Story The Natwest Pentangular 2005 -- Begins April 24th

[aditya123]

India V Australia, Live From Lords , London

INDIA V AUSTRALIA LIVE FROM LORDS,LONDON
THE NATWEST PENTANGULAR 2005 FINALS

May 31, 2005 , Lords ,London :
After 35 days and 20 action packed cricket games , the world cup finalists have qualified for the finals of the Natwest Pentangular 2005 . India started off superbly but were a little lackluster towards the end of the league stages while the Australians were the complete opposite . The 2 teams meet yet again in a cup final and this time the venue is Lords,London at The Home Of Cricket . The last time India featured in a final at Lords, there were 652 runs scored and shirts waved in the visitors dressing room . Who would forget that day ? Can India repeat that performance ? The Aussies too have won the last two finals played at Lords . So its all set up for a fitting finale to this great series .

Can the Kangaroos be stopped from hopping away with the trophy by the tigers from Asia ?

Catch all the action as it unfolds on Planetcricket !

 

[MWaugh]

go the "kangaroos" haha. good build up to the thread aditya. hopefully the match lives up to the hype youve built

 

[MWaugh]

Hey, why did you rain off the West Indies-India ODI?

perhaps to ensure that india made it to the finals

may be to bring in the realism of a rained match!!!!

if that was the case i would say the whole competition would have been washed out... it is in england sai hahaha

 

[aditya123]

The Pitch Report and The Toss

---------------------Pitch Report------------------------------------------------------
Ian Botham :
Welcome to Lords for the finals of the Natwest Pentangular 2005 . Its been a magnificent series and I hope we have a final befitting it !
As we have been used to seeing in cup finals at Lords, it is a sunny day without a hint of a cloud !
Now a Look at the Pitch .
It looks a beauty . It would be full of runs, even bounce, nice movement and carry and the ball will come on to the bat enabling strokeplay ! We can hope for some superb batting from both sides . Sehwag will be back for today`s game and I say there is no better pitch to come back to form ! Its a pitch where the toss would not matter .

-----------------------------------------TOSS---------------------------------------------------------------------

Mike Holding : I have the 2 capatains with me and the Match Ref. Its Ganguly to call . He calls heads and tails it is !
Ricky , what have you decided to do ?
Ponting : We`ll have a bat . Looks a good pitch . If we can post a big total, we can put them under pressure .
Holding : Any changes to the side?
Ponting : No , we are playing the same side which faced India in the 20-20 at Southampton .
Holding : All the Best , Ricky .
Sourav, back as captain and you lose the toss yet again !
Sourav : yes,Mike ! I seem to be cursed . I feel this wicket should be the same for all the 100 overs and hence the toss need not be a factor here at Lords and it has never been . Most of the guys in the side have played at Lords and its good that they would not be overwhelmed by the occassion . We`ll play hard and we are ready for the challenge .
Holding : Any changes to the side, Sourav ?
Sourav : Yes ! Sehwag is back in place of VVS Laxman .
Holding : Will Sehwag open ?
Sourav : No, He`ll bat at No.3 . The team management thought that it would be better if he bats in the middle order today and hence I`ll open with Sachin .
Holding : All the best ,Sourav .
The news out from the centre is `Australia have won the toss and decided to have a bat .`

 

[gold639]

I'm looking forward to this final.

Come on Australia!

 

[gamerkid22]

Come on India

 

[aditya123]

Australia bring back memories of WC 2003 Finals

Australia race to 183/2 after 26 overs ! Hayden not out on 76 : Ponting scores rapid 49 !
On 23 March 2003, a bunch of young hopeful Indian players took the field on Wanderers , Jo`burg only for their hopes to be smashed by a team which looked nothing but invincible . On 31st May 2005 , two years hence , there seems to be a repeat of that final which many Indians would like to forget . If it was Z.Khan and J.Srinath at Jo`burg , it is I.Pathan and L.Balaji at Lords who have ben taken to the cleaners in their first spells . Australia began in fabulous manner smashing boundaries off the young bowlers . Irfan came back well to dismiss Gilchrist for 20 and revive Indian hopes only to be smashed again by R.Ponting who made a quickfire run a ball 49 before being dismissed by Harbhajan Singh .Matty Hayden was going strong at the other end . He is not out on 76 .
India need wickets in bunches to come back into this contest or else this will be a sad reminder of a final played 2 years ago in the continent of Africa !

Score Update :
Australia 183/2 after 26 overs
Hayden 76*
Martyn 11*
Ponting 49

 

[aditya123]

Hayden`s knock

Mattew Hayden Played strokes to all corners of lords and sent the Indians on a leather hunt .

 

[Ramz]

oh my god!! indian are getting creamed its likely to be a 300+ score.. cmon India

 

[jazz]

hayden is continues with his good form.

great match

 

[The Champ]

ya will this resemble another Wanderers debacle oh God save my country, need some wkts

 

[SaiSrini]

Nothing to worry. I have faith in India (aditya)'s batting.. we are still in the game though Aussies have a slight advantage!

 

[aditya123]

Clarke Powers Australia to 331 after 50 overs

AUSTRALIA END UP WITH 331 ; Clarke Scores a half century ,Hayden scores 85

After the end of 25 overs, many Indian fans would have predicted another 350+ target but the Indian bowling did well to restrict the score to less than 350 . A few good overs meant that the Aussie total was restricted to 331 which would be a consolation in itself for many Indian fans and which would ignite hopes of an Indian win . They chased a similar target in 2002 and won but against a weaker bowling attack . Would they be able to do it against the likes of Lee,Mcgrath and Gillespie is another question to be asked ?
For the aussies, Hayden was unfortunately run out for 85 missing a hundred . Michel Clarke made a steady fifty to ensure that the Aussies did not end up losing too many wickets .

INDIA NEED 332 Runs From 50 Overs

 

[aditya123]

Clarke`s Innings

A look at Michael Clarke

 

[jazz]

massive score by the aussies