Story ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 in the West Indies [ICC06]

[The Mongrel]

West Indies v Australia, Final, 2007 World Cup
Who will take the silverware?
The Preview by Anand Vasu in Bridgetown
May 19, 2007

Australian captain Ricky Ponting holds up the last two trophies as he attempts to lead his team to three in a row.

The stage is now set. After 50 one day internationals, all but two of the best sides in world cricket have packed their bags and gone home, leaving defending champions Australia to fight it out with host nation the West Indies for the title of 2007 World Champions. Both sides did it the hard way, winning their semi finals from the bottom two spots in the Super 8 stage two defeat the in form Sri Lankan and Indian sides respectively. Here, its all or nothing as the best team in the world is up against a team playing the best cricket it has in a long time. West Indian captain Brian Lara is playing his last World Cup match, while Ricky Ponting is set to attempt a hat trick of World Cup victories. Winner takes all in what is being billed as the biggest match to be played in the Caribbean.

The pitch

Kensington Oval has been the best of the grounds as a spectacle for the World Cup. It has been used six times, all Super 8 fixtures, with no team scoring less than 200 in an innings, with a few scores over 250 in a generally low scoring cup. What is interesting is that it has played host to two thrillers, Australia's three run win over England and India's two run win over the Aussies. This would suggest we can expect a similarly high scoring and close encounter considering the ability of these two sides. With a gap of eight days between the last match on Kensington Oval (West Indies d. England by 31 runs), the curator has worked hard in maintaining an even bounce, and has worked on providing a pitch which can create higher scoring contests.

The ICC even sent in pitch expert Andy Atkinson to assist with the preparation for the final. "The pitch has been too dry on occasions throughout the tournament, and we wanted to provide more of an opportunity for the seamers to take wickets," said Atkinson on match eve. "We are using a strip with a bit more grass on it, but it will flatten out into a bouncy deck, rather than a deck that will move substantially fairly quickly. There may be some turn for spinners later in the match, but we've generally gone for a faster deck to maximise scores."

Lara and Ponting didn't seem to concerned at the joint press conference.? The pitch has played really well when we've had a bat this tournament, but has had a bit of turn in it. They've put work into making it a bit harder and get the ball coming onto the bat quicker. I don't think it will favour either side too much," Ponting said. Lara agreed, "Kensington is a great ground to play on as a batsman, but I've not seen it play like it has so far this tournament. Its been a little slow, but from looking at it, it should be a good deck to bat on."

The teams

Both sides would be rather hesitant to change a winning formula, with the only question for both sides being will they play a specialist spinner? Dan Cullen has done a serviceable job as the frontline spinner so far this World Cup, with ten wickets at an average of 27, while chinaman Dave Mohammad has been bowling well with 11 wickets at 25 so far this tournament. If either side was to drop the spinner, it would be the West Indies who would have the advantage, with Kerry Jeremy having played seven matches, albeit with a return of just eight wickets at 35. Australia's other seam options rest with the untested Shaun Tait, who has bowled well at times this series, but has only snared six wickets at 38, and Brett Dorey who has looked out of touch with just four wickets in six outings at 60.

Australia have seemingly solved their opener problem, with Phil Jaques edging out Simon Katich and Mark Cosgrove on the back of some stellar form. His last three innings have all resulted in at least fifty runs, with a match winning 86* against Sri Lanka in the semi-final. They may think twice about playing Shaun Marsh, who despite averaging in excess of eighty, isn't all that experienced. It would be a risky move to drop him, but someone like Katich may be more able to save Australia in the case of a top order collapse as opposed to the youngster.

Speedster Brett Lee is looking to fire up in the World Cup final

Ricky Ponting holds the trump card at #3, with 384 runs at an average of 48 for the tournament. At times he has looked troubled by the slowness of the pitches, but his ability to make big scores on pitches like the one we can expect on Sunday is unparalled in the Australian camp. If anyone is to unsettle the West Indian bowlers, it is either him or wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist, who looks due for a score as he has averaged a lowly 29 for the tournament. Ponting will be looking to rectify his poor record against the Windies, averaging just over thirty in his 35 matches against them. In the bowling ranks, the pace trio of Brett Lee, Nathan Bracken and the experienced Jason Gillespie hold the key if Australia are to restrict Chris Gayle, Lara, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul. Lee has been solid but unspectacular, with 10 wickets at an average of 27 in his seven appearances, while Bracken has nine wickets at an average of 29 in his seven games. Gillespie, however, has been the star, with 16 wickets at an average of just under 19 in his seven matches, as he seems to have found the Jason Gillespie of old with his nippy deliveries again finding the edges of the world's best. Gillespie has long been a solid contributor against the Windies, his nine appearances netting himself 13 wickets a 25.76.

