Saturday, Feb 08, 2003
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World Cup
1 day to go ... Even as the final countdown begins for the biggest cricketing showdown on earth, the Aussies will be counting on their inborn resilience to defend the crown. In Southern Africa, the heat will be on Australia and skipper Ricky Ponting realises that. He would also know that the Aussies have what it takes to bury the opposition again. An explosive batting line-up, firepower in the attack, exceptional fielders and strength of mind... the Aussies really are sensational. And they are a confident bunch. Winning and winning more stems from self-belief, and the men from down under have loads of this precious quality, which suggests they invariably revel in pressure situations, deliver at the crunch, and claw their way back from impossible situations. In England '99, it was the tough-as-nails Steve Waugh who inspired a remarkable Aussie resurgence, and over the years, this has been one side that has found the right men for the occasion. There is someone who always puts his hand up when the chips are down. This time around the Aussies have India, Pakistan, England and Zimbabwe as the main rivals in group `A'. Qualification into the `Super Six' is certain, and it would be a major surprise if the Aussies do not top the pool. In the `red hot' Adam Gilchrist and the indomitable Matthew Hayden, the Aussies have a cracking opening pair. Ponting, a wonderful shot-maker of nimble feet and balance, is the ideal No.3, while Damien Martyn, a sweet timer of the ball, is a quality player. The controversial southpaw Darren Lehmann, before he ran into serious problems with racist remarks, did make runs in the VB triangular series, but then, given the streak of inconsistency in his cricket, he has never really inspired confidence. How well Michael Bevan, the quintessential one-day batsman, recovers from his hamstring injury will also be critical for the Aussies, for this hard-running and quick-thinking cricketer often lives at the death. If the batting can pack a wallop, then the Aussie attack can often blow `em away. Glenn McGrath is the meanest of them all, with his machine-like precision, his relentless off-stump line, an impeccable three-quarter length, bounce and movement. The fast and furious Brett Lee, with his rib-crackers and scorching reverse swinging yorkers, and the lean and fiercely committed Jason Gillespie will ensure that the batsmen do not breathe easy. Now to arguably the most influential bowler in World Cup history — leg-spin wizard Shane Warne. He enabled the Aussies score a remarkable come back from the dead win over the West Indies in the semifinal of the '96 edition, bowled his team to Cup triumph in '99, ambushing the Proteas in a vital `Super Six' game and then in the last four duel, and bamboozling the Pakistanis in the summit clash. The huge leg-breaks and the fizzy flippers are still working, and in the climactic stages of the competition, when the pitches are bound to assist the spinners more, he could be Ponting's trump card. The one chink in the side is the lack of a genuine all-rounder. However, in wicket-keeper batsman Adam Gilchirst, the side has a cricketer who is as accomplished as any in two specialist departments of the game, and he does create an additional place in the side. In limited overs cricket, it is often the form of the day that matters, reputations could, on occasions mean nothing, and the Aussies will have to guard against the kind of collapse that undid the side in the ICC Champions Trophy semifinal in Colombo last year. It is here that the presence of Steve Waugh would have been reassuring. However, the Aussies have an outstanding record in South Africa, where the conditions and pitches are similar to that at home, possess a positive captain in Ricky Ponting, and have it in them to triumph again — S. Dinakar
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