Cricket is supposed to be a game of runs. At least that is what all the pundits will tell you. Anyone looking at the second one-day international between India and Australia at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Pune could be forgiven for thinking that cricket was a game of run outs! The Indians, with three run outs in their innings lost to Australia who had only one run out.

The first victim of the disease of the day was Rahul Dravid. Not the greatest of runners at the best of times, Dravid was further flummoxed by some confusing calling from VVS Laxman.

14.3 Bracken to Laxman, no run, flicks it to mid wicket, Bevan dives and gets the ball back to the bowler's end and Dravid is way out as Laxman called him and sent him back, Laxman involved in another horrible mix up.

VVS Laxman, no angel himself was the next to go, this time in a tangle with Hemang Badani. The Tamil Nadu southpaw however was less guilty in this case, calling clearly and decisively. Laxman however, going through the best patch of form in his life either did not hear the call or chose to ignore it. Either way, it was Laxman who paid the price.

34.5 Fleming to Badani, no run, taps it to mid wicket and says NO, Laxman went for the run and came back as Steve Waugh hits it direct and Laxman is just out of the crease.

Dinesh Mongia has had to wait a long time before he could get on the field sporting India colours. After a run of prolific scoring in domestic cricket, Mongia finally got his chance in the big league. What does the young man do? Run onto the field in excitement and run off it double quick! Mongia heralded the third run out of the day.

36.1 Fleming to Mongia, no run, taps it towards backward point, Badani runs in very fast, Mongia not interested, but sets off late on seeing the overthorw, but could not make it in time.

Again Badani was hardly at fault, as it was his call, running to the danger end. In any event Badani was already well home when Mongia realised that his first essay under the sun was over.

But you have to say one thing. Australia completely outplayed India in all departments of the game. And that includes the prize for goofy run out of the day.

Mark Waugh, batting ever so well was in the company of Darren Lehmann, playing his first game on Indian soil this tour.

29.1 Harbhajan Singh to Lehmann, no run, cuts it to point, Yuvraj Singh fields well there and gets the ball to the keeper in a flash and the batsmen are stranded at the centre as Dahiya takes the bails off. The third umpire is called for deciding who is out, Lehmann walks away. The Indians appeal that Mark Waugh is out as he crossed Lehmann but the 3rd umpire rules Lehmann out.

That was a supreme comedy of errors. Both batsmen stranded midpitch, bails off and no one knowing who was out! Television replays from all the available angles suggested that Lehmann had actually gone past Mark Waugh, making the New South Welshman the closest to the end where the stumps were disturbed. Surely that meant that Mark Waugh was out and not Lehmann? The matter was referred to the third umpire. By the time the man with the slow motion replays could make up his mind Lehmann was in the cool confines of the pavilion. Had Mark Waugh been ruled out, the comedy would have had a fitting climax. That, unfortunately, did not happen.

© CricInfo