West Indian captain Brian Lara holds the key for his side's championship hopes.

The man who needs to perform to give the Windies any chance is the captain himself Brian Lara. This series has seen him bag 431 runs at an average of 54, including a most glorious 140* in the Windies win over the Aussies in the Super 8 stage. Throughout his career, though, he's averaged an uninspiring 38.71 against the Australians in 50 one day appearances. Opener Chris Gayle provides the X-Factor for the West Indies, averaging 41.7 for his 417 runs this tournament. He proved himself in the big match against India in the semi-final, netting 100 runs as he led his side to the World Cup final. Though, in 17 one day matches against the Aussies, Gayle averages just 32.64, a number he'd like to reverse in the final. The West Indian bowlers a largely an unknown quantity against the Aussies, with none of them having played enough cricket against them to provide an insight into how they'll fair. In the Super 8 meeting, it was Dwayne Smith starring with 4-51, snaring Gilchrist, Jaques, Katich and Bracken.

The big games

Of the last two tournaments the two sides have been involved in together, they have both met in the final. Australia was victorious in both the DLF Cup final and the Champions Trophy final, and these experiences can be either an asset of a detriment to the West Indies depending on how they approach it. If the West Indies have lost confidence from their losses to the Aussies, the battle is already half lost, and they must use the experiences as a learning curve in preparing for such a big match. From captain Brian Lara's comments to the media, one would infer they have taken the latter route which is definately the most beneficial for their World Cup hopes.

Record wise, the West Indies have the upper hand with 57 wins in their 113 meetings, as opposed to 52 to Australia. But one can not take much from these stats, Australia are probably at their best since the two sides have played, while the West Indies are no match for the sides that included players such as Viv Richards, Malcolm Marshall and Joel Garner.

Teams West Indies (probable) 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Sherwin Ganga, 3 Brian Lara (capt), 4 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 5 Ramnaresh Sarwan, 6 Ryan Hinds, 7 Carlton Baugh (wk), 8 Dwayne Bravo, 9 Dwayne Smith, 10 Dave Mohammed, 11 Ryan Nurse

Australia (probable) 1 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 2 Philip Jaques, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Clarke, 5 Shaun Marsh, 6 Shane Watson, 7 Mike Hussey, 8 Brett Lee, 9
Jason Gillespie, 10 Nathan Bracken, 11 Dan Cullen.

Anand Vasu is assistant editor of Cricinfo

? Cricinfo

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[plympilgrim]

carn winides, shock the aussies

 

[Jaztheman]

hoping for windies win

 

[The Mongrel]

West Indies v Australia, World Cup Final, Barbados
Watson breaks West Indian hearts as Australia complete hat-trick
The Bulletin by Charlie Austin
May 20, 2007

Australia 284-7 (Jaques 111, Ponting 79, Smith 2-44) beat West Indies 283-7 (Gayle 98, Hinds 75*, Lee 3-57) by one run
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Nerves of steel on behalf of Australian all-rounder Shane Watson has handed Australia a third straight World Cup victory in a one run nailbiter in Barbados. Set 285 for World Cup victory, the West Indies would require ten runs off the last over, falling agonizingly short in the closest World Cup final in history. Following a mature century from Australian opener Phil Jaques, the Windies put in a brave chase in what is the last World Cup match for one of their greatest ever batsmen, Brian Lara.

Australia celebrate their third consecutive World Cup victory.

Earlier, Australia won the toss on a good looking surface which looked set to turn later on. Things couldn't have started worse for the hosts, Adam Gilchrist hitting the first ball of the match from Dwayne Bravo through mid off to set the world champions on their way. However, his stay would be short lived as a sell-out Barbados crowd errupted as Ryan Nurse found his outside edge for just five.

