Story ICC Best Of The Rest Championship

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Australian innings:

Australia kept the push going into over 20 and past the halfway stage before Katich managed to draga late cut onto his stumps and be out for a hard earned 46 to silence his critics.

Clarke then took the attack into his own hands clearing the ropes twice and being especially effective at picking the gaps to the boundary in the covers. Symonds looked a little scratchy at first but an explosion looked imminent as Australia could have the bonus point in reach.

The Clarke 50 came up as the Australians really started to get on the offensive. However a minor setback as Clarke was bowled trying to hoik over square leg in order to obtain quick boundays.

Hussey came to the crease needing singles to give Symonds the strike if Australia was to have a chance of getting the bonus point.

The equation just got more interesting. The game was wrapped up but the bonus point situation brought a new sense of excitment to the SCG crowd.

With just two overs in the bank in which to get the runs and get the extra point the hometeam showed the aussie mungrel they are famous for as Symonds smashed one back down the ground for 4 runs and then Hussey over cover to the boundary which left just 3 to get off the 40th over which they did easily.

A well contested match but with the same result. Australia picking up the bonus point. Some very good performances by individuals will make selection even more interesting in upcoming matches.

again feel free to post the 3 best players who you thought should get Allan Border Medal votes.

 

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ICC Releases first Offical One Day International Standings​

After the recenlty completed One day series in New Zealand and Australia the ICC has released its frist offical One Day International Standings.

 

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3 Mobile Test Series​

The Australian and West Indian cricket teams have had the oppertunity to talk to the media ahead of the 3 mobile test series which will feature 2 test matchs at the MCG and the WACA. During which Shivnarine Chanderpaul flamed is teams poor performance in Australia so far.

"I have been very dissapointed with my teams performance in the one day series. There is no way that series should of been as one sided as it was and there is no excuses. It willl have to turn around really quickly if we are going to be serious about our chances in this Championship. Extras, dropped and poor shot selection have plagued us so far and it simply isnt good enough and is not helping West Indies cricket development one bit."

"I paid close attention to the one day series at home and it would appear that the Calypso side of old has fallen off the face of the earth. They looked very underdone running around like men that had lost the will to live. They had little direction and purpose and tried to get ontop by playing shots they knew they couldnt execute against the best bowlers in the world."

 

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1st 3 Mobile Test Match - The MCG​

A match that is potentially dangerous for the spirit of the West Indies. coming up against the fiercest competitors first up in the Championship can ruin them for there future series.

Tony Greig's Pitch Report:
An interesting pitch that will provide for both batsman and bowlers alike. There will be movement early on for the quicks but it should play evenly throughout the match. Spinners will come into it as the match progresses as the pitch will turn more and more. The weather is good but a little chilli without to many clouds in the sky. I would expect the captain that wins the toss to bat first and post a large total.

Umpires:
Rudi Keortzen and Steve Bucknor

The Toss:
The coin fell in favour of the Australians

Ricky Ponting
"Yeah mate we'll have a bat. It looks a good pitch for test cricket so we'd love to have first use of it. We have been playing our best cricket in the one day series so now we just have to take that into the longer form of the game."

Shivnarine Chanderpaul
"I would of liked to of batted but we will be hoping to take early wickets. This series is a fresh start for us and we will be looking to take our oppertunities as they come. We will need to play our best cricket to win this match.

Australian Lineup

The Australians need not try anything different as they have the edge over the West Indies. They will work on the theory of "if it aint broke dont fix it" as they will do the predictable and get ontop early and slowly wear the West Indies down over the 5 days if it lasts for that long.

West Indies Lineup

The positives for them is that they dont have to play one day cricket anymore they can take there time in building partnerships. They will need the men at the top to bat for long periods of time if they are going to have a chance. Devon Smith has come in for the test and will be happy at 6.

All set for the 1st 3 mobile test as Langer and Hayden make there way out to the middle for the start of play. West Indies need early scalps if they are to have a chance.

