Story Beneath The Southern Cross - The C2005 Australia Story

[Short Leg]

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

Another Australian is in the shed and this time it?s a massive wicket for the West Indies as Chris Gayle get?s the skipper caught behind. It appeared to be a rubbish delivery out of he hand pitching well wide of off stump as Ponting chose to come forward and try to hammer it over cover. The ball pitched just short of driving length and the result was an outside edge that was cleanly taken by he keeper Dinesh Ramdin. Australia are in real trouble now as this game starts to slip away with the loss of every wicket.

​

This is a shock dismissal for the Australians and the silence around the ground proved it as the famous number 14 was doing it easy with a strike rate of 69.84 and nearing a half-century that would help Australia to victory. The fall of his wicket brings Mike Hussey to the crease who has made a real name for himself closing the innings since coming into the one day side and hopefully he can do the same again today as Australia try to avoid an embarrassing defeat in a match they have control for the most part. With 111 runs to win the question is who will stand up for the reining world champions?

Australia 4/147
30.4 Overs
Run Rate ? 4.83
Required Run Rate ? 5.55
Projected Total ? 241
Runs To Win ? 111
Balls Remaining - 115

Ponting 44 (63)
Symonds 11 (10)*

Edwards 0/25 (4)
Best 0/21 (6)
Powell 0/20 (6)
Morton 2/31 (6)
Gayle 2/32 (6.4)
Bravo 0/15 (2)

 

[Punk_Sk8r]

noooooooo i cursed them lol this is turing out to be tense good job mate.

 

[Short Leg]

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

Live Fox Sports Studio ? Break In Play ​

Brendan Julian:​

I know it?s a clich? Junior but this match is full of surprises. The Australian skipper looked set to make a big score and out of nowhere he gets the edge through to Ramdin. The Australians are in desperate need of a partnership now.

Mark Waugh:​

Yes that?s 4 wickets down now and the Australians are going to need something special to save them. Who knows Mike Hussey and Andrew Symonds just might do that but they will have to score a run a ball.

BJ: ​

The next question is 111 runs from 115 balls. Can they do it?

MW:​

It?s been done plenty of times before so they definitely can but the way they are losing wickets at the moment seems to suggest that they may be in trouble. The man to pull it off for me will be Mike Hussey. If he get?s going then Australia should get home.

BJ: ​

The West Indies bowling stokes are looking good to showing that Lara has managed his bowlers well as Edwards still has 6 overs to bowl with Best and Powell still having 4 overs each so there are options for Lara should the Australians start to score quickly.

MW:​

Yes Brian Lara has done well in this innings so he wont have to worry about running out of bowlers he just has to worry about them bowling poorly.

BJ:​

Alright well it?s time to cross back live to Kuala Lumpur with this match between Australia and the West Indies starting to get very, very interesting as Mike Hussey walks to the crease to partner Andrew Symonds.​

 

[Bala]

Gayle you ripper! Get a couple more mate!

 

[Short Leg]

Geez Bala how about you make it a little bit more obvious your going for the West Indies

 

[Short Leg]

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

The good news for Australian fans is that no more wickets have fallen as the umpires decide that it?s time for a drink. Andrew Symonds and the newest of the batsmen Mike Hussey have done a good job picking up a run a ball and with 16 overs to go they have the Australians at 4/166 and in a reasonable position. Brian Lara has just recently called on the services of Fidel Edwards as he re enters the attack with Chris Gayle who has been one of the most reliable bowlers today has completed 8 overs.

​

The job is still very doable for the Australians who still have a batsman in Michael Clarke still in the shed followed by Hogg, Lee and Gillespie who are all capable of scoring runs before Glenn McGrath is due in. The 17 extras the West Indies have conceded in this match so far may play a part in this match as it looks like it is going to finish in a nail bitter which is just what this series needs.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gatorade Drinks Break ​

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Australia 4/166
34 Overs
Run Rate ? 4.88
Required Run Rate ? 5.75
Projected Total ? 244
Runs To Win ? 92
Balls Remaining - 96

Symonds 15 (18)*
Hussey 10 (12)*

Edwards 0/29 (5)
Best 0/21 (6)
Powell 0/20 (6)
Morton 2/33 (7)
Gayle 2/40 (8)
Bravo 0/15 (2)

 

[Short Leg]

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

Live Fox Sports Studio ? Break In Play ​

Brendan Julian:​

Drinks have been called for at Kuala Lumpur for the final time as we get ready for the final 16 overs of the match and this contest is far from decided isn?t it Junior.

Mark Waugh:​

Yeah it?s been hard to pick a winner in this match and there still isn?t much separating the two teams. A wicket o two for the West Indies would see them rake in the match where as a quick partnership of 40-50 for Australia would give them the momentum to get the runs.

BJ: ​

This one really is a massive partnership for Australia with Symonds and Hussey both very capable of hitting hard and over the top in these final overs when the pressure is on.

MW:​

We?ve seen them do it before haven?t we and I certainly wouldn?t rule it out again. The West Indies still have plenty of overs between their bowlers so they have options aginst this pair. I?d like to see Tino Best be thrown the ball as he?s been the man that?s looked most likely to take a wicket with Daren Powell also bowling well today.

BJ: ​

The equation is now down to 92 runs needed from 96 balls Junior so it?s definitely neck and neck. The 6 wickets the Australians have in hand may prove to be very important as they try to score quickly towards the end here.

