The West Indies are determined to cash in on their winning streak and retain the Champions Trophy when they clash with favorites Australia today.
"It's nice to be playing the world champions in the final. We look forward to the challenge and back ourselves to win," said Windies captain Brian Lara ahead of the title clash under lights at the Brabourne Stadium.
Lara's defending champions, ranked eighth in the world, stunned the rest of the cricket world by coming through the qualifying rounds to make the final of the biennial tournament with five wins from seven matches.
PHOTO: AFP
One of the those wins was against Australia in the league stage at the same venue on Oct. 18, when fast bowler Jerome Taylor became the first West Indian to take a limited-overs hat-trick in a sensational finish.
The West Indians, restricted to 234-6, bowled out the mighty Australians for 224 on a dusty wicket with Taylor picking up the last three wickets in three deliveries.
The wicket for today's final promises to be more batsmen-friendly, setting the stage for a rousing contest that should fill the stands despite hosts India being knocked out early.
Australia, the undisputed leaders in both forms of the game who won the last two World Cups in 1999 and 2003, hope to make their first-ever appearance in the Champions Trophy final a memorable one.
"This is one trophy missing from our cupboard and we are obviously keen to take it home," said captain Ricky Ponting, whose side won three straight matches after the defeat to the West Indies. "The momentum we have gained in the tournament gives us the confidence to win the final."
Lara conceded Australia will not be beaten easily even though the West Indies share a 2-2 record in their last four games against the world champions.
"I am sure the Aussies are very, very buoyed and confident of their chances on Sunday," he said. "We have to realize that we are going to play a completely different opposition to the one we played against in the league match."
"In that game, Australia were playing their first match on that pitch and so we had a sort of an advantage. But now we must go back to basics and plan carefully," he added.
Lara said the West Indian resurgence bodes well for the World Cup the Caribbean nations will be hosting in March next year.
"We are building up momentum, and the guys are believing in themselves, believing in the plans and executing it well," he said. "These are going to be exciting times ahead for us."
The West Indians will once again bank on brilliant opener Chris Gayle to continue his good form that has given the left-hander three centuries in the tournament, including an unbeaten 133 against South Africa in the semi-final on Thursday.
Gayle remains the front-runner for the man of the tournament award with the leading aggregate of 437 runs from seven matches at an average of 87.40.
"I am almost sure that Chris will not want to leave the center stage to anyone in the final," Lara said. "He has always been a top player -- with the bat, with the ball and in the field."
Fiery Australian fast bowler Brett Lee, whose contest with Gayle could be one of the highlights of the final, said he was raring to go.
"A lot has been said about Australia's track record in the Champions Trophy," Lee said. "So this time we are really determined to make a mark. The earlier loss to the West Indies was a wake-up call for us. Now we are ready to take them on again."
World No. 1 Tai Tzu-ying yesterday eased past her Thai opponent to advance to the second round of the Toyota Thailand Open. The Taiwanese star toppled world No. 46 Supanida Katethong 21-16, 21-11 in 29 minutes at the Impact Arena in Bangkok. “I think I played OK today. I am feeling a little better than last week,” Tai said. Tomorrow, Tai faces Indonesia’s Gregoria Mariska Tunjung. The two have faced each other six times, with Tai beating the world No. 21 in all six matches. Tai on Sunday reached the final of the Yonex Thailand Open before losing decisively against Carolina Marin of Spain.
LOOKING TO REPEAT: World No. 7 Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin advanced to the round-of-16 at the Toyota Thailand Open, after winning the Yonex Thailand Open on Sunday Taiwan’s world No. 7 duo yesterday eased past the US’ world No. 37 pairing at the Toyota Thailand Open to reach the round-of-16 in Bangkok. Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin beat Phillip Chew and Ryan Chew 21-14, 21-11 in just 24 minutes. Lee and Wang, who won the men’s doubles title at the Yonex Thailand Open on Sunday, next face the world No. 34 pairing, Canada’s Jason Anthony Ho-Shue and Nyl Yakura. In men’s singles, Taiwan’s world No. 2 Chou Tien-chen again beat Thailand’s world No. 45 Suppanyu Avihingsanon, after edging past the Thai player in the opening round of the Yonex
SWEEP THE LEG: Poirier, determined to best McGregor, after losing to him in 2014, used low calf kicks to throw ‘Notorious’ off his stand-up game, before dropping him American underdog Dustin Poirier yesterday shook up the world of mixed martial arts, beating up the legs of Irish superstar Conor McGregor before knocking him out at UFC 257 in Abu Dhabi. “I’m happy, but I’m not surprised. I put in the work,” Poirier said, after the referee stepped in after 2 minutes, 32 seconds of the second round to save McGregor from further damage, after he was dropped by a fierce combination of punches. The 32-year-old Poirier was ranked second in the flyweight division going into the fight, but still rated a heavy underdog by bookmakers to beat his fourth-ranked opponent,
Three new COVID-19 cases yesterday hit the Australian Open’s troubled buildup as a backlash grew against international tennis players flown in during a raging pandemic. Two of the new cases were players, state health officials said, taking the total infections to seven since more than 1,000 people arrived in largely COVID-19-free Australia on charter flights last week. The Victoria Department of Health and Human Services said that the two players and a third person associated with the tournament — a woman in her 20s, and two men in their 30s — had returned positive results. The year’s first Grand Slam, delayed three weeks,