Man for man, Aussies look a shade ahead of rivals

As I landed in Melbourne to witness the World Cup final, two sights struck me. First, the number of Indians in Melbourne waiting to witness the match on Sunday.

True they would have wanted to watch India here but they will still be the largest nationality present at the MCG, without a doubt. Second, I ran into David Warner who looked eager and ready for the big day, making me wonder whether his encounter with Trent Boult could be one of the decisive factors of the match.

Having had the privilege of playing in three World Cup finals, I would advise both teams to soak in the atmosphere, to embrace the challenge without getting overwhelmed by it. It’s critical for the players to stay in the moment and not think of the result, play like they have so far and to not pressurise themselves or panic. All this is easier said than done, so it is important that the players stick to what has been working well enough to get them this far and to avoid trying anything too different just because it is a World Cup final.

Man for man, the Australian team might be a shade ahead of New Zealand. Their bowling unit has been exceptional with Josh Hazlewood emerging deadlier than even Mitchell Starc in the quarters and semi-finals. Add to that the fact that most of the batsmen have at least one big score behind them and you have a team that goes into the final looking and playing like champions.

Michael Clarke has a sense of occasion and he is due for a big score. I am not sure whether he got his timing right as far as the announcement of his retirement is concerned – the eve of the final is not an ideal moment – but he might want to sign off with a flourish.

Steve Smith has grown in stature and consistency through the summer to announce himself as one of the most exciting young cricketers in world cricket. The only ones that can beat this Australian side are the Australian players themselves. If they get carried away by the occasion or leave the job to be done by someone else, there is a danger that the New Zealanders might close in.

For the Black Caps, this would be their first match outside New Zealand but they don’t need to worry too much about coming up against a vociferous home crowd. My guess is that the Indians will root for the New Zealand team and, combined with the trans-Tasman contingent, will outnumber the Australian supporters in the cheer quotient.

What the New Zealand team does need to worry about is the way their openers go against an aggressive, in-form Australian pace attack. If Brendon McCullum manages to score around 40 or play like he did against South Africa, the rest of the batsmen will feed off that confidence to play well. The only bowling attack that has been as penetrating as the Australians’ is the Black Caps’ attack and if Boult and Tim Southee manage to swing it back in to the Australian batsmen, we will have an absorbing encounter in prospect.

The New Zealand team has been the most exciting team in the tournament. They go into the final not as dark horses or under the shadow of other star teams – they are equal favourites. Their fans have actually been so absorbed by their exploits that the revered All Blacks have been off the top headlines for the last few weeks.

I will certainly be rooting for the green-and-golds but know that if the result goes the other way, it would be great for the stature of New Zealand cricket and indeed for the health of this wonderful sport.

(Gameplan)