Story Beneath The Southern Cross - The C2005 Australia Story

[Short Leg]

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

The Australians took the field first closely followed by the bowlers on what is expected to be anything but a typical batsman?s one-day pitch. Chris Gayle was quick to prove otherwise taking McGrath around the park and smashing a huge six over mid-wicket to score 10 from the first over in what was anything but an inspirational come back from the fast bowler. Morton opted to lay low from the other end letting Gayle do the early work in trying to get the Windies off to a flyer and that?s just what happened.

0/19 off 3 overs quickly turned in 0/25 as a Brett Lee bouncer disappeared fine over the fence for six off the hook shot. It was said before the game that if Chris Gayle managed to get going early on and make batting on this pitch look easy then the team would grow in confidence and have a chance at knocking off the Australians.

​

Unfortunately for the West Indies any heroics from Gayle were short lived as Brett Lee came back beautifully after being hit for six. Pitching on a length towards leg stump Gayle was beaten for pace as the white ball snuck between bat and pad knocking leg stump out of the ground and disrupting the Windies plans for a perfect start. 1/29 after 4 overs leaves work to be done for new batsman and West Indies captain Brian Charles Lara.

​

West Indies 1/29
4 Overs
Run Rate ? 7.25
Projected Total ? 362.5

Gayle 24(18)
Morton 3(6)*

McGrath 0/15 (2)
Lee 1/14 (2)

 

[kookaburra69]

great start for the west indies apart from the wicket,good presentation

 

[MWaugh]

ouch snap to gayle. you need the australian kit with the gold pants. its tooo green shorty

 

[Short Leg]

I didn'e even realise the kit was to green. The Australian's have undergone a change of uniform mid way through the 5th over.

 

[Short Leg]

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

Live Fox Sports Studio ? Break In Play​

Brendan Julian:​

Welcome back to the Fox Sports Studio as Brian Lara prepares himself to face the music out in the middle but before that we?ll have a chat to Mark Waugh. Junior a valuable wicket for the Australians and what a ball from Brett Lee.

Mark Waugh:​

Yeah the Australians would have been holding that wicket in high regard. A very nice piece of bowling from Brett Lee there just beating Gayle for pace. That?s a big wicket to take early on as it probably won?t change the course of the match. A quick 24 early on doesn?t mean much as the rest of the batting order still have to bat out the 50 overs.

BJ:​

Of course they can?t relax to much because the West Indies captain Brian Lara is in next but what do you see for the rest of the match now Junior.

MW:​

It?s a bit early to be making predictions. The West Indies will be looking to be about 50 odd after the first 10 overs, which will put them in a good position.

BJ:​

We?ve only seen 4 overs of action but the pitch doesn?t look to be a minefield. I?d probably aim for a score around the 240-250 mark hat do you think Junior?

MW:​

Yeah that sounds about right to me. The bounce is a bit low and it?s swinging a bit but the conditions definitely aren?t impossible to bat in.

BJ:​

Alright well the West Indies captain has just arrived out in the middle so we?ll cross back to Kuala Lumpur for all the action.​

 

[Short Leg]

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

The departure of Gayle early meant that Runako Morton needed to take charge whilst his skipper Brian Lara looked to settle in for what would hopefully be a long stay at the crease. The 28 year old who has played just over 20 ODI?s looked very uncertain not wanting to play strokes possibly in the fear of getting out to the Australian bowlers. The unwillingness of Morton to play strokes meant that pressure built up on the pair looking for a good start to this match. Surprisingly it was Brian Lara who made his first and last mistake going for the big shot over mid on. The Calypso King got little more then the toe of the bat and was disappointingly out for a modest 3 runs. Jason Gillespie took the easiest of catches to give Lee his second wicket in this the 8th over.

​

Shiv Chanderpaul is the new batsman for the West Indies who need a man to stick it out for their country right now with Brett Lee bowling hand grenades. The match is still evenly balanced at this stage but another wicket from the Australians would have them right on top.

