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Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting holds the ICC Champions Trophy 2006 as he poses with his teammates at The Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on 05 November 2006. Australia defeated West Indies by 8 wickets to win their maiden Champions Trophy. (AP Photo)MUMBAI, Nov 5: First, there was a Gayle-storm; then, a thunderstorm. In between, there was a deluge of wickets too and West Indies walked into a watery grave with their eyes wide shut.
For more than two hours after that, the skies growled angrily overhead and intermittent showers entertained a half-empty (or half-packed) stadium. Eventually the fickle Mumbai clouds yielded and Australia resumed the march towards their maiden Champions Trophy triumph.
Set to overhaul a tiny total of 138, they lost two early wickets as Brian Lara attacked desperately. But Shane Watson and Damien Martyn rallied through to post 45 for two after 10 overs.
The dinner couldn't have been appetising for either teams; but the forced break made the revised target easier for Australia: just 116 in a maximum of 35 overs.
Watson (56) and Martyn (48) needed only 28.1 overs to complete the kill. Watson was declared the Man of the Match, for his two wicket earlier too, while Chris Gayle picked up the Man of the Tournament award.
Lara shuffled his bowlers furiously but the damage had long been done. West Indies had scored far too less; they had fallen apart far too early. In the beginning, though, they were really eager and hungry.
They won the toss and pounced on the Aussie bowlers like they hadn't eaten for a few weeks. Cricket was at its best for the first few overs; for the purists, though, it could have been cricket at its worst.
With their ungainly, open stances and high club-like backlifts, Chris Gayle (37) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (27) looked more like butchers than batsmen. They swished their willows like sea pirates, swatting away everything in their way.
Chanderpaul raised the stakes in the first over itself, with a delicate cut and an unintended edge. Two overs later, he disdainfully swiped the ball and it whizzed past Brett Lee's face.
A yard slower and Lee would have probably caught it; but an inch further to the right, and it would have smashed his face. Lee sat there on his backside, stunned.
Two deliveries later, Chanderpaul stepped forward, right and across, and hoicked: the ball skidded off the thick edge and sailed over third man for six. It was the cue for Gayle to join the party.
He first hit Bracken through covers, then rose on his toes to drive past Lee. He looked nice and subtle, to start with; but then, without warning, he too cut loose. West Indies were 49 for no loss in just five overs.
Australia had lost the initial skirmish; but then, they rarely give in easily. Chanderpaul promptly dragged the next ball on to his stumps. That was the first sign of danger, the imminent fall.
Ponting summoned McGrath as Lee moved from unimpressive to expensive. The real fun was just about to begin. He bowled a few uneventful deliveries. But Gayle powerfully punched the last one over long on.
The message was out: thou shall not impose. Next over, he followed it up with a contemptuous pull-six. Another short one and he helped it disappear past mid-wicket.
A fuller delivery followed; Gayle calmly leaned forward and caressed it through covers. McGrath was getting the pasting of his life. But then disaster struck. Bravo tapped the ball and watched it trickle down to point; Gayle, however, was thundering down the pitch for a suicidal run.
Hogg missed the stumps; Gayle escaped. But the damage had been done: the concentration had burst. Next ball: clean bowled. West Indies were 80 for three (all three falling to a brilliant Bracken) in just 9.4 overs; but the mayhem was over.
It was now up to Lara to nurse the middle overs. But McGrath, after conceding 22 in two overs, began his usual spell of maidens. Australia then moved in for the kill. The procession began. The West Indians came, saw and got conquered. The Calypsos had collapsoed again.
courtesy: India Times
For more than two hours after that, the skies growled angrily overhead and intermittent showers entertained a half-empty (or half-packed) stadium. Eventually the fickle Mumbai clouds yielded and Australia resumed the march towards their maiden Champions Trophy triumph.
Set to overhaul a tiny total of 138, they lost two early wickets as Brian Lara attacked desperately. But Shane Watson and Damien Martyn rallied through to post 45 for two after 10 overs.
The dinner couldn't have been appetising for either teams; but the forced break made the revised target easier for Australia: just 116 in a maximum of 35 overs.
Watson (56) and Martyn (48) needed only 28.1 overs to complete the kill. Watson was declared the Man of the Match, for his two wicket earlier too, while Chris Gayle picked up the Man of the Tournament award.
Lara shuffled his bowlers furiously but the damage had long been done. West Indies had scored far too less; they had fallen apart far too early. In the beginning, though, they were really eager and hungry.
They won the toss and pounced on the Aussie bowlers like they hadn't eaten for a few weeks. Cricket was at its best for the first few overs; for the purists, though, it could have been cricket at its worst.
With their ungainly, open stances and high club-like backlifts, Chris Gayle (37) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (27) looked more like butchers than batsmen. They swished their willows like sea pirates, swatting away everything in their way.
Chanderpaul raised the stakes in the first over itself, with a delicate cut and an unintended edge. Two overs later, he disdainfully swiped the ball and it whizzed past Brett Lee's face.
A yard slower and Lee would have probably caught it; but an inch further to the right, and it would have smashed his face. Lee sat there on his backside, stunned.
Two deliveries later, Chanderpaul stepped forward, right and across, and hoicked: the ball skidded off the thick edge and sailed over third man for six. It was the cue for Gayle to join the party.
He first hit Bracken through covers, then rose on his toes to drive past Lee. He looked nice and subtle, to start with; but then, without warning, he too cut loose. West Indies were 49 for no loss in just five overs.
Australia had lost the initial skirmish; but then, they rarely give in easily. Chanderpaul promptly dragged the next ball on to his stumps. That was the first sign of danger, the imminent fall.
Ponting summoned McGrath as Lee moved from unimpressive to expensive. The real fun was just about to begin. He bowled a few uneventful deliveries. But Gayle powerfully punched the last one over long on.
The message was out: thou shall not impose. Next over, he followed it up with a contemptuous pull-six. Another short one and he helped it disappear past mid-wicket.
A fuller delivery followed; Gayle calmly leaned forward and caressed it through covers. McGrath was getting the pasting of his life. But then disaster struck. Bravo tapped the ball and watched it trickle down to point; Gayle, however, was thundering down the pitch for a suicidal run.
Hogg missed the stumps; Gayle escaped. But the damage had been done: the concentration had burst. Next ball: clean bowled. West Indies were 80 for three (all three falling to a brilliant Bracken) in just 9.4 overs; but the mayhem was over.
It was now up to Lara to nurse the middle overs. But McGrath, after conceding 22 in two overs, began his usual spell of maidens. Australia then moved in for the kill. The procession began. The West Indians came, saw and got conquered. The Calypsos had collapsoed again.
courtesy: India Times
