BIRMINGHAM, 22 September 2004 — Michael Vaughan found his one-day feet at last as England stunned world champions Australia to reach the Champions Trophy final yesterday. Their six-wicket success, completed with 3.3 overs to spare, was their first One-Day victory over the Australians in 5-1/2 years, ending a 14-match losing streak.
Man of the match Vaughan, following a wretched run of form with the bat, could do no wrong at Edgbaston as he won the toss, took two wickets with his occasional off spin and completed a neat run-out as the Australians were restricted to 259 for nine. He then anchored his side to victory with a well-paced 86, his best in One-Day Internationals. “I felt I owed the team a few runs in the One-Day game,” he said. “My bowling wasn’t really part of the plan, though.”
He and opener Marcus Trescothick (81) put on a rapid 140 for the second wicket to wreck Ricky Ponting’s tactic of subduing England with pace. Andrew Strauss sealed the win with an impressive 52 not out off 42 balls in his first match against the Australians.
“We were certainly outplayed today,” Ponting said. “They batted beautifully. Our (winning) run was always going to end but we had hoped it would not be today.”
England have never reached a Champions Trophy final before. West Indies and Pakistan meet in the second semi today, with the final of the 12-team event, the biggest international limited-overs tournament outside the World Cup, at The Oval on Saturday.
Vaughan, a fine Test technician but struggling to adapt to the shorter game, found the perfect foil in Trescothick. The left-hander’s aggression allowed his skipper to play an innings based on his textbook technique.
He was still playing himself in when Trescothick smashed Glenn McGrath out of the attack with four boundaries off the ninth over.
When Vaughan did go on the offensive, however, he did so with a straight bat. The 15th over of the innings, from Brett Lee, was to cost 18 as he was clattered repeatedly through the covers and then whipped over mid-on. The England captain smashed six boundaries off 12 deliveries from the fastest bowler in the world.
Trescothick fell in the 32nd over and Vaughan continued until near the end before an attempted pull off Lee spiraled up in the air. Lee ended with figured of two for 65 off 8.3 overs. England, had based their hopes of an upset on pace bowler Steve Harmison and all rounder Andrew Flintoff. Neither really featured.
Feasting on some short-pitched bowling, Australia had cruised to 96 for two after 20 overs only for Vaughan to turn to left-arm spinner Ashley Giles while he bowled from the other end. Giles strangled the scoring before completing figures of one for 40. His dismissal of Ponting, who misjudged the flight and chipped to long on after making 29, was a key moment.
Vaughan, however, trumped Giles after Australia had set the platform for an end-of-innings attack. They had reached 189 for three with just over 11 overs to go before Vaughan bowled Darren Lehman to end a 75-run stand, ran out Andrew Symonds off his second delivery and then had Damien Martyn caught in the deep.
Indian TV Rights Up for Grabs Again
A controversial $308 million deal to broadcast India’s home cricket matches fell through yesterday after the country’s cricket board said there was no binding contract and it may re-tender the rights.
The fight for the rights to televise games to tens of millions of passionate Indian sports fans went to court after India’s largest listed media firm, Zee Telefilms, snatched the rights in a tender race with global giant ESPN Star Sports.
The row threatened a tour of cricket-crazy India next month by the world champion Australian team. ESPN Star Sports, a joint venture between Disney Co. and News Corp., took the BCCI to court claiming Zee’s lack of sports experience meant it was not qualified to tender.
The cricket board told a Bombay court yesterday it had no final contract with the Indian firm. It may re-tender the TV rights quickly — ahead of the four-Test series with Australia beginning on Oct. 6 — produce a broadcast feed itself or find someone else to televise the games, a lawyer for the board said.
Zee’s bid of $308 million to broadcast Indian home games for four years equaled its sales over the past three years, but at stake is a potential revenue pie of $300 million to $350 million.
Cricket corners more than three-quarters of sports advertising in