West Indies 2/39
7.3 Overs
Run Rate ? 5.34
Projected Total ? 267

Morton 8(22)*
Lara 3(5)

McGrath 0/17 (4)
Lee 2/20 (3.3)

 

[kookaburra69]

2 wickets for bing!
bad start for the windies

 

[Short Leg]

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

Live Fox Sports Studio ? Break In Play​

Brendan Julian:​

Thanks for joining myself and Mark Waugh back in the studio again this time it?s the result of another wicket falling. Junior the West Indies are in trouble now that Lara is gone so early in the match.

Mark Waugh:​

Yeah that will be a big disappointment for the West Indies. Brian Lara is the man they have turned to so often to grind out an important innings and unfortunately for them that wont be the case today. Someone else is going to have to step up.

BJ: ​

It wasn?t much of a shot either from the king of port of Spain which will add to his frustrations when he takes a seat in the dressing room.

MW:​

No it wasn?t much of a shot I guess that?s just one of those ones that either clears the in field and goes to the fence or it get?s you out which is the case for Lara today.

BJ: ​

Shivnarine Chanderpaul is the new man in now do you expect him to play cautiously from the start with 2 wickets down already or will he continue to try and keep the tempo high for these first 15 overs when the restrictions are on Junior?

MW:​

Well Shiv Chanderpaul isn?t a naturally over attacking batsman so I wouldn?t expect to much from him. A steady run rate of 4 or 5 an over at this rate is what the West Indies want. Morton is the man that I would be looking at to take some control seeing as he has been in since the start now.

BJ:​

Yes, Runako Morton just doesn?t look confident against this bowling attack and I suspect that in the back of his mind he is worried about what the pitch might do.

MW:​

That?s probably not a bad call BJ but he is going to have to overcome that if he is going to score some runs today otherwise he risks getting the West Indies in a hole as far as run rate is concerned.

BJ:​

Alright well it?s time to rejoin play once again in Kuala Lumpur as Chanderpaul reaches the middle. The way Brett Lee is bowling it might not be to long before we see you again.​

 

[langerrox]

go binga! great story slats!

 

[Short Leg]

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

Kuala Lumpur and the first Tri-Series International was very quickly becoming the Brett Lee show as a loud shout for LBW went up for the Australians. The only man on the field that didn?t agree with the Australians apart from the batsman was umpire Steve Bucknor giving the ?not out? to new batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul which was probably the right decision judging by the replay.

​

After 4 overs and 2/24 Brett Lee was replaced by fellow paceman Jason Gillespie. It was a shaky start for the fast bowler as Morton looked to come out of his shell after seeing Lee replaced. The ball started to find the gaps and the fence on the odd occasion with a six bringing up the team 50. The West Indies had reached 2/58 at the 10 over stage.

​

Shiv Chanderpaul settled in nicely after an early scare and began to accumulate some runs as Morton began to get more comfortable by the minute. The pair was particularly good at running the ball down to 3rd man for the single and did some a number of times effectively to turn over the strike and get the scoreboard ticking over. The disappointment for the Australians is that Gillespie and Symonds who replaced the opening pair failed to keep the pressure on the batsman and allowed them to score singles comfortably. At the 15 over mark the West Indies have recovered well from the early loss of wickets to be sitting nicely at 2/77. Who will take control of the match now that the fielding restrictions have been lifted and the opening bowlers have come and gone is the next question in what has been a good match so far.

West Indies 2/77
15 Overs
Run Rate ? 5.13
Projected Total ? 256

Morton 29(39)*
Chanderpaul 17 (28)*

McGrath 0/24 (6)
Lee 2/24 (4)
Gillespie 0/17 (3)
Symonds 0/10 (3)

 

[Short Leg]

go binga! great story slats!

2 wickets for bing!
bad start for the windies

Thanks for the comments boys

 

[Bala]

Good performance on the terrorist track by the windies! BTW Lee looks real ugly!

 

[langerrox]

what about the guy in your avatar??

 

[Bala]

Err! He is Mr. Ugly of football!

 

[Left_Hander]

Morton and Chanderpaul have settled this done. Not a good thing for Australia. A couple more quick wickets will break the West Indies back in my opninon.

Great presetnation Short Leg!

,
Left_Hander