Story India's Journey To World Cup 2011 [Commonwealth Bank Series 2010]

[Varun]

Yeh in the line-ups i guess? A typo that is.

No, almost everywhere.

 

[Aditya]

No mate have a look at it again,its Zealand everywhere.

 

[Gaurav_7]

This is India's journey right? So why do Australia and NewZealand come in here?

 

[Aditya]

As i posted few days ago. With just one year left before the world cup i will be posting other teams matches as well. So when the main world cup starts members can know which team is the favorite one to win the world cup. It will take time but i am enjoying it,so all well.

 

[Gaurav_7]

So why you have to do all that? I mean if you want to do other series' as well then just post the match results. By that we'll know which team is going good. Otherwise this seems just a mix-up. For a moment, I was wondering which is this story.

 

[Aditya]

Ha Ha mix up. I am posting full update because this is t20 as soon as one day's and test matches start i will start posting cricinfo style scorecard.

 

[Varun]

This is India's journey right? So why do Australia and NewZealand come in here?

IMO, the main aim of NZ and Aus series here is to show that other tours are also going on besides India. That makes this more realistic, doesn't it, Adi?

 

[AkshayS]

140-180.
Daniel Vettori.

 

[Aussie Team]

Is it of Cricket 2005???
But firstly it was Cricket 2007...

 

[surendar]

Since the story line is based on Indian team, I would suggest you to show other matches as reports stuff. Every update needs lot of time & efforts and if it is spent in other matches, then the main matches might have some deviation.

Not that it's wrong, but it's just a word spread out to ease up the efforts a bit.

 

[Aditya]

Since the story line is based on Indian team, I would suggest you to show other matches as reports stuff. Every update needs lot of time & efforts and if it is spent in other matches, then the main matches might have some deviation.

Not that it's wrong, but it's just a word spread out to ease up the efforts a bit.

Yeh mate,as majority of the members are saying that i should just post report stuff so i have decided to post just cricinfo style scorecard after the first t20 match.

 

[Aditya]

Australia in New Zeland
1st t20 match
at Auckland Cricket Stadium​

Welcome our viewers to sky sports studio's for the first t20 match between New Zealand and Australia. It would be an awesome match that's sure,i have with me in the studio's Craig Mcmillian.

So Craig what are your thoughts about today's match?

As you said Simon it would be a great match surely. Australia have been performing very well but on other hand New Zealand have got their main players back from ICL like Tuffey,Bond and others. Chapple Hadlee trophy is always great to watch,last time when it was played i was in New Zealand side but now the situations is different. Hoping for a good performance from New Zealand side.

Yeh,That's true plus New Zealand side had Chris Cairns as well so this time the situation is completely different. Now lets talk about today's match.

Before we go any further Chris Harris is down the strayer's with a player from New Zealand side.

Right Simon,I have with me important batsmen from New Zealand side none other than Brendon McCullum.

So Brendon ready for today's match. You are a main batsmen from New Zealand side and a big innings from you is certainly hoped by every New Zealand cricket fan.

Yes mate i have to make some runs today. If we want to to beat Australia we will need to give our more than 100 percent then only we can win or else we have no chance to win against Australia.

That's true. You had a look at the pitch your thoughts about it.

Yes i just had a look at the pitch and its a batting paradise. A score around 180 to 190 will be good at this pitch. Pitch wont change much till the end of the match so if we bat second we wont loose hopes of winning.

OK mate,Thanks for talking to us and best of luck for the match.

Thanks mate,Cheers!!!

Back to the studio's.

Thanks for the interview Chris. Now its time to head away to Jeremy Coney for the pitch report and then Chris Harris again for the all important toss.

Pitch Report​

I just had a look at the surface and its a great one. Its hard and dry as well. Bit of grass for the bowlers. Any score of around 180 to 200 would be good on this surface. Overhead conditions are good and no chance of rain today so we will have full 20 overs. Batsmen like Shane Watson can be handy on this surface,some big sixes could be expected today.. Brendon McCullum will be a key player on this surface. So whoever bats first will have to take this in his mind that his team needs to score around 180. Now its time to head away to Chris Harris for the important toss.

Toss with Chris Harris​

Auckland are you ready for this crucial match???

Crowd Response : Yeah!!!! We are!!!!! Common ROCK N ROLL!!!! :banana2

Much to the delight! I have with me men who matter Michael Clarke,Australian team captain and Daniel Vettori New Zealand team captain.

Vettori has the coin,he will toss it in the air...Michael Clarke to call and he calls tails.... and it is tails...

