The Hindu : Sport : Clarke, Watson help Australia have the last laugh

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Clarke, Watson help Australia have the last laugh

S. Ram Mahesh

— Photo: S. Subramanium

DRIVING FORCE: Michael Clarke, amidst a flurry of wickets, sustained the tempo to make a stroke-filled 81 against the West Indies in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.

Kuala Lumpur: For a while on Tuesday evening, members of the Australian side looked like they had partaken in a dicey fish dish in the break between the innings. Their faces plastered with looks of acute discomfort, Ricky Ponting's men, hoped the moment would pass.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Chris Gayle had brought their version of shock and awe to the Kinrara Oval; few versions have had such a sobering effect on the Australians. Chasing 280, the West Indies looked set to register a memorable win. And register it in double quick time.

But, things unravelled quickly. The islanders embraced imbecility to lose their last nine wickets for just 29 runs to hand Australia victory in the first one-day international of the DLF Cup.

Victory seemed far removed from Australian minds when Chanderpaul was tearing into them. The left-hander played an innings of brio, walking across his stumps and tipping Bracken over the fine-leg fence, when not pulling him in front of square. Chanderpaul put on a rollicking opening wicket stand with Gayle, who, despite once launching Mitchell Johnson into orbit even as he fell away making the stroke, struggled to match Chanderpaul's ferocity.

Gayle (58, 46b, 7x4, 2x6) carved Watson to point ending the 18-over, 136-run alliance and giving the opposition a breather.

Descent

Chanderpaul pummelled a few more boundaries on his way to a brilliant, madcap 92 (82b, 10x4, 4x6). Johnson got him with one that bounced more than he expected, and then followed it up by snaring Brian Lara.

The descent from here was vertiginous. Bravo played a poor stroke, Sarwan fell again on the pull, Baugh chased a wide one. Watson finished with four, Bracken came back after a lamming to take two. Glenn McGrath started with four wides, but got his groove back to round up a satisfactory day for Australia. There is something to be said for winning with an understrength side after sucking up punishment.

Earlier, Ricky Ponting — after electing to bat — bustled in during the fourth over to find his side stuck. The track seemingly had bounce; it certainly had nibble off the seam, and the odd ball stopped just enough to make batting tricky. Phil Jaques had lost his off-stump to a 140.8 kmph Edwards delivery that swung in slightly. The situation facing Ponting was worthy of his considerable powers.

The skipper summoned his trusty pull stroke thrice in one Taylor over, as Australia went to 79 for one in 15 overs from 15 for one in five. Yet all wasn't well. The trademark Ponting forward press cover drive with the bat thudding into his left shoulder on stroke completion only trickled into the fence. Then Lara — as he so often did at home against India — rung a change and reaped a wicket. Bradshaw, brought on, trapped Ponting (54, 53b, 9x4) with one that scooted along.

Interesting phase

Simon Katich's departure brought together Michael Clarke and Mark Cosgrove: thus began the most interesting phase of Australia's innings. Clarke looked the part from the first ball he faced, bending at the waist, steering it through off, and hustling two.

On occasion, he plonked his front foot, and swung through the line. His pulling — one time merely a swivel accelerated his arms through — was magnificent.

Cosgrove borrowed many a squared-up glide to third-man from his mentor Darren Lehman's batting textbook, but just as it seemed Australia was setting up for a mammoth score, Dwayne Smith struck twice.

Cosgrove found mid-off, Watson likewise mid-wicket. Haddin showed enterprise till a moment of recklessness.

Clarke (81, 79b, 9x4) had been conned by a Dwayne Bravo slower ball, and the longish tail necessitated Haddin's presence.

But, he swung fatally across Taylor's line off the very next ball leaving Australia's total to Johnson's big hitting and providence.

Terrific win

Australian captain Ricky Ponting said he backed his side to overcome the West Indies batting assault in the first match of the DLF Cup here at the Kinrara Oval on Tuesday.

``It can be really hard to stop that kind of batting,'' said Ponting. ``While the West Indian openers were going strong, we hoped to get a wicket and expose a new batsman to the conditions. But we got both of them close together and could churn out a terrific win.''

On returning paceman Glenn McGrath, Ponting said, ``Glenn did not bowl well early on and it must have been frustrating for him. His first spell wasn't as good as the second one but he is playing his first match in 12 months. It's a bit difficult to get the tempo. I think Glenn probably tried too hard. It's a matter of getting his body in the right shape to do the things the way he likes.''

Australian all-rounder Shane Watson, who got the breakthrough wicket of Gayle and finished with four, said, ``When the openers were blazing, I was just thinking of mixing it up, probably bowl a few yorkers, some bouncers and slower balls to break their rhythm.''

Difficult to comprehend

West Indies captain Brian Lara said, ``It was a bit difficult to comprehend. But, these things do happen. We were on course to victory and we found a way to lose.''

He said the track wasn't easy to bat on. ``The ball seamed around a fair bit but if we had conceded 30-40 runs less we would have been comfortable.''

Lara said the difference between the sides was that Australia was in the habit of winning. ``They see themselves as winning from any stage,'' he said.

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