Story Beneath The Southern Cross - The C2005 Australia Story

[Short Leg]

Australia Vs West Indies
Samsung Tri-Series - 12 September
Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

49.4 - Edwards To Symonds

It?s a wide ball that Symonds gets a bottom edge on. It stops on the crease and Gillespie calls ?yes? from the non-strikers end. They scamper through for the run with the West Indies asleep in the field and the Australians win the match with a ball to spare.

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Symonds raises his arms and punches the sky having successfully spearheaded the great escape to get Australia over the line when they looked done and dusted not to long ago. The West Indies are obviously shattered that this match has slipped through their fingers after they had worked so hard to get back in the match at first and then take control of it. This has been one of the great one-day matches between these two countries and we look forward to the next time these two teams clash later on in the Tri-Series. It?s Australia victorious in the first match of the series by 2 wickets with 1 ball to spare.

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[Short Leg]

Australia Vs West Indies
Samsung Tri-Series - 12 September
Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

Live Fox Sports Studio ? Australia Win By 2 Wickets ​

Brendan Julian:​

What an amazing match we have just witnessed in Kuala Lumpur. Junior one of the great escapes from an Australian point of view.

Mark Waugh:​

Yeah I told you not to write the Australians off didn?t I. Without doubt a match to be remembered for a long time. The momentum switched so many times with the Australians dominating the early stages then the West Indies fighting back through Sarwan and Ramdin, the Australians then got off to a strong start and then they faultered in the middle over. Finally when it looked like the West Indies would win the match Andrew Symonds got Australia over the line with a priceless 60 to be unbeaten in the end. Wonderful stuff.

BJ: ​

We?ll have a look back at the start of the Australian innings which was kick started by Adam Gilchrist? s 39 from 49 before he fell to the bowling of Morton. How important was his knock looking back on the match now Junior?

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MW:​

Australia always send out Gilchrist to open with a license to go after the opening bowlers. He did that today hitting 4 boundaries and a big six in the opening wicket partnership of 58. However he found it tough to continue when the pace bowlers were taken out of the attack. Overall I?d say he played a key role in establishing the innings for Australia. You can see on the graph that he has all the shots and can hit anywhere over the field which makes him such a difficult batsman to bowl to.

BJ: ​

We?ll have a look at another spider graph now and it is that of the skipper Ricky Ponting. Junior it looked like he was going to be the one to help Australia cruise home at one stage but when he got out it all went sour for Australia.

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MW:​

Yes Australia were going to win with plenty of overs and wickets in the bank but he suddenly got out playing away from his body and just getting the edge through to Ramdin off the spin of Gayle. Ricky has dominated the bowling of Gayle in past encounters so it was definitely out of character for him to get out especially when he was nearing a half-century. You can see by the graph there that he wasn?t playing all his strokes with such a vast majority of his runs scored on the on side.

BJ:​

And finally let?s see the Symonds spider that got Australia the win in this match. Andrew Symonds has come of age in his bating these days Junior. He doesn?t just stand and hit the ball he has learned the importance of turning over the strike but yet he can still hit the ball a long way when he needs to.

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MW:​

Yes he hit the ball to all parts today and turned over strike in the middle overs when the team needed it. If you don?t get him out early you can certainly pay the price as the West Indies did today. He can hit a long ball down the ground as you can see on the spider graph and yet the West Indies bowlers bowled full balls allowing him to hit straight. That?s a problem they?ll need to address before next match.

BJ:​

The 34 extras the West Indies conceded will also bring much discussion looking back over this game to I would imagine. I mean, the West Indies could have won easily by 20 runs had it not been for the ridiculous amount of wides especially. Ramdin also let through a number of extras that just isn?t good enough for this level is it Junior.

MW:​

No, im not sure what the problem is for the bowlers. It may simply be a lack of discipline. Whatever the cause they need to rectify the problem.

BJ:​

I know how much you like my graphs Junior so here?s the Australian partnership graph which reflects the path of the Australian innings nicely.

