The Hindu : Ponting pilots Australia to the pinnacle

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 24, 2003

Sport

Sport - World Cup

Ponting pilots Australia to the pinnacle

By Vijay Lokapally

Photos: V.V. Krishnan

AWESOME AUSSIES: A very happy Australian team poses with the ICC World Cup after beating India comprehensively in the final at The Wanderers in Johannesburg on Sunday.

JOHANNESBURG MARCH 23. Nobody would grudge Australia hanging on to the World Cup for another term.

It had the better credentials to troop out a champion after India ran out of steam when it mattered most.

Ricky Ponting came up with a colossal performance, the likes of which belong to folklore. The threat of rain may have lurked in the distance and it did pour for a while, but the rain gods were not so unkind as to deny Ponting and his men a deserving win.

Ponting was a true leader, producing an innings of brutal power that gave Australia the Cup with an unbeaten run in the tournament and provided a fitting finish at The Wanderers today. And the final winning huddle belonged to Australia not India.

A million dreams were shattered as India was drowned under the Ponting deluge. A shocked audience, rooting for India, watched the Australians clinically demolish the ambitions of Ganguly and his men in a one-sided contest which lacked the intrigue and excitement that make one-day cricket such a great spectacle.

The Aussies were too professional today. What chance does an opposition have chasing a target of 360? And that too in a World Cup final? Moreover, Australia is not the kind of team which allows any leeway once it reaches an imposing position. And Ponting's match-winning 140 provided his side just that.

The Indians were hit by a storm ahead of time. There was forecast of a thunderstorm in the afternoon, which probably prompted Ganguly to field first. It is a decision he would now rue for life as his bowlers came a cropper against some aggressive batsmen. India, which was propelled to the final stage by the bowlers, was let down by them as Zaheer Khan and Javagal Srinath got a sound thrashing.

The question is did the Indians peak too early? One was made to believe so as the bowlers ran out of ideas once the Aussies took them by the scruff of the neck. The batsmen, however, made a fight of it despite `man of the tournament' Sachin Tendulkar perishing in the first over.

The much-awaited duel between Tendulkar and Brett Lee did not materialise as the Master failed in a Cup final once again. One failed to comprehend the logic behind Tendulkar taking on the best Aussie bowler — McGrath — when the average ones stood in line. Tendulkar was surprised by the pace even as he shaped for a pull and the shot landed in the bowler's hands. The Aussie attack looked anything but menacing once McGrath and Lee were off the firing line.

Sehwag sizzles

The biggest gain from the final was Virender Sehwag. He did not flinch and played a characteristic, aggressive knock. There were many edges but also sensational shots — both silken and robust — as he kept the Indian hopes alive with his grit.

Sehwag made the most of the average Australian spinners with a flurry of shots. He was fortunate when he hit a no-ball from Lee straight to square leg but his was a laudable effort. His captain Ganguly had lived dangerously, slashing at almost every ball in a desperate attempt to rattle the bowlers. He got away with a few shots but it was not surprising when he dismissed tamely.

Sehwag, meanwhile, continued his good work. He mauled the spinners and survived another chance at 71 when Hogg let him off at point off Andy Bichel. He kept treating the bowlers with disdain until he messed it up by taking on the strong arm of Darren Lehmann who ran him out with a direct hit. Sehwag should have known that Lehmann could sight all three stumps from mid-off.

It was a much-needed breakthrough for the Australians, who erred in fielding later too when Yuvraj Singh was let off twice by Hogg and Martyn. He was duly out later to a similar hoick to midwicket. A half-century from Rahul Dravid prolonged the battle and some comical hitting by the lower-order entertained the crowd but India never really threatened the Aussies.

Earlier, Ponting's effort was breathtaking. It was easily the innings of his life and what a time to play it! He paced his knock remarkably well and showed his skill as a batsman who likes to dominate all the time. He produced some astounding strokes and did not relent at any stage as Australia reached its highest-ever total in a one-day international.