 

[jazz]

for me its australia all the way, they have a much stronger squad

 

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Windies In With First Wicket​

Australia 1/44
11:58am - Day 1

Bravo gets the breakthrough after overpitching wide outside offstump Langer smashing the pill to point where Sarwan took the catch in self defence more then anything.

A very unlucky way to be out after he and Hayden had gotten the Australians going. Out after getting a start Langer will be dirty better avoid him in the changeing rooms.

 

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Gayle Chips in as Captain Departs​

Australia 2/81
12:47pm - Day 1

The Australian captain Ricky Ponting fell to an unforunate dismissal. He chopped a wide off break from Gayle onto off stump.

A big wicket for the West Indies not long before lunch on the first day 1 more wicket would be ideal for the visitors as wold also restor some lost confidence with the captain.

 

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Lunch Day 1​

At the first break Australia was left wondering why they where losing so much in the luck stakes had it not been for Matthew Hayden the Australians could of been in some trouble. The conditions favour the bowlers however the Wst Indies attack is not strong enough to capitalise. The pitch is playing slow and low causing problems on the horizontal bat shots.

Hayden is the anchor having batted through the session and is joined by home town hero Brad Hodge who has played some awesome shots in his short time at the crease so far.

Australia 2/100 at Lunch

Langer 16
Ponting 20
Hayden 47*
Hodge 6*

Edwards 0/29
Powell 0/28
Bravo 1/30
Gayle 1/8

 

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Hayden Half Century​

Just after lunch Hayden despatched Collymore to the cover boundary to bring up his 50 off 92 balls. An admirable innings so far but it needs to carry on if Australia is going to post a good total on this pitch. Anything over 300 would be a good first innings total.

 

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Bravo's Christmases come at once​

Australia 3/147 - 38 overs
2:14pm - Day 1

Dwayne Bravo castles Brad Hodge at the MCG as he got one to cut back through the gate which crashed into off stump. Hodge was playing well and was set for a big score so this is a big wicket for the West Indies who now have a new batsman in Andrew Symonds at the crease.

Matty Hayden is still looking good and has moved to 69 with the Windies unable to find an answer against him.

 

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Symonds In The Shed​

Australia 4/164 - 46 overs
2:51pm - Day 1

Symonds struggled to find the gaps and was pressured into a big shot which found the safe hands of Gayle. Collymore takes his first as Hussey makes his way to the centre.

It looks like the West Indies are forgeting about Hayden as they are pushing the feild back for him giving up singles. All the Australians need is someone to stay with Hayden and they will post a big score. Hussey has been hitting the ball well of late so this should be an interesting 50 minutes leading to the Tea break.

 

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Tea Day 1​

Australia 4/217 - 58 overs
Tea - Day 1

Another good partnership featuring Matthew Hayden who is in the 90's at the break. Hussey made quick work of it racing to 36 off 42 balls. Danger looms for the West Indies if this partnership gets going and is then followed up by Adam Gilchrist. However the bowling hasnt been anything special and it looks like once a batsman can establish himself at the crease he can stay there.

Hodge 28
Symonds 3
Hayden 94*
Hussey 36*

Edwards 0/58
Powell 0/39
Bravo 2/58
Gayle 1/27
Collymore 1/27

 

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Hayden Ton Sinks West Indies​

Matthew Hyaden must of felt like he'd found an Oasis in the desert when he became the second man to make a test hundred in the ICC Best Of The Rest Championship. However he became the first man to score his hundred with a six.

It will be interesting to see if he carries on his innings and makes a big hundred.

 

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Hussey reaches a Half Century​

Mike Hussey brought up the second milestone of the partnership when he reached 50. It took Hussey just 59 balls in an impressive innings as he will look to keep progressing to help build that massive total for Australia.

 

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Hayden and Hussey in control at the MCG​

Hayden and Hussey brought up the 100 partnership that has captivated the crowd for hours. At 4/270 the West Indies are in desperate need of a breakthrough or they risk having to play for a draw without ever being in the match.