Captain Ricky Ponting was in scintilating touch, as his partner Jaques looked to find his feet in the biggest match of his career, taking eleven off Bravo's second over. The two set about putting on a big 126 run stand, but it was the Australian captain doing most of the work as he punished the West Indian attack on his way to his 62 one day international half century.

Just as the Australians looked set to take the game away from the West Indies, Ponting's brilliant knock came to an end on 79 from just 54 balls as he knicked one into the gloves of Carlton Baugh off Ryan Hinds. As Phil Jaques began to find his feet, moving to his fifth one day fifty, Michael Clarke did not continue where Ponting left off as chinaman Dave Mohammed got through the gate reducing the Aussies to 3-148 off just 23 overs.

The Aussies after their World Cup win.

Shaun Marsh made his way to the crease and was impressive, albeit slow as he and Jaques worked the ball around in the middle overs. The pair put on 83 in 19 overs, before Marsh's pedestrian knock came to an end on 37 as he misread a Mohammed wrongun' and was adjudged leg before by umpire Rudi Koertzen. However, it was all Phil Jaques who brought up his maiden one day century with his eighth four, but his partner Shane Watson wasn't so lucky as he hammered a length delivery from Ryan Hinds straight down Brian Lara's throat at long on.

The ever-energetic Michael Hussey joined Jaques at the wicket, and he set off in style with his trademark cover drive off his first delivery. Three balls later Hussey edged a good length delivery from Smith, but Baugh failed to take the simple chance, much to the dismay of the bowler. However, after Jaques carved his ninth boundary of the innings through backward point, Smith had his first as Jaques hit a hook shot straight up in the air and Baugh this time made no mistake, ending a virtually chanceless Jaques knock on 111.

Brett Lee came and went for four as he gave Ryan Hinds catching practice at deep backward point, but an unbeaten 19 from 'Mr Cricket' Michael Hussey proved costly for the Windies, in a match that would be decided by so little.

In pursuit of 285, Chris Gayle started in the same way Gilchrist did in Australia's innings, cracking a full and wide delivery from Brett Lee through cover to open West Indian scoring. His partner Sherwin Ganga, however, wasn't so adept against Lee's blistering pace, mistiming an almost identical delivery to Michael Clarke at point who, as always, made no mistake.

Lara made his way to the crease and after a sluggish start pounced on two poor Bracken deliveries, putting them away through midwicket. He hit a third boundary off Bracken, this time a glorious late cut to set the West Indian chase along. But after a 59 run stand, mostly dominated by some crisp hitting from Gayle, including two cracking drives off Bracken, Lara tried a big shot too many off the zippy Jason Gillespie, attempting to cut a shorter ball from Gillespie and only succeeding in edging through to Gilchrist.

Chanderpaul looked to put the anchor down as Gayle continued his dismissal of the Australian attack. Despite Chanderpaul's second ball boundary off Gillespie, it was Gayle who continued to embarass Nathan Bracken as he waltzed down the wicket to bring up his fifty with a four, followed up by a cheeky late cut which hit the rope within seconds.

Adam Gilchrist celebrates his catch off Chris Gayle for 98.

As Chanderpaul attempted to lift the pace by hitting three fours in four balls off Shane Watson, a 71 run stand which lasted twelve overs finally came to an end as Shane Watson had Shiv drag one on from wide outside off stump, putting the Windies at 3-149 from 26 overs. Ramnaresh Sarwan attempted to force the issue by coming down the wicket to inexperienced off-spinner Daniel Cullen, but he picked the wrong ball as Cullen found the outside edge which Gilchrist accepted.

In form all rounder Ryan Hinds joined Gayle at the crease, and he hit the first ball he faced from Cullen straight down the ground for four, signalling his intentions immediately. In the ten overs Gayle and Hinds were at the crease, the two put the Windies on par with 53 runs for the partnership. But with the score 4-203 after 37, Chris Gayle fell agonizingly close of a much deserved century as he knicked a turning delivery from Cullen through to Gilchrist.

With 82 runs needed in thirteen overs, Carlton Baugh set about making runs earlier as he threw his bat at fast balls from Lee outside off stump, resulting in two fours behind square on the offside. But his attempts to hit Lee around the park ended at thirteen, as a Brett Lee yorker proved to be more difficult to hit behind square, Baugh's middle stump pegged back.

