Story ICC Best Of The Rest Championship

[Short Leg]

Brett Lee You Superstar​

West Indies 6/154 - 58 overs
4:05pm Day 1

It didnt take long infact just 5 minutes into the session Dinesh Ramdin fell to a hookshot that was hit at speed to Brad Hodge who took the second best catch of the day this time diving forward at square leg. The West Indies simply havnt adapted there game to Australian conditions they have played poor shots all tour and it has led to there downfall.

Yes the collapse now looks very possible as Dwayne Bravo the all rounder comes to the crese with the pace of Lee at one end and the rip and turn of Warne at the other. Langer and Hayden could be at the crease tonight flying the flag for the Australians.

 

[Short Leg]

Warne Of The Best​

West Indies 7/168 - 65 overs
4:38pm Day 1

Shane Warne has picked up his second which was the wicket of Dwayne Bravo for a modest 4. Another man adopted the stone wall approach and let Lara do the scoring at the other end and again it didnt work.

Bravo pushed with hard hands at a ball pitching outside leg and turning nd the result was a well taken catch at bat pad from non other then the skipper Ricky Ponting.

It now looks like Lara will have to step it up a gear otherwise he will run out of partners without many runs on the board for his team to bowl with. It looks like it will be all out attack from the West Indies in the feild later on in an attempt to get wickets.

 

[Short Leg]

West Indies Battle To Keep Innings Alive​

The new man on the block for the West Indies McLean did his job in partnering Brian Lara and was given a second chance on 5 when he was dropped at 3rd slip off the luckless McGrath.

With Lara looking to push it alone and farm the strike so he could score as many runs as possible it looked like the West Indies still had hope. The Australian feilding made it difficult for Lara and eventually it paid off. The master batsman hit a full ball to mid on off the last ball of the over and took off. He was run out by a few metres and made his way back to the pavillion wondering why he threw away his innings like that.

West Indies 8/192 - 73 overs
5:15pm Day 1

 

[Short Leg]

The Tailblazers​

McLean was partnered by Lawson as they looked to add priceless runs to a low first innings total. There job was to bat out the rest of the first days play.

Some big shots as well as some lucky French cutting had the scoreboard ticking over at a healthy rate aswell as a concerned expression on the face of skipper Ricky Ponting. McLean was making the Australians pay for the spilt catch.

As the clock reached 5:58pm at the WACA the umpires decided on one more over for the days play. Symonds was the bowler as he had kept it tight in his earlier spells and that was good enough to be thrown the ball.

A dream start to an over as he picked up the wicket of the frustrating McLean. Symonds knocked middle stump out of the ground to end a classy knock from the tailender just minutes before stumps.

West Indies 9/222 - 83 overs

With Australia just needing one more wicket and 5 balls left in day one it looked like they would have to come back tomorrow morning and finish the job. However Symonds had other ideas as he soon had Lawson caught behind with the 2nd last ball of the over to wrap up the West Indies first innings. the umpires then called stumps on Day 1.

West Indies All Out 227 - 84 overs
Stumps Day 1

The scorecard tells the story of a below par 1st innings score for the West Indies but it seems that this new look side is geling better then the older stale team.

 

[Cricket_60]

How is Symonds bowling medium pace?

I thought C2005 only let you bowl spin with him.

 

[Short Leg]

After Stumps on the first days play Mark Taylor caught up with the Australian captain Ricky Ponting

Ricky A solid performance today in the feild having restricted the West Indies to a modest total. Did you think the bowlers gave a top class effort?

Yeah obviously the scorecard shows that we have done a good job but i think the bowlers took a step up today as they all did a job for us. You cant do this day in day out without guys like Brett Lee who was at 100% today. Andrew Symonds i thought was superb picking up a few at the end there was well deserved and Glenn bowled really well but will count himself unlucky having not picked up a wicket. We'll get a good nights sleep and then look to get ontop tomorrow with the bat.

Mark also had a chat to paceman Brett Lee

Well Brett would you be happy with performances like that everyday? And are you dissapointed about missing out on 5 for

Yeah the ball came out well today for me. Ive felt that over the last few weeks everything has fallen into place for me and i feel that im really doing a job for the boys out on the park. I wouldnt of minded coming off with 5 but if they told me at the start of the day i was going to take 4 for 50 odd i probably would of take it.

Day 2 should be interesting with Australia looking like favourites as they will try for a big lead on a pitch that will favour them. West Indies will need early wickets.

 

[MWaugh]

How is Symonds bowling medium pace?

I thought C2005 only let you bowl spin with him.

i would say probably player editor V2 - its in the downloads centre

 

[Short Leg]

i would say probably player editor V2 - its in the downloads centre

That is correct. I hate Symonds spinners its almost impossible for him to take wickets that arent caught on the fence

 

[Short Leg]

Langer And Hayden Start It Off For Australia​

The Australians make there way out to the middle. Hayden is coming off a hundred in the first test and Langer will be looking to score big after getting out pretty cheaply last innings.

