Sport | Cricket
Three cheers for Aussies
Adam Gilchrist blasted away Sri Lanka's hopes of regaining the World Cup at the Kensington Oval and Australia underscored their standing by lifting the World Cup for the third successive time.
- By K.R. Nayar, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:38 May 3, 2009
- Image Credit: Reuters
- Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan dives to field the ball as Australia's Adam Gilchrist looks on.
Bridgetown, Barbados: Adam Gilchrist blitzkrieg blasted away Sri Lanka's hopes of regaining the World Cup at the Kensington Oval through a whirlwind 149. Australia once again stamped their indomitable authority in world cricket by lifting the World Cup for the third successive time.
They won the match by 53 runs based on Duckworth Lewis calculations. They ensured their win in total darkness following a bungling of proceedings by the match officials.
A vintage knock of 63 from Sanath Jayasuriya and a sparkling 54 by Kumar Sangakkara went in vain. Sri Lanka did everything they could to end Australia's dominance ... in fact the 116-run partnership in 17.4 overs for the second wicket did bring in a feeble hope. But so domineering were the Aussies that like all other teams, Sri Lanka too had to bow before their might.
Australia have what it takes to win big tournaments. Their skill, preparations, fitness and body language are all fine-tuned so magnificently that all other teams seem a pale shadow before their performance.
Unbeaten in this tournament, they proved wrong all those who had predicted their downfall.
Last laugh
In short, they literally had the last laugh, walking away as champions. Yes, the other teams could consider themselves "martyrs". To all those who kept harping that this World Cup would be the most open tournament, the Aussie performance only proved their ignorance on assessing teams. Time and again they were picked as an "ageing team". On the contrary, they proved themselves "ageless".
Setting the highest opening partnership record, Australian openers Gilchrist and Hayden put on 172 runs in 22.5 overs to lay the foundation for their victory. Gilchrist's knocks was studded with 13 fours and 8 sixes that came off just 104 balls.
The manner in which Glichrist went about with his onslaught will always be remembered as one of the most spectacular knocks in a World Cup final. And when he top-edged Dilhara Fernando to Chamara Silva at midwicket, he walked off to a rousing ovation.
Once again, the team spirit here was clearly remarkable. With their wicketkeeper-batsman in full flow, Hayden promptly took the back seat and was literally crawling with his runs. Skipper Ponting was run out off a brilliant direct by his counterpart Jayawardene after a steady 37.
Lasith Malinga, who picked 2 for 49 off his 8 overs, was the only bowler to earn some respect, while Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan went wicketless.
Fighting spirit
But all this by no means can take away the fighting spirit in the Lankan lions. They set off in style with Upul Tharanga hitting the first ball of the innings from Nathan Bracken for a boundary. Bracken took revenge by having Tharanga caught behind with the first ball of his second over.
Shaun Tait could have scalped Sangakkara's wicket, but Shane Watson at widish third man failed to hold on to the catch. Veteran Jayasuriya immediately opened out hitting Tait for two consecutive boundaries.
In the 13th over from Watson, Jayasuriya hit three fours in one over. Some of them were so power loaded that it hit the boundary hoardings with a loud thud. Sangakkara too opened out, hitting Glenn McGrath for a six and two consecutive boundaries. Jayasuriya raced on to his 50 in 51 balls, while Sangakkara hit a run-a-ball half century. When Sri Lanka needed 159 runs from the next 18 overs, Brad Hogg provided the vital breakthrough, forcing Sangakkara to pull straight into Ponting's hand at short mid-wicket.
Twenty runs later, Jayasuriya, going down the wicket, was bowled by Michael Clark with a ball that kept a bit low. The drizzle that followed forced the players in with the score on 149 and forced the Duckworth/Lewis system to come into play. It reduced the overs from 38 to 36, making the target tougher.
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