Needing to make quick runs, Dwayne Bravo looked to mid off as he struck a blow for the Windies, sending Cullen for four, but again it was Brett Lee with the important breakthrough, Bravo falling much the same way as Jaques did for Australia, top edging a hook shot to Gilchrist for just five. With 51 runs needed from forty balls when Dwayne Smith made it to the crease, the Aussies looked comfortable with the Windies holding just three more wickets. But Hinds attempted to reduce the equation as he hoicked Lee to fine leg for four, then hitting two consecutive boundaries off Gillespie to have the crowd buzzing.

But not for Jason Gillespie and Shane Watson's efforts at the death, Australia would have lost the World Cup. Needing just eleven runs from the last three overs, Watson bowled a terrific over to keep the Windies to just one run, while six yorkers from Gillespie saw Smith unable to take a run off his last over. Needing ten off the last over, Watson was hit to point for a four from the first delivery. With the equation reduced to three off two deliveries, Watson beat the bat and then bowled the most important yorker of his career, turned away for a single.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

Charlie Austin is Cricinfo's Sri Lankan correspondent

? Cricinfo

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[The Mongrel]

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[The Mongrel]

Wicket commentary

World Cup - Final: West Indies v Australia at Barbados, May 20, 2007

Scorecard - Commentary - Wickets - Partnerships - Wagon wheels - Player v player - Over comparison - Over graphs - Career averages - Match home - Bulletin - Article index (2) - Photo index (15)

Filtered commentary - All wickets

1.3 Nurse to Gilchrist, OUT, Huge wicket for the Windies! Ball is just short of a length from Nurse, pitching on middle and off, hits the sem and moves away from Gilchrist who fends forward and knicks it to Gayle who takes a good catch low to his right hand side, great start from the Windies and truely great bowling.

AC Gilchrist c Gayle b Nurse 5 (5m 3b 1x4 0x6) SR: 166.66

19.4 Hinds to Ponting, OUT, Much needed wicket there, ball tossed up this time from Hinds, finds some drift in to Ponting who pushes forward, ball turns enough to just kiss the outside edge, Baugh takes it cleanly and the appeal is upheld by umpire Koertzen, Ponting doesn't look happy about it, but does he ever?

RT Ponting c ?Baugh b Hinds 79 (68m 54b 11x4 0x6) SR: 146.20

22.4 Mohammed to Clarke, OUT, Done him! Game on! Beaty of a ball from Dave, absolute corker, tosses it up outside off stump, ball drifts away from Clarke causing him to throw the bat at the ball which turns in and takes off stump, uncharacteristically little foot movement from Clarke but it really was great bowling.

MJ Clarke b Mohammed 9 (10m 14b 2x4 0x6) SR: 64.28

41.4 Mohammed into Marsh, OUT, Well you don't get much more plumb than that, fall pitches outside off stump, Marsh plonks his back foot in front off off stump and attempts to cut it, completely misreads the wrongun' which turns in sharply and hits him right in front of off stump, Koertzen gives Marsh out, but he's already half way back to the pavlillion without even waiting for the decision.

SE Marsh lbw b Mohammed 37 (71m 66b 3x4 0x6) SR: 56.05

44.1 Hinds to Watson, OUT, He's hit that one well, hasn't he? Ball wide of off stump, Watson gets down on a knee and reaches for it and creams it to mid on, ball would have gone for six any other part of the ground but Lara is out there and doesn't move as he takes a rather smart catch, probably too wide to play that shot, and it puts the Aussies in a tough situation.

SR Watson c Lara b Hinds 9 (9m 10b 0x4 0x6) SR: 90.00

47.1 Smith to Jaques, OUT, There's the big one, Smith drops one short and gets some steepling bounce into Jaques who attempts to hook it well into the stands but only succeeds in top-edging it, Baugh waits under it forever and takes this one quite easily, end of a really good innings.

PA Jaques c ?Baugh b Smith 111 (175m 137b 9x4 0x6) 81.01

49.2 Smith to Lee, OUT, Another case of middling one straight down a fieldsman's throat, short and wide from Smith, Lee leans back and creams it, ball flies to deep backward point and Hinds takes it chest height, and much like Lara didn't have to move.