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MW:​

I just can?t get enough of these BJ. You?ll see how well the Australians started before that little slump they had. There is a massive decline in partnerships towards the end of the match, which was the reason that it came down to the wire in the end. There weren?t to many tailenders keen to stick around with Symonds there.

BJ:​

It?s almost time to cross back to the ground for the match presentation but before we do we?ll have a look at the points table after the first match of the series. Junior it?s pretty bare at the moment with India set to play there first match in a couple of days.

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MW:​

Yeah not much to speak about at the moment but it should be an interesting series once we get right into it. I?d expect it to be an Australia Vs India final but you never know judging by the fight the West Indies put up today. Bonus points will be important as will the net run rate that splits the teams on the same amount of points.

BJ:​

Ok well Michael Holding is standing by for the match presentation in Kuala Lumpur so let?s cross back for the last time today.​

 

[Short Leg]

Australia Vs West Indies
Samsung Tri-Series - 12 September
Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

Match Presentation​

Michael Holding:​

Im down here on the ground for the match presentation. I know what your thinking, Where?s Dean Jones? Well I regret to inform you that Deano has been sacked for calling the pitch a terrorist prior to the start of this match. I apologies to all those offended by Deans comments on his behalf. Now then, joining me first is the winning captain Ricky Ponting. Ricky it?s a credit to your team that you could fight back after losing a lot of wickets in a very short space of time and be seemingly down and out of the match.

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Ricky Ponting:​

Yeah without doubt a fantastic win for the side coming back ironically after the West Indies came back at us. I think a few of the boys might have been expecting a slow and easy return to cricket after a 5 month break bit we found out quickly that wasn?t the case. A huge amount of the credit for this win goes to Andrew Symonds who more or less got us over the line by himself in the end. It?s always great to see an individual stand up when the team is struggling a bit.

MH: ​

Were you happy with the performance of the team as a whole in today?s match?

RP:​

It wasn?t our best cricket but that was expected after such a long lay off. We have time to improve before our main goal of the summer the Ashes starts so we should only get stronger as a team from here.

MH: ​

How does the team plan to use this Tri-Series. Are you taking it as a warm up for the summer or a chance to give the younger players a run at international level?

RP:​

A little bit of both. We certainly want to win the series first but we will also be giving the fringe players a go. I think it really highlights the depth of Australia cricket that we can afford to give the less experienced blokes a go at no harm to the team.

MH: ​

A finally what was the vibe in the dressing room with Andrew Symonds on strike for that last over?

RP:​

It?s always tense when a game of one day cricket goes sown to the wire. The boys always believed that we were going to win as long as Andrew Symonds was at the crease. WE had a feeling that we?d win when Brian got his overs mixed up and had to give one to Bravo. This team has proved time and again that you just can?t write us off in any situation. Full credit goes to the West Indies though who fought back also after being 5 for not many.

MH: ​

Thanks for taking the time to speak to us Ricky and best of luck for the rest of the series.

RP:​

No worries Mike, Cheers.

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MH: ​

The less fortunate captain now joins us. Brian that must be a hard loss to take given your position going into the final overs and how hard you worked to get back in the match initially after Australia jumped away to a massive lead at the start.

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Brian Lara:​

Yes Mike thanks for reminding me?.. We are obviously disappointed about losing but it?s a huge step in the right direction for West Indies cricket. We have some big months ahead of us and getting so close to victory will help team moral. We have another chance in this series to get at Australia so im sure the resut will be different then.

MH: ​

Some positives that your team can take out of the match are the performances of Sarwan and Ramdin in particular to get the West Indies back into the match.

BL:​

We were very happy with the performances of both Ramnaresh and Dinesh but unfortunately it doesn?t count for much when you don?t go on to win the match. I thought our bowlers, Best, Powell, Morton and Gayle bowled very well also but it just wasn?t our day in the end.

