Australia’s ‘perfect’ summer is just one win away and despite attempts by West Indies players to convince everyone, including themselves, that they are in with a chance in the final match of their disastrous tour Down Under, no one believes them.
The record books show Australia has not lost a match in the 18 played this summer although they did draw the second Test with the West Indies while rain washed out the Sydney one-dayer. That stat in itself is enough of a reason not to believe captain Chris Gayle and company.
The bookmakers haven’t listened and the cricket lines point to an Australian victory (-300) while the West Indies are outsiders at +220.A lot of the Aussie success this summer though has been through undermanned opponents as opposed to their own invincibility.
The Pakistan team they routed eight-nil was far from the best they have put on a cricket field in the past couple of years and the West Indies’ enigma built on half-heartedness towards anything but limited overs cricket and Twenty20 continues to grow.
They too were without their best players, captain Chris Gayle the most capped member of a team that despite offering glimpses of old-school West Indies batting brutality was dominated by bouts of lethargic stroke play resulting in repeated batting collapses.
Now into their favoured form of the game, many predicted the young Windies to at least put up more of a fight against Australia in the first Twenty20 international played in Hobart. What we got was more of the same. A tidy bowling effort followed by a disastrous showing order from the top order, a middle order debacle that led to a late lower order fight back and a 38-run victory to Australia.
After Australia posted an uneventful 179 thanks in part to a solid 83-run opening partnership between David Warner (49) and Shane Watson (37) and a late order blitzkrieg from wicketkeeper Brad Haddin (37no off 16 balls), the West Indies faltered yet again.
Shaun Tait was again the destroyer for Australia, his third ball sent Gayle ( 5) back to the pavilion, his fourth ball had Narsingh Deonarine (0) following close behind and when he had the IPL’s most expense buy, Keiron Pollard (12) gone in his second over for figures of 3/14 off two, the game was over. Tait finished the game with 3/30 off four overs.
The West Indies tried opening with spin, something that isn’t new in this format but it is one that more and more teams flick to if they fear an opener will tee up on the quicks, such as Australia’s David Warner.
Rest assured you will see spinners taking the new ball in the upcoming IPL tournament a lot more than in years past as teams begin to work out their own winning formula to Twenty20 cricket.
Taking pace off the ball is crucial against the Aussie openers and even though it didn’t quite go to plan last time, it is something that will yield dividends against Warner who has a habit of swinging too hard through the ball and lifting his head. Much like a hack golfer, once his head is in the air, the only result is an air swing and in Warner’s case, a wicket.Once he has a few sighters though, the Windies will have to bring on the quicks and get them to alternate pace and line. Their length needs to be full however, anything short will be dispatched through mid wicket and cover.
For Australia, all eyes will again be on Tait who now moves into Twenty20 World Cup contention, his aggression is considered a must have while Dirk Nannes’ clever change of pace and great line and length make these two the perfect opening bowling combination.
Sydney fans will be hoping to see more of hometown leg spinner and all rounder Steven Smith while West Indies will be looking to Pollard to prove his worth and for Gayle to score some runs.
After topping the averages in the Frank Worrell Test Series with 346 runs at an average of 69.20 including a brilliant 165 not out, Gayle floundered in the one-day series scoring 55 runs in five outings at a paltry average of 13.75.
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