B Lee c Hinds b Smith 4 (7m 5b 0x4 0x6) SR: 80.00

2.5 Lee to Ganga, OUT, Soft dismissal, same delivery as the one Gayle murdered for four, fired in at 151.3 km/h outside off stump, Ganga throws the bat at it and gets a leading edge which flies to the right of Clarke who takes a very good catch, Jonty didn't drop them, neither does Clarke.

S Ganga c Clarke b Lee 4 (11m 10b 0x4 0x6) SR: 40.00

12.3 Gillespie to Lara, OUT, Not this time Brian! Shorter from Gillespie, Lara tries to give himself some room and force it through point but he simply can't get enough of it, the ball flies off the top edge, and luckily for Dizzy there is a man standing at 6'2" behind the stumps who takes a comfortable catch, disappointing end to the final World Cup knock in Lara's career.

BC Lara c ?Gilchrist b Gillespie 28 (38m 30b 4x4 0x6) SR: 93.31

25.5 Watson to Chanderpaul, OUT, The change to around the wicket works immediately! Watson pitches this one shorter outside off stump to Chanderpaul who moves back to drive off the back foot, ball nips in a fraction and strikes the inside edge which angles the ball straight into the base of off stump, have to be playing straighter than that, Shiv!

S Chanderpaul b Watson 24 (54m 50b 4x4 0x6) SR: 48.00

26.4 Cullen to Sarwan, OUT, The right idea but poor execution, Cullen darts one in a Sarwan who looks to come down the wicket, Sarwan tries at the last moment to defend, but the armball from Cullen works very well and kisses the outside edge, big shout from behind and umpire Bucknor gives it out, not too much complaint from Sarwan.

RR Sarwan c ?Gilchrist b Cullen 1 (2m 5b 0x4 0x6) SR: 20.00

36.4 Cullen to Gayle, OUT, Oh dear! Beautiful delivery from Cullen who tosses it up to Gayle on off stump, Gayle decides to respect it and defend, but the ball turns sharply and produces a genuine edge, Gilchrist takes it cleanly and Gayle walks for 98, devastating end to a brilliant innings from the big man.

CH Gayle c ?Gilchrist b Cullen 98 (144m 97b 13x4 0x6) SR: 101.00

41.2 Lee to Baugh, OUT, Not this time Carlton, quite a daft shot, great comeback from Lee, 146.5 km/h yorker on middle stump, Baugh gives himself room to try and force another one behind square, but its a case of you miss and I hit as middle stump gets some readjusting.

CS Baugh b Lee 13 (17m 12b 2x4 0x6) SR: 108.30

43.2 Lee to Bravo, OUT, That could be the World Cup for the Aussies! Tame ending from Bravo who gets a good short one from Lee, Bravo tries to force it down to fine leg for four but top edges it and departs in much the same that Jaques did, Gilchrist has been quite brilliant behind the stumps today, and he was never going to drop that.

DJJ Bravo c ?Gilchrist b Lee 5 (7m 7b 1x4 0x6) SR: 71.41

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[The Mongrel]

TOP FIFTY RUN SCORERS (TOURNAMENT)

TOP THIRTY WICKET TAKERS (TOURNAMENT)

These stats don't include any 'minnow' nations.

 

[The Mongrel]

2007 WORLD CUP - DREAM TEAM

2007 WORLD CUP - EMERGING PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT
Singakutti Indrasiri (Sri Lanka)

2007 WORLD CUP - PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT
Younis Khan (Pakistan)

And thus concludes the 2007 World Cup diary, hopefully the Aussies can replicate this form into a third straight World Cup win!

 

[Skater]

You really haven't got enough credit for this story. It's brilliant!

 

[kookaburra69]

great story mate,1 of the best

 

[Roofrom50]

I havent seen this story around before. This is brilliant, just read through the whole thing then. Abosolutely brilliant :happy

 

[icyman]

Brilliant,and its easy to go through the entire thing at ease too !

 

[The Mongrel]

Just a question, I was wondering for a next story if anyone had suggestions for it?

I was thinking one for the 2009 Ashes Tour in England, but I'm open to other suggestions.

 

[Left_Hander]

If it is the same as this then I am sure I wono't matter. This was really good.