The Hindu : Sport : Ponting, Hodge guide Australia home

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Monday, Feb 05, 2007
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Ponting, Hodge guide Australia home

Ted Corbett

Lou Vincent's fighting knock goes in vain for New Zealand

— Photo: AFP

MAKING IT COUNT: Brad Hodge's crucial partnership with his captain Ricky Ponting helped Australia beat New Zealand.

MELBOURNE: Ricky Ponting, dominating the Australian victory chase as he has led its triumphs throughout the season, scored 104 off 113 balls during his side's one-day tri-series record five wickets victory over New Zealand and at the same time probably made England's hopes of qualifying for the final much easier.

Ponting, the man of the match, had so much extra capacity that on top of his century he had the time — and the good sense — to talk Brad Hodge through his best innings for Australia.

Hodge, playing on his home ground, helped in the fourth wicket stand of 154 and was still at the crease to guide Australia to victory. There were not enough runs left as he tried to complete his own hundred but the two winning runs gave him an unforgettable and undefeated 99.

His innings, which began shakily but blossomed as he and Ponting put on 70 between the 30th and 40th overs will probably ensure Hodge, a huge success in Australian domestic games this season, a place in the World Cup squad even though he made nought and one in his first two matches of this series. "I felt under pressure as I walked out there tonight," he said, "but I managed to hang in and enjoyed every moment of playing for this wonderful team."

Confidence

This victory could only have been pulled off by a side with the drive, energy and confidence of the Australians under the influence of a captain who is about to claim the Allan Border Medal for the third time on Monday night. It makes up for the news that after an operation on his damaged arm its important all-rounder Andrew Symonds is out of the World Cup.

Australia clearly missed Symonds's fielding and it is a concern that it will have to find someone else to roam restlessly as a hungry lion around the cover point area. This huge man, with his harsh sun blocked lips adding to the menace of his bushy mass of hair, is a bulwark against any batsman who fancies a quick single and the New Zealanders found it surprisingly easy to turn ones into twos in his absence.

Stephen Fleming, the New Zealand captain, admitted the defeat was "hard to take" but claimed his men would be ready for the "semifinal battle" with England on Tuesday. "By the time we get on the plane we will have rallied as we have before," he said.

He must have thought, when it totalled 290 for seven — and Australia slumped to 112 for three — that his side would win with a bonus point and be sure of qualifying for the finals ahead of the game against England.

Lou Vincent, the opening batsman who last week criticised the "arrogant Australians," led the way for New Zealand with 90 in the face of high speed bowling from the new boy Shaun Tait who produced one delivery recorded at 100 miles an hour and conceded only 26 runs in contrast to his performance at Sydney on Friday where he dropped a catch and went for 68 runs in his ten overs.

Peter Fulton made 60 as he and Vincent put on 151 for the second wicket but Fleming may have missed a trick when he failed to promote the in-form Jacob Oram and saw him out for only 15 although he hit a four and a six in the nine balls he faced.

Fleming admitted New Zealand had aimed for another 20 runs, "We were still pretty happy with our total but what can you do when two guys play as well as that?" he said. He will have to answer the question all over again on Tuesday, especially if, as promised, England can field Michael Vaughan for only the third time in the tournament.

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