We are into the final round of matches in the Super 8 stage with the fortunes of India and Sri Lanka, hang on this match. West Indies will be the first non sub-continent team that Australia play in this tournament. The teams return to the slower St Lucia pitch which will work in the home sides favour since their batsmen won't have to be as worried about the bounce that the Australia speedsters can extract.
Australia head into this match knowing they have all but qualified bar a collapse of epic proportion. The unit is almost running on all cylinders with Clarke and Haddin the remaining batsmen that need to fire. The return to the slower St Lucia is the final barrier that Australia need to overcome to win this tournament with the semi final being played here.
Facing spin still remains a factor which the Australian batsmen struggle against, with Sri Lanka's new comer, Suraj Randi taking 3 for 20 in the previous match, that reduced Australia to 5 for 67. Pakistan, Australia's likely semi final opponent have arguably the best spin combo in the game and they showed this in their victory over South Africa with the spinners taking 4 for 47 off their combined overs. While the West Indian spinners aren't in the same class as the Pakistan ones, they will provide handy practice for the battle ahead, assuming WI play two spinners.
West Indies have gone through this tournament on the back of their seam bowlers, with Sammy their leading wicket taker at 6 wickets with Roach and Bravo 1 behind on 5 wickets. The Australian batting lineup will provide the biggest test for the West Indian seamers.
In the last meeting between these teams, the understrength West Indian team took a pasting with their alright looking 138 chased down in 11.4 overs, with Miller the main victim conceding 56 in 3.4 overs. This match could be the one you say the vicious Warner and Watson combo made their mark. Warner 67 (29) and Watson 62 (33) tried to match each other in the strike rate department, giving the bowlers new headaches that doctors never knew existed!
The West Indian batting have depended heavily on Chris Gayle firing. He comes into this match on the back of his 98 (66) so hes definitely in form but you could also say hes had his hit for this tournament. If Australia can remove Gayle quickly they will go a long way to securing this match. Worth noting is the fact Australia have yet to chase in this tournament, will Clarke try this if he wins the toss?
Key Players
For Australia: After their display against Sri Lanka you could essentially say the whole side are key players.
For West Indies: Gayle, Pollard, Roach and Bravo present the main dangers to the Australians. Chanderpaul could also provide some entertainment if he remembers his performance in the final of the Champions Trophy knock where WI were 49 off 5.1 overs.
Key Matchups
Gayle vs Australia bowlers: Clearly the key matchup of this game, Gayle has the ability to take the game away from Australia and in the process make his partner life a whole lot easier.
Roach, Taylor vs Watson, Warner: This matchup is dependent on Taylor playing but Roach vs the openers also provides a key matchup. As I showed in the last outing between these two, the openers went berserk and if they do likewise again, this game could be over quickly.
Likely lineups
It is unlikely Australia will change their lineup but they may think about giving Nathan Hauritz a run before the semi finals.
Australia: 1. David Warner, 2. Shane Watson, 3. Michael Clarke (c), 4. David Hussey, 5. Cameron White, 6. Brad Haddin (wk), 7. Michael Hussey, 8. Steven Smith, 9. Mitchell Johnson, 10. Dirk Nannes, 11. Shaun Tait.
West Indies will more than likely keep their winning lineup from the India match. If they were to make a change, Miller would be the obvious choice either coming in for a bowler or Hinds.
West Indies: 1. Chris Gayle (c), 2. Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 3. Ramnaresh Sarwan, 4. Dwayne Bravo, 5. Kieron Pollard, 6. Wavell Hinds, 7. Darren Sammy, 8. Denesh Ramdin (wk), 9. Sulieman Benn, 10. Jerome Taylor, 11. Kemar Roach.
PlanetCricket Super 8 – Australia vs West Indies
Australia head into this match knowing they have all but qualified bar a collapse of epic proportion. The unit is almost running on all cylinders with Clarke and Haddin the remaining batsmen that need to fire. The return to the slower St Lucia is the final barrier that Australia need to overcome to win this tournament with the semi final being played here.
Facing spin still remains a factor which the Australian batsmen struggle against, with Sri Lanka's new comer, Suraj Randi taking 3 for 20 in the previous match, that reduced Australia to 5 for 67. Pakistan, Australia's likely semi final opponent have arguably the best spin combo in the game and they showed this in their victory over South Africa with the spinners taking 4 for 47 off their combined overs. While the West Indian spinners aren't in the same class as the Pakistan ones, they will provide handy practice for the battle ahead, assuming WI play two spinners.
West Indies have gone through this tournament on the back of their seam bowlers, with Sammy their leading wicket taker at 6 wickets with Roach and Bravo 1 behind on 5 wickets. The Australian batting lineup will provide the biggest test for the West Indian seamers.
In the last meeting between these teams, the understrength West Indian team took a pasting with their alright looking 138 chased down in 11.4 overs, with Miller the main victim conceding 56 in 3.4 overs. This match could be the one you say the vicious Warner and Watson combo made their mark. Warner 67 (29) and Watson 62 (33) tried to match each other in the strike rate department, giving the bowlers new headaches that doctors never knew existed!
The West Indian batting have depended heavily on Chris Gayle firing. He comes into this match on the back of his 98 (66) so hes definitely in form but you could also say hes had his hit for this tournament. If Australia can remove Gayle quickly they will go a long way to securing this match. Worth noting is the fact Australia have yet to chase in this tournament, will Clarke try this if he wins the toss?
Key Players
For Australia: After their display against Sri Lanka you could essentially say the whole side are key players.
For West Indies: Gayle, Pollard, Roach and Bravo present the main dangers to the Australians. Chanderpaul could also provide some entertainment if he remembers his performance in the final of the Champions Trophy knock where WI were 49 off 5.1 overs.
Key Matchups
Gayle vs Australia bowlers: Clearly the key matchup of this game, Gayle has the ability to take the game away from Australia and in the process make his partner life a whole lot easier.
Roach, Taylor vs Watson, Warner: This matchup is dependent on Taylor playing but Roach vs the openers also provides a key matchup. As I showed in the last outing between these two, the openers went berserk and if they do likewise again, this game could be over quickly.
Likely lineups
It is unlikely Australia will change their lineup but they may think about giving Nathan Hauritz a run before the semi finals.
Australia: 1. David Warner, 2. Shane Watson, 3. Michael Clarke (c), 4. David Hussey, 5. Cameron White, 6. Brad Haddin (wk), 7. Michael Hussey, 8. Steven Smith, 9. Mitchell Johnson, 10. Dirk Nannes, 11. Shaun Tait.
West Indies will more than likely keep their winning lineup from the India match. If they were to make a change, Miller would be the obvious choice either coming in for a bowler or Hinds.
West Indies: 1. Chris Gayle (c), 2. Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 3. Ramnaresh Sarwan, 4. Dwayne Bravo, 5. Kieron Pollard, 6. Wavell Hinds, 7. Darren Sammy, 8. Denesh Ramdin (wk), 9. Sulieman Benn, 10. Jerome Taylor, 11. Kemar Roach.
PlanetCricket Super 8 – Australia vs West Indies
