and The Oval, the latter on one foot.
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But wait.
Waugh scored 110 in the Test, his first hundred on Indian soil.
He later retained The Ashes in England.
He scored two hundreds on the tour, at Edgbaston and The Oval, the latter on one foot.
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Langer got 58 and 28 in Kolkata.
Left out for the first four Ashes Tests, he replaced Slater at the top in the fifth and promptly scored a hundred.
He never relinquished the opener's slot.
He got four more hundreds in his next six Tests, and formed a famous pair with Hayden.
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Left out for the first four Ashes Tests, he replaced Slater at the top in the fifth and promptly scored a hundred.
He never relinquished the opener's slot.
He got four more hundreds in his next six Tests, and formed a famous pair with Hayden.
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Lion urine works in mysterious ways, I suppose.
I wonder whether it has been tried again.
I wonder whether it has been tried again.
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