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The Australians reassert their supremacy

S. Ram Mahesh

Sri Lanka's brave chase undermined by farcical conclusion; ICC officials booed

PHOTO: AP

`WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS': The Aussies clearly demonstrated that the defeat to England in the Commonwealth Bank Series finals and the losses to New Zealand in the run-up to the World Cup were just minor and temporary setbacks.

Bridgetown: The scenes at the presentation ceremony best captured the farce the 2007 ICC World Cup ended in.

Tony Cozier, wearing an incongruous straw hat at night, blinked into the bright lights that were endeavouring to illuminate the Kensington Oval, and introduced the dignitaries on the dais. Malcolm Speed, CEO, ICC, and Percy Sonn, President, ICC, were roundly and boisterously booed.

Everton Weekes, there to give Adam Gilchrist his medal for an innings dreams have trouble casting, and Sir Garfield Sobers, present to hand Glenn McGrath his for being the player of the tournament, were cheered with reverence.

The message to the ICC was clear: `We love our cricket, our cricketers, but you guys in suits need to smarten up.' That's the printable, palatable version at any rate. It's another matter that the ICC will, in all probability, shrug it off and go about its business.

Two finishes on the show day of the showpiece event are about as bad as one can botch it. The farce was precipitated by ignorance and poor communication.

Sounds familiar? But, the farce will be dealt with later.

Greatest of all time?

To not salute Australia, to refuse to hail the side as the greatest of all time, to let the bungling of the administration displace this magnificent band of men from their position of prominence would be remiss.

Gilchrist's 149 must go down as one of the best ever: fit to share space and perhaps even jostle for primacy with the centuries of Clive Lloyd, Viv Richards, Aravinda de Silva, and Ricky Ponting. The innings had something for every one: his ability to strike a late and vehement ball, his long batting levers and his twisting torso combining expertly, would have thrilled the batting nut who glories in subtleties of technique.

For those who profess to a higher intellectual and spiritual calling, Gilchrist's mental calm in handling the big occasion will be of interest. Indeed, what he said after the innings was one of those rare moments a person's essence reveals itself.

Gilchrist is always thought of as a man of supreme confidence; does he have his moments of self doubt? "This Australian side sets incredibly high standards," said Gilchrist, "and that's brilliant. But, when you can't match those standards, you can put a lot of pressure on yourself. You may even get to a point where you doubt yourself. But, there's so much belief in the side, and it's unbelievable how it just lifts you. My teammates and the belief they had in themselves and each other were the reason I could go out there and bat freely."

Ponting and Glenn McGrath said much the same. To go through a World Cup unbeaten takes some doing; to go through a World Cup unbeaten because you're winning so comprehensively the opposition can be forgiven for not bothering to turn up is as high as you can take excellence.

All in the roots

The success owes itself to a layered domestic structure that allows the best talent through and ensures driftwood doesn't make the next level. At the highest level as in this World Cup, it involves individual groups — batting, bowling, and fielding — led by the senior players preparing better, smarter, and simpler.

The Australians aren't just the most professional side in the world, they have the best skills. Ponting has reiterated the importance of skill through the World Cup: his mates have made gradual but decisive improvements over a period of time.

"It's not easy to take a team that's playing good cricket, and make it play even better," said Ponting. "But, John (Buchanan) has done that.

Myself and Adam (Gilchrist) and Glenn (McGrath) and Matty (Hayden) have all elevated our games a level since he took over. Some part of it is down to the player, but a lot of it has to do with the coach."

Gallant loser

Sri Lanka, to its immense, credit didn't roll over. It staged a stirring chase, which ensured the 2007 World Cup final didn't go the way of the finals of the two preceding editions. Sri Lanka was, Ponting conceded, on track for a good portion of the chase.

Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara made sparkling half-centuries that began in circumspection and scratchiness respectively. But, crucially, the pair didn't allow Australia to determine the contest early, and it wasn't until the clouds threatened that the innings derailed.

"We were going pretty well with Sanath and Sanga," said Mahela Jayawardene, who led again with intelligence and grace. "We set ourselves small targets and were roughly where we wanted in 24 overs.

But, with the second cloud cover, we weren't sure if it would rain or remain. So, we basically had to go for the Duckworth-Lewis (par) score. We were behind a bit, and Sanga got out to Hogg, and we lost wickets. That increased (the) Duckworth-Lewis (par score).

Jayawardene refused to blame the defeat on the darkness the game ended in. His gesture, after a discussion with Ponting, to ask his batsmen to come out and face three overs to get it over with was decidedly statesman-like.

That he had the rules figured out and knew the match had ended when his batsmen went off for light after 33 overs because the 20-over mark had been completed, and that the umpires and the match referee didn't, says everything.

SCOREBOARD

Australia: A. Gilchrist c Silva b Fernando 149, M. Hayden c Jayawardene b Malinga 38, R. Ponting run out 37, A. Symonds (not out) 23, S. Watson b Malinga 3, M. Clarke (not out) 8, Extras (lb-4, nb-3, w-16) 23; Total (for four wickets in 38 overs) 281.

Fall of wickets: 1-172, 2-224, 3-261, 4-266.

Sri Lanka bowling: Vaas 8-0-54-0, Malinga 8-1-49-2, Fernando 8-0-74-1, Muralitharan 7-0-44-0, Dilshan 2-0-23-0, Jayasuriya 5-0-33-0.

Sri Lanka (target 269 in 36 overs): U. Tharanga c Gilchrist b Bracken 6, S. Jayasuriya b Clarke 63, K. Sangakkara c Ponting b Hogg 54, M. Jayawardene lbw b Watson 19, C. Silva b Clarke 21, T. Dilshan run out 14, R. Arnold c Gilchrist b McGrath 1, C. Vaas (not out) 11, L. Malinga st Gilchrist b Symonds 10, D. Fernando (not out) 1, Extras (lb-1, w-14) 15; Total (for eight wickets in 36 overs) 215.

Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-123, 3-145, 4-156, 5-188, 6-190, 7-194.

Australia bowling: Bracken 6-1-34-1, Tait 6-0-42-0, McGrath 7-0-31-1, Watson 7-0-49-1, Hogg 3-0-19-1, Clarke 5-0-33-2, Symonds 2-0-6-1.

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