The Indian bowlers were made to look pedestrian by Ponting and his partnership with Damien Martyn left India in a daze. Ganguly could not have set a field to such mediocre bowling who kept making mistakes instead of learning from them.

Having served the team so well until this match, the bowlers blotted their reputation. The Indians never recovered from a disastrous 15-run opening over by Zaheer. It was a sure sign of things to come and Zaheer was a pale shadow of the bowler who made an impact in the tournament. He was clobbered like a club bowler as Adam Gilchrist and Mathew Hayden gave Australia a flowing start.

Gilchrist in the mood

Gilchrist was in imperious form, driving through and across the line to unsettle the bowlers. His wicket, as well as Hayden's, provided a brief respite before Ponting and Martyn took over.

Ponting, named `man of the match,' got everything right today. The first phase of his knock concentrated on the basics; he picked his runs with consummate ease, taking on the fielders and beating them with a flourish. Just one boundary adorned his half-century but by then he had warmed up to crack the whip.

Harbhajan Singh was the only bowler to earn respect but ironically he was the first to suffer Ponting's fury. It was the beginning of the eight sixes that he smashed. Two off Harbhajan set the tempo, with the second landing outside the stadium.

Ponting then turned his attention to Ashish Nehra, Dinesh Mongia and Zaheer and it was raining sixes at The Wanderers. And when Srinath returned for his final spell, Ponting simply exploded. His 13th one-day hundred will always be remembered for sheer class and entertainment. Harbhajan bowled brilliantly in his first spell and so did Mongia who kept the batsmen in check when they were at their peak.

Martyn too had a role to play in the company of the marauding Ponting. Due credit must be given to him as he hit some glorious strokes square of the wicket and picked the right deliveries to punish. His six over covers off Nehra was a stunning shot.

The Indian bowlers were tested for the second time in the World Cup and failed miserably. Not so their batsmen who fared better but could not stop the majestic march of Ponting and his men.

SCOREBOARD

AUSTRALIA

A. Gilchrist c Sehwag
b Harbhajan
57

(48b, 8x4, 1x6)

M. Hayden c Dravid
b Harbhajan
37

(54b, 5x4)

R. Ponting (not out) 140

(121b, 4x4, 8x6)

D. Martyn (not out) 88

(84b, 7x4, 1x6)

Extras (b-2, lb-12, w-16, nb-17) 37

— —

Total (for two wkts.

in 50 overs) 359

— —

Fall of wickets: 1-105 (Gilchrist), 2-125 (Hayden).

INDIA BOWLING

O M R W

Zaheer 7 0 67 0

Srinath 10 0 87 0

Nehra 10 0 57 0

Harbhajan 8 0 49 2

Sehwag 3 0 14 0

Tendulkar 3 0 20 0

Mongia 7 0 39 0

Yuvraj 2 0 12 0

INDIA

S. Tendulkar c &
b McGrath
4

(5b, 1x4)

V. Sehwag (run out) 82

(81b, 10x4, 3x6)

S. Ganguly c Lehmann
b Lee
24

(25b, 3x4, 1x6)

M. Kaif c Gilchrist
b McGrath
0

(3b)

R. Dravid b Bichel 47

(57b, 2x4)

Yuvraj c Lee b Hogg 24

(34b, 1x4)

D. Mongia c Martyn
b Symonds
12

(11b, 2x4)

Harbhajan c McGrath
b Symonds
7

(8b)

Zaheer c Lehmann
b McGrath
4

(8b)

J. Srinath b Lee 1

(4b)

A. Nehra (not out) 8

(4b, 2x4)

Extras (b-4, lb-4, nb-4, w-9) 21

— —

Total (in 39.2 overs) 234

— —

Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Tendulkar), 2-58 (Ganguly), 3-59 (Kaif), 4-147 (Sehwag), 5-187 (Dravid), 6-208 (Yuvraj), 7-209 (Mongia), 8-223 (Harbhajan), 9-226 (Srinath).