MH: ​

I have to ask. Did you get your overs mixed up with Dwayne Bravo having to bowl an over at the end there?

BL:​

No, Dwayne is a very competent bowler and the team had full belief and backing in his bowling. We knew that he wouldn?t go for many and he didn?t.

MH: ​

Thanks for your time Brian and better luck when you play India in two days time.

BL:​

Thanks Mike.


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MH: ​

Finally it brings me great pleasure to announce the first Man Of The Match for today is?????Andrew Symonds.

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Andrew Symonds:​

That?s bit of a surprise for me. I thought Ramnaresh Sarwan had it in the bag but it?s a great honour to have the award and im wrapped that I could help the boys to a win.

MH: ​

Your being very modest here Andrew. Without you the team wouldn?t have go the result they you did. First you chipped in 2/33 from your 10 overs and then you were hitting the ball very cleanly all day. Talk us through your innings.

AS:​

Thanks Mike, My bowling worked well today in the conditions that helped a bit of movement off the seam and the two wickets was a nice touch. I wasn?t hitting it to bad today. My aim was to just stay there but I quickly did away with that as I thought there was no good just hanging around and I was a bit lucky that my shots came off today.

MH: ​

62 from 68 balls is certainly no easy achievement especially when the pressure is on and other batsmen are falling around you. What as the plan of attack with 8 required from the last over.

AS:​

I didn?t think he could bowl 6 Yorkers so I just said to myself if he gives me a length ball then I?ve gotta go after it. As it was the first ball was a length ball and that?s probably what won it for me. If the over had of started out with a couple of dot balls the result may have been different. That?s what one-day cricket is about, sometimes it goes for you and it?s great but other times it doesn?t. Today was just my day.

MH: ​

Congratulations on the award for this game and all the best in the rest of the series.

AS:​

Thanks Mike, cheers.

MH: ​

Well that?s from the presentation of today?s match to start the Tri-Series. Join us in two days time when the West Indies do battle again but this time it will be with India. Until then it?s goodbye.​

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[Punk_Sk8r]

wow this is brilliant presentation thank god Aussies won...you dont mind if i pick up a few tips of this presentation?

reps 4 u.

 

[Left_Hander]

Good win for the Aussies. Was a heart racer for them though.

Good presentation Short Leg!

 

[Brett_Lee]

Great win by the aussies. Keep it up mate excellent story. good presentation

Brett_Lee

 

[smssia0112]

Go Simmo! Great game mate, keep it up!

 

[langerrox]

that was all dizzy there, pure class slats!

 

[nightprowler10]

Lot of hard work went into this presentation. Amazing.

BTW, this is one evil umpire. Just look at the smirk on his face.

 

[GrayNicolls]

One thing I noticed, (Sorry if I'm being picky ) is that in Rick Ponting's interview, Michael Holding has a microphone up to Ricky to talk in to, and Ricky Ponting has his own.

Good stuff though.

 

[Short Leg]

Thanks for the complements boys but i probably wont be doing any more story writing until Cricket 2007 comes out because im getting a bit bored of this game. A young domestic cricketer may even make a comeback down that track to if you know what i mean.

 

[langerrox]

a certain alfie?

 

[gamerkid22]

wow ...this is top class presentation ....... good to read to ..........awesome work short leg........reps to u

 

[Left_Hander]

Thanks for the complements boys but i probably wont be doing any more story writing until Cricket 2007 comes out because im getting a bit bored of this game. A young domestic cricketer may even make a comeback down that track to if you know what i mean.

I would love to see Slats back . Hope he does come back!

BRING BACK SLATS!

 

[surendar]

Thanks for the complements boys but i probably wont be doing any more story writing until Cricket 2007 comes out because im getting a bit bored of this game. A young domestic cricketer may even make a comeback down that track to if you know what i mean.

Mate, You can play CKT2005 till CKT07 is released and may be u can switch over to that after the release.. Also Good presentation mate!!!