So Michael what would you like to do on this surface batting or bowling???

We would bat first Chris. This surface looks to me a great surface for batting.

What sort of total have you guys planned in team meeting???

Any score of around 180 would be good on this surface. If Brendon McCullum gets going for New Zealand 180 will turn into a very low score.

Ha Ha,Yeh! Indeed true. Best of luck for the match mate.

Thanks a lot!

Now its time to have few words with New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori.

So Vettori what would have you done if you would have won the toss?

We would have bowled only Chris. We don't think this pitch will change much till the end of the match so if we possibly restrict Australia to a score of 150 to 160 then we can win this match.

Yeh,Are all the players in your team fit? This is a main series and you will need all your main players to perform.

Yes,All of them are fit enough to play... That's the main reason we think we can win this match.

OK mate and best of luck for the match.

Thanks,Cheers!

Back to the studio's.

Thanks for the pitch report Jeremy and Chris for the toss. Interesting Australia batting first tough task for New Zealand Mcmillian?

Indeed tough Simon. They will need to restrict them to a total of 140 to 150 or else it will be tough for them to win.

Now lets have a look at the line-ups of the both teams.

Your thoughts on the line-ups Mcmillian.

Both the side look strong. New Zealand have got back some brilliant players. Like How who has been performing sensationally well in the domestic circuit,Bond has been bowling very well,Redmond again in brilliant forum so overall impressed with New Zealand side there. Australia as usual are looking strong. Top order is looking really strong as is middle order. They have got some very good bowlers,oh my god! I are sure that we are going to have a cracking of a match...

That's true. Now lets have a look at match conditions.

Sunny day ideal time for a cricket match. Hard pitch great for batting,Cool weather so a ideal day for cricket. Its Sunday and we will have lot of people coming to stadium to see the match. Its all getting ready for a cracking of a contest. We are heading away now for a short break after the break Australian innings starts. But before that we are running few contests Predict and Win!

Predict and Win​

Its too easy to participate guess which team will win and the winners members who will guess right team will win 3,00 vcash price respectively.

Guess the score first batting team will win​

Your options are:-
1. 80 to 120
2. 120 to 140
3. 140 to 160
4. 180+

winner will get 3,000 vcash price​

Guess the Man of the match contest​

Guess any player from the playing XI who you think will be man of the match. Winner will win 3,00 vcash price. Now its time for a break and then Australian innings will start.

To Be Continued​

Australian openers,New Zeland team and two on-field umpires came to the filed to start off the proceedings. Bond was given the new ball and on the strike was David Warner. He took single off the very first bowl and gave strike to Watson. Then Watson defended one ball and on the next ball gave strike back to Warner. Warner defended one ball and took 2 runs of the next ball and then defended the last ball of the over. So Australians managed 4 runs of the first over. But the next over resulted to be a horrible one for Australia. The very first bowl of the next over resulted in the wicket of their main batsmen Watson. Watson tried to sweep the ball but got thick edge on the ball and the fielder Jamie How took the catch. Michael Clarke Australian captain was the next batsmen and he took single of the very first ball he faced. On the next bowl Australia lost one more wicket of their one of the best striking batsmen in the team David Warner. Warner thought that pressure is building and a boundary would be good so he went on front foot and was ready to play the stroke before the bowl was bowled,Tuffey knew that Warner is ready for a big stroke and suddenly changed the pace of the bowl and slowed it very much. Warner got confused and tried to smash the ball but because ball had no pace ball went in the air and fielder took the catch. Australia were in deep deep trouble.

So now the batsmen in the middle were Michael Clarke and Cameron White. Michael Clarke took most of the strike but he was not able to hit boundaries. He was taking singles but the pressure was building. Vettori was changing the bowling very cleverly. Overs were ending but boundaries were not coming. Cameron White was even taking singles,When the 8th over started Michael Clarke decided that now its time to either hit boundaries or get out. So he started hitting big strokes. He continued this in 9th over as well. Vettori knew that if Michael Clarke gets going Australia will be able to make a big score. So he introduced himself into the bowling attack and got Michael Clarke wicket. Clarke decided that he wont stop so he tried to sweep Vettori's spell first bowl but got a slight edge on the ball and it went in the air it had so much power that it was very close to reach the boundary but the fielder there did well and took the catch. Michael Clarke got out for 24.

