Australia compounded the miseries of rivals New Zealand by notching up a seven-wicket victory in their World Cup match yesterday.
Chasing an easy target of 207 runs for victory, Australia openers Shane Watson (62) and Brad Haddin (55) piled on 133 for the first wicket in just 18 overs as they punished the erratic bowling of New Zealand in the Group A encounter.
The start ensured that there were no hiccups, though both openers departed in the same over to paceman Hamish Bennett.
Photo: Reuters
Captain Ricky Ponting (12) followed soon after, stumped brilliantly down the leg side by Brendon McCullum off Tim Southee.
Vice captain Michael Clarke and Cameron White saw Australia home in just 34 overs with an unbeaten fourth-wicket stand of 40 to extend their team’s unbeaten World Cup run to 31 matches.
The Kiwi bowlers did not help their cause by bowling 32 extras, which included 29 wides.
The match was played against a somber backdrop following the devastating earthquake in Christchurch earlier this week.
Both teams observed a minute’s silence and wore black arm-bands, while the New Zealand flag flew at half mast in memory of the victims of the earthquake.
Some of New Zealand players struggled to keep their emotions in check as they linked arms while their national anthem was being played before the start of the match.
After the solemn start, the Australian pace duo of Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Tait vindicated Ponting’s decision to field first by skittling New Zealand for 206.
Overnight rain and a little cloud cover prompted Ponting to bowl first and some fiery fast bowling saw the Kiwis lose their first six wickets with just 73 on the board.
Johnson (four for 33) and Tait (three for 35) shared seven wickets while Brett Lee and Shane Watson also chipped in with a wicket apiece.
Steve Smith was the only spinner to pick up a wicket.
S AFRICA V WINDIES
AFP, NEW DELHI
West Indies skipper Darren Sammy insists his beleaguered side have the potential to beat anyone despite slipping to a demoralizing ninth in the world one-day rankings after their defeat by South Africa on Thursday.
The former kings of the one-day game have not beaten a Test side in a one-day international since June 2009 and went down to a seven-wicket defeat against Graeme Smith’s men in their World Cup opener in New Delhi.
However, a surprisingly upbeat Sammy, whose side is now ranked below Bangladesh, refused to give up hope after the match, backing his players to hit back.
“I think we’ve got to have that self-belief. We know what we are capable of doing and as long as we play to our full potential we could beat any team on the day but we just have to be consistent in our performances,” he said.
Sammy said it was crucial his team made the most of situations when they were on top after the West Indies squandered good positions. They looked strong at 113 for one at one stage and were also well placed at 178-4.
“Before the match everybody was uncertain as to how the pitch would play but looking at it we should have scored 270-plus on the wicket,” Sammy said.
“I think losing the wickets in clusters really hampered our total. We had guys getting starts but they didn’t carry on,” the 27-year-old added.
Sammy also rued missed chances to dismiss Smith and century-maker AB de Villiers in the South African innings.
“We created opportunities but we didn’t capitalize on them and AB de Villiers batted like a senior player and that brought South Africa home,” he said.
“We saw how de Villiers applied himself and batted through and scored 100 so I think you just have to apply yourself like in any cricket, whether it be Tests, Twenty20, you’ve got to be out there in the middle to really score runs,” Sammy said.
He said he was happy with the balance of his side, which contained all-rounders Dwayne Bravo, himself and Kieron Pollard, despite the lack of specialist bowlers.
“I think the guys who were picked in the eleven to bowl were quite capable of doing the job. Like batting, we too have to be consistent in our line and length and create pressure,” he said.
“Obviously we have another game. We’ll come up and see what areas we could improve and come up with the best possible attack to play on,” Sammy said.
BOYCS BATS FOR SARNIES
AFP, NEW DELHI
Former England opening batsman Geoffrey Boycott, renowned for his rock-solid defiance in his playing career, needed to defend his humble box of sandwiches with equal determination at the World Cup.
Boycott, in New Delhi working as a commentator, fell foul of Indian security when he tried to enter the Feroz Shah Kotla ground for the South Africa v West Indies clash with his lunch tucked under his arm.
“I don’t eat curries, which is what they normally give you. So I bring sandwiches. Anything which is spicy just burns,” Boycott, who has suffered from throat cancer, was quoted as saying by cricinfo.
After being told he would have to leave his sandwiches outside the ground, Boycott stood firm.
“I said: ‘I want to speak to the general or the brigadier, whoever’s in charge, ‘cause I’m taking my bloody sandwiches in’.”
An International Cricket Council official came to his aid and he was allowed to take his sandwiches with him.
SECURITY CAN’T WATCH
REUTERS, DHAKA
Police and elite security forces in Bangladesh have been warned against “loitering” and watching the cricket rather than doing their job at the World Cup.
The country’s home office issued a statement warning of a crackdown on the “rogue” security officials after members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and police were spotted lazing in media seats.
“The security people deployed at the stadium should be on their toes or inside their camps and must not loiter around or occupy others’ chairs in the gallery during World Cup matches,” a Home Ministry official said.
The order was issued before Bangladesh meet Ireland in Dhaka yesterday in Group B.
At the opening match of the tournament last Saturday, officials of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) saw that a number of seats were occupied by a section of security officials and their families at the media overflow area.
“Some of them were on duty and the rest managed their entry through their colleagues having authority to issue an on-duty pass,” the Home Ministry official said, who asked not to be named.
“The order is likely to prevent the rogue officials from becoming spectators at the stadium instead of doing their duty on match days,” an official of the RAB said.
“If the order is flouted or any personnel found repeating such an offence in the coming World Cup matches, they will be demoted or suspended from the service,” a police spokesman said.
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