The Hindu : Australia hopes to create history

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 23, 2003

Sport

Sport - World Cup

Australia hopes to create history

By Our Special Correspodent

Johannesburg March 22. The Australians play an excellent brand of cricket. There are no two opinions about that. An English captain named Douglas Jardine plotted a plan and executed it to perfection in order to defeat a run machine, Donald Bradman, and win the series against Australia in the early 1930s. Jardine was pilloried in many quarters, but he won manifold admirers at home.

The Australians have turned out to be the strongest in the years that followed and currently are the top team in the world. On Sunday they will attempt to become the first team to win the World Cup for the third time.

But they have already begun a game, one they are past masters at. Since the time they arrived in Johannesburg they have let loose a barrage of words aimed at unsettling the Indians and edging them out in the psychological aspect.

Four years ago captain Stephen Waugh himself took the lead to unnerve Pakistan, fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar in particular. It paid. Having played an outstanding knock against South Africa at Leeds, the Australian captain said, "his (Shoaib's) pace won't worry us. We will handle him.'' Shoaib shared the new ball with Wasim Akram and was bludgeoned for 37 runs in four overs.

The Australians have employed the same method in the last three days. Both Adam Gilchrist and Darren Lehmann have emphasised the Brett Lee factor and also have not lost the opportunity to recall the crushing defeat Australia inflicted on India at the Centurion in the first phase of the competition.

This is what Gilchrist has said, "Lee rattled the Indians at Centurion Park. It was a tactical move by Ricky to give Brett the new ball and take them on with pace straight away. Brett came through.''

Gilchrist also pointed out that Lee made his Test debut against India and has gone about his business in the World Cup, striking a fine balance between pace and accuracy.

Lee has taken 20 wickets and is second behind Chaminda Vaas (23) in 10 matches in the tournament.

Ever since Jason Gillespie returned home to heal his tendon and Shoaib became irrelevant following Pakistan's exit, Lee has occupied the centre stage, starting from the Super Six league match against New Zealand when he dismissed five batsmen for three runs and in 15 balls.

Captains, including Ricky Ponting have been talking about taking wickets with the new ball and Lee has delivered the goods, though he has gone for a few extra runs. The hat-trick against Kenya and his opening burst against Sri Lanka swelled his tally of wickets to 11 in three matches. The manner in which he had Marvan Atapattu yorked is still a talking point. He bowled a short ball and then followed it with an overpitched one on the off stump.

"He has bowled with a lot of fire and aggression and he seems to be that a lot more regularly in recent times,'' said Gilchrist.

India's master batsman Sachin Tendulkar has enjoyed considerable success against the Australians for whom fresh in memory are the two centuries he took off them in Sharjah some years ago and another one at Dhaka in the first ICC Knock out championship. But Lehmann made it a point to say that India's batting responsibilities are being shared.

So, the build up to the final, from the Australian perspective, has been around Lee and the fact that India was shot out for 125 at the Centurion. Coach John Buchannan must be a relieved man that some one like Lee, who had to be dropped for the first Test against England, has come back strongly since last Christmas.

Buchannan has been highly impressed by Lee's varying length, sent down without neglecting speed. Some bowlers have found it difficult to shift from the natural lengths that have been hit through the line at The Wanderers. At home, Lee likes to bowl on a fast pitch at Perth, WACA. Now he's gone on record saying that his second favourite is The Wanderers.

It's at this venue that Andrew Symonds set in motion Australia's World Cup campaign with a brilliant unbeaten 143. Thereafter Herschelle Gibbs pummelled New Zeakand to make 143. In the same, but shortened match, Stephen Fleming made a match winning 134 not out and finally Tendulkar made 97 against Sri Lanka. All this goes to prove that quality batsmen have been able to make an impression at this venue.

Fortunately, the statements made by Gilchrist and Lehmann have not affected the Indians. They have gone as far as the final where they will attempt to excel with the bat and ball and field well.

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