A keen guitarist, Brett Lee hit all the right chords on a day when he made the ball hum, to give the Indian team a rousing chorus of The Blues. Lee batted well and then bowled with great pace and fire to make a spectacular debut in Test cricket and claim five wickets, just like his mentor Dennis Lillee.It was Lillee who phoned Lee before the game and told him to ``just go out there and lap it up''. that is exactly what the blonde bombshell did on a cold and blustery day in Melbourne, to make it chilli hot for the Indian batsmen. Lee is not only fast, he is already a smart bowler able to swing the new ball out and the old ball in, thanks to the advice he's received from people like Lillee at the cricket academy. The Ls have been good for Australian cricket when you think of Lillee and Ray Lindwall and young Brett has the chance to continue the tradition. He certainly spoilt both ends of the day for India.AGARKAR, FIND OF THE TOUR: Once again India's inconsistency was in evidence at the MCG. Somespirited early bowling got them away to a terrific start as they picked up three prime wickets, but then they allowed a half-century partnership between two tailenders. It appears that India struggle once the batsmen go on the attack and that is exactly the method used by Lee and Damien Fleming to break up a good spell. It was Javagal Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad who wilted under the onslaught, whilst the inexperienced Ajit Agarkar maintained line and length under fire. This is one of a number of improvements made by the slim seamer and he has been the find of the tour for India.The Lee-Fleming partnership was a frustrating one for India, although Sachin Tendulkar could well have taken the view that it occupied valuable time that Australia may well have better employed in the search for the twenty wickets required to win the game.It was soon evident that India was going to need all the help that was on offer as the top order crumbled before a fiery pace attack. Lee boosted by his batting, went throughthe leaden-footed Sadagopan Ramesh, which was confirmation that the extra pace will result in problems for the left-handed opener.If India is to be competitive in this country they need to get a good start in order for the talented triumvirate to fully employ their skills, but at the moment the openers are being brushed aside too easily.TENDULKAR'S PATIENCE PAID OFF: The early loss of wickets allowed the Australian side to maintain enormous pressure on their opponents and even when Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly were together in a much-needed partnership, the runs were hard to come by.Tendulkar has shown on this tour he's prepared to be patient, particularly when facing Glenn McGrath, to the point where he hasn't played a pull shot yet off the lanky quick. Whilst this is an admirable personal sentiment, it may be playing into McGrath's hands, as it allows him more latitude when he attempts to deliver the rib tickling delivery an awkward one for even the most talented of batsmen. This is notsuch a great problem for Tendulkar who has enough shots to prosper even when eliminating one from his repertoire, but his less talented partners could use his help in combating McGrath and Lee.COURAGEOUS KUMBLE: Once Ganguly went, Tendulkar was on his own and he showed his class by picking up runs carefully and occasionally producing a dazzling shot like the six over mid-off from Shane Warne. The leg-spinner bowled well early but eventually Tendulkar wore him down and he was also the only one to look secure when facing Lee's pace. In the end it took the courage and competitiveness of Anil Kumble to help Tendulkar guide India past the follow-on mark and it was a disappointed captain who played the shot of a man with either a tired or injured arm to be caught at backward square-leg.India has dodged one bullet, but there are still a number of others to be voided before the match can be saved. First they need to dismiss Michael Slater cheaply to avoid an early Australian run rush and then the openershave to find a way to combat the new ball, otherwise they are likely to be dancing to another Lee tune.