 

[Short Leg]

Bravo Stops The Flow​

2nd 3 Mobile Test Match - The WACA
Australia 1/57 - 20 overs
12:23pm Day 2

Hayden 24*
Langer 25

Australia trail by 170 runs

Justin Langer is left to wonder about what might have been after hes out after a good start to his innings. Bravo the only bowler for the West Indies that looked like getting a wicket as the openers where taken out of the attack.

Matthew Hayden looks to be having a purple patch in his career as everything he touches turns to gold. He has played very well down the ground as he will be looking to keep it simple and bat all day.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting walks to the crease​

 

[Short Leg]

Session Belongs To Australia​

2nd 3 Mobile Test Match - The WACA
Australia 1/76 - 29 overs
Lunch Day 2

Langer 25(67)
Hayden 30(78)*
Ponting 13(29)*

Lawson 0/29
Best 0/15
Bravo 1/20
McLean 0/7
Smith 0/3

Australia trail by 151 runs

As the umpires removed the bails on the first session of the second days play it was clear that Australia was in control having only lost the single wicket so far.

Matthew Hayden wasnt white hot but he has done the job that was required of him so far. He will need to bat on for a few more sessions if he is to get his second hundred in a row and help Australia post a huge total.

Ricky Ponting isnt as free flowing as he normaly plays at the moment but you could assume that he will get better with every minute he spends at the crease.

 

[Short Leg]

Hayden And Ponting Work At There Own Pace​

2nd 3 Mobile Test Match - The Waca
Australia 1/141 - 57 overs
Tea Day 2

Hayden 70(169)*
Ponting 34(106)*

Lawson 0/36
Best 0/15
Bravo 1/43
McLean 0/9
Smith 0/27
Gayle 0/7

Australia trail by 86 runs

No heroics in the session just good solid batting from the pair that lasted the whole way through the session. Hayden was watchful as he reached his half century at less then a run even 2 balls.

The partnership for these two stands at an unbeaten 84. If the West Indies dont find an answer quickly they could again find that this game has escaped them. Speaking of the West Indies performance. This new look side is an improvement whilest there bowling is tighter it still lacks wicket takers and a few big run scorers would also be a welcome addition aswell.

The Australians looked to work the ball around in the 2nd session​

 

[Short Leg]

Gayle Gets The Breakthrough​

2nd 3 Mobile Test Match - The WACA
Australia 2/157 - 64 overs
4:23pm Day 2

Hayden 78(190)*
Ponting 37(123)*

Gayle 1/13
Bravo 1/46

Australia trail by 70 runs

Gayle has got the rewards for bowling a tight line and length and that reward comes in the form of skipper Ricky Ponting who got the edge through to the keeper Dinesh Ramdin where the catch was excepted. The captain will be dissapointed having worked hard for this start but he just never looked comfortable at the crease.

The new man in is Brad Hodge​

 

[Short Leg]

What Do We Think Of Hayden?.......He's Alright​

2nd 3 Mobile Test Match - The WACA
Australia 2/236 - 86 overs
Stumps Day 2

Ponting 37(123)
Hayden 103(247)*
Hodge 47(79)*

Gayle 1/39
Bravo 1/46

Australia lead by 9 runs

Having joined Hayden at the crease Brad Hodge decided that Australia had let the run rate slip so he played his shots from the beginning. A few boundaries and some crafty running between the wickets got his score up towards the 40s with stumps on Day 2 looming.

Where does the time go would of been the thought going through Haydens head as he looked like he was going to have to sleep with his score in the 90s and finish it off tomorrow.

It just so happened that Hodge had strike for the last over of the day as he tried desperatly for the single. 2 dot balls and the crowd began to get impatient with the Victorian before he got the to mid off. Hayden had 3 balls to get the milestone. This would soon be 2 balls as he mistimed to the feilder who were all inclose to try and put Hayden off his game.

The crowd went into a frenzy as Hayden worked off his hip for 4 runs through mid wicket to bring up the hundred with just a ball left on day 2. 2 hundreds on the trot for Hayden and isnt he in great form.

Well it looks like the West Indies are now going to be subject to another innings loss at the hands of the Australians. They would really need some miracles if they are going to get out of this situation. The Australian batting simply just to good.

 

[Short Leg]

The Best Man For The Job​

2nd 3 Mobile Test Match - The WACA
Australia 3/282 - 100 overs
12:00pm Day 3

Hodge 74
Hayden 116*

Bravo 1/46
Gayle 1/51
Best 1/64

Hodges half century came up as the Australians partnership was clearly booming. The West Indies couldnt even get a sniff in this match as the chased leather all day around the WACA.

It took some good bowling and a little bit of luck for the West Indies to break the partnership and Tino Best was the previder. Beaten for pace as he retreated onto the back foot the only shot he manged was a half hearted swipe at the pull and the underside edge rebounded onto the timber.

A good knock from Hodge but he will be dissapointed about missing out on the ton. Australia is ontop and can just bat at there own pace without taking to many risks as the have plenty of time to get a big lead and declare later on.

The next man to the middle is big hitter Andrew Symonds​

.