Next batsmen was Mike Hussey. He decided to play big strokes as well. After Cameron White saw that everyone is playing big strokes he too started playing big strokes. Mainly the tactics from Australians was to improve the run rate and it was happening. Australia were suddenly looking good there run rate was improving. Vettori suddenly had worried expressions on his face. Specially when Cameron White was on strike. When Cameron White was on 44 Daniel Vettori was bowling,Cameron White went on front foot and smashed Vettori out of the park for a six and reached his fifty.

Cameron White raises his bat after reaching to his fifty​

Vettori knew that his team needs a wicket and introduced Tuffey back into the bowling attack. David Hussey even had the intentions of playing big strokes but he took singles as well. Just few overs were left and Cameron White reached his fifty so he decided that now its time to hit as many boundaries as possible. He was looking very dangerous most of his strokes were on straight which is very tough. David Hussey on other hand after hitting few boundaries went to the pavilion.

Brad Haddin smashed a boundary and went to the pavilion as well in the next. So then it was last over of Australian innings. Cameron White smashed six of the very first ball of the last over. But after that he took a single tried to come back for the double but was not able to. Johnson wasted few balls and got out. Brett Lee played reverse sweep of his very first ball and now it was last ball of the Australian innings. Brett Lee played it on straight but fielder was their. Cameron White took off for the single but got run out on the striking end. But he did his job,he was successful in his job to take Australia's score to a respective position.

Australia batting card

New Zealand bowling card

Australian innings Worm

Australian innings fall of wickets

Sensational batting from Cameron White helped Australia to reach to a respective total. Shane Bond bowled very well for New Zealand but was wicket less. Now the question is can New Zealand chase this target? Let's see.

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So the New Zealand chase started. What a start it was for both the sides. Brendon McCullum New Zealand opener smashed four of his very first bowl then defended one ball and on the third bowl got out. Woof! Would have been the first word from the Australian team captain Michael Clarke after McCullum dismissal because McCullum is perhaps the best t20 batsmen the the New Zealand side currently. As we know if he gets going then a target of even 200 is small in front of New Zealand. Pressure was now certainly on New Zealand loosing McCullum so early was a worst possible start for them,New Zealand...

So after McCullum wicket the next batsmen was Styris the experienced man. He took most of the strike because his experience was the key if New Zealand wanted to win. Styris started off in a very positive way. Intension's were clear from Styris,he was smashing the ball all around the park because New Zealand needed some quick runs. Michael Clarke had worried expressions on his face. Styris was smashing his bowlers and he was not able to do anything.

As soon as it was going well for New Zealand, they lost one more wicket of their other opener Aaron Redmond. Redmond got out for just 5. Redmond tried to smash the ball on straight but didn't timed it at all and got bowled. Next batsmen was none other than Ross Taylor. He could also be said the best t20 batsmen in New Zealand side because of his consistency. Ross Taylor supported Scott Styris very well and even he himself started smashing boundaries.

When it seemed that Styris is well set for a big innings. He lost his wicket. Styris tried to smash the ball on off side but it went very high in the air and fielder there took the catch easily. Next batsmen was Hopkins. New Zealand innings was balanced well,they just needed someone to hit few quick runs and Hopkings and Taylor did that for them. Specially Taylor,He smashed few big strokes he was the key man now in the innings...

Hopkins got out for a fine score of 21. He played slow because he needed to support Ross Taylor and he did that very well. Martin Guptill was the next batsmen and guess what he too thought that now man its time for some big strokes. Ross Taylor now knew that its just the matter of time till New Zealand wins so lets now have a go at some big strokes and soon he reached his fifty.

Ross Taylor raises his bat after reaching to his fifty

So with just few runs wanted Guptill and Taylor smashed some boundaries. It was absolute treat to watch Ross Taylor batting. He was looking at his very best throughout the innings. He smashed the ball all around the park,leg side,off side and straight. With just 4 runs needed Guptill smashed a four and New Zealand won the match. Most people expected Australia to win but New Zealand had some other plans. A great win for New Zealand in the end.

Member who guessed the winner right is,Riz7Khan he wins 3,000 vcash price.

Member who guessed the score first batting team will make correctly is SachinGr8(Akshay) he too gets 3,000 vcash price.

Congrats to the winners.

Man of the match : Cameron White for his well made 83​

New Zealand's worm​

New Zealand's SKYSCRAPER​

New Zealand's batting card​

Australia's bowling card​

 

[Aussie Team]

Poor batting by Aussie's...
I even thinking about 170 or 180,But its 152...
And White was the man how to the game away.....

 

[AkshayS]

Oh I'm right.
The target is in 140-180.
Got some vcash I think.

 

[Aditya]

@Akshay- Yeah,I will send you your vcash after the match gets complete.