MW:​

All sides in one day cricket set out to keep wickets in hand for the closing overs as it can help the team score 30-50 runs more simply because they can afford to take risks knowing that there are still batsmen to come.

BJ:​

Now that the players have taken on some Gatorade from the sponsors it?s time to get back to business in what is looking like becoming a nail bitter in the first match of the Samsung Tri-Series. ​

 

[Short Leg]

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

Mike Hussey is gone for 18. Fidel Edwards strikes off the last ball of the 38th over to have the Australians 5/189 needing a further 69 runs to win. Hussey missed the full and straight Yorker length delivery on off stump and as a result puts a lot of pressure on Andrew Symonds who by the way is hitting the ball very nicely. The Australian camp will be bitterly disappointed as the man that has got them out of trouble so many times before departs leaving the job up to new batsman Michael Clarke.

​

The Australians have done a superb job keeping the runs required under the balls remaining figure but you get the feeling that if Symonds gets out the balls remaining will quickly overlap and the Australians will be in trouble as they rely on the tail end to hit out. It?s all to play for at Kuala Lumpur with 12 overs to go.

Australia 5/189
38 Overs
Run Rate ? 4.97
Required Run Rate ? 5.75
Projected Total ? 248
Runs To Win ? 69
Balls Remaining - 72

Symonds 29 (30)*
Hussey 18 (24)

Edwards 1/40 (7)
Best 0/21 (6)
Powell 0/20 (6)
Morton 2/33 (7)
Gayle 2/52 (10)
Bravo 0/15 (2)

 

[Bala]

Geez Bala how about you make it a little bit more obvious your going for the West Indies

Windies! Windies! Windies! Oi! Oi! Oi! that better?

The match is being set up for a grand stand finish! Great start to the series!

 

[Left_Hander]

When you do the break in plays I can almost hear Brendon Julian and Mark Waugh having a chat.

Windies unfortuanetly have the upper hand. Clarke needs to make about 30+ runs I would say to get us over the line.

- Great Story and Presentation,
Left_Hander

 

[Short Leg]

Windies! Windies! Windies! Oi! Oi! Oi! that better?

No! no it is not.

When you do the break in plays I can almost hear Brendon Julian and Mark Waugh having a chat.

Windies unfortuanetly have the upper hand. Clarke needs to make about 30+ runs I would say to get us over the line.

- Great Story and Presentation,
Left_Hander

Cheers mate

 

[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 studio now that Mike Hussey is gone, Junior will Australia suffer the same fate?

Mark Waugh:​

Im not as quick to write off the Australians as you are BJ. The West Indies are on top now but Andrew Symonds is hitting them well enough to get Australia over the line. If Roy get?s out I think Australia will concede the match easily.

BJ: ​

Australia still need 69 runs with Michael Clarke the last of the specialist batsmen in now. How many does he need to make to get them home here do you think Junior?

MW:​

25-35 will probably do it with Symonds pitching in the rest. It?s never easy for a batsman to come in with a situation like this to tackle. Clarke has to pretty much middle the ball from the start to get Australia home.

BJ: ​

Powell and Best both bowled well in the opening overs for a minimal amount of runs so you would probably expect them to be spot o the mark when Lara decides that it?s time for a closing spell.

MW:​

Yeah that?s going to be the biggest challenge for the Australians against some of these quick bowlers getting the ball in the block hole. Surprisingly the off spinners for the West Indies have been the most successful with Morton and Gayle picking up two each but I don?t think we?ll see any overs of slow bowling now with so much at stake.

BJ:​

Well it?s time to cross back to Kuala Lumpur with Australia on their last chance here with Clarke and Symonds at the crease battling it out with 5.75 an over required for victory. ​

 

[m_vaughan]

I am going to back Mark there. Even though at the moment, the Windies look better off but with the depth in batting that the Aussies have, only a fool would write them off.

 

[Short Leg]

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

Michael Clarke treated himself to a first ball boundary over mid on in an effort to send a message to the West Indies pace attack that if they bowl bad balls he?s going after them even if the Australians are starring down the barrel at 5 wickets down. Andrew Symonds carried on as normal at the other end finding the gaps and hitting over the in field with ease. The Australians slowly started to bring the required run rate down as they went past the 40 over mark before???.

Michael Clarke clipped one off the pads straight to Chris Gayle 15 metres in from the boundary to be out for just 12 from 14 balls. The Australia supporters I the crowd went silent as this wicket looks to be the beginning of the end. Meanwhile the West Indies celebrated with Edwards ecstatic about picking up 2 wickets in quick time. There were many high fives shared amongst teammates as Clarke hung his head and departed back to the pavilion.

​

Brad Hogg is the new batsman in with Australia in big trouble. It is up to Hogg now to simply hand over the strike to Symonds who is the only man that can get Australia out of this mess now. 23 overs into this match with the West Indies at 5/101 you wouldn?t of thought they would even get close to winning this match and now they are expected to take it out.

Australia 6/216
42 Overs
Run Rate ? 5.14
Required Run Rate ? 5.25
Projected Total ? 257
Runs To Win ? 42
Balls Remaining - 48

Symonds 40 (40)*
Clarke 12 (14)

Edwards 2/56 (9)
Best 0/21 (6)
Powell 0/30 (8)
Morton 2/33 (7)
Gayle 2/52 (10)
Bravo 0/15 (2)

 

[kookaburra69]

very close match,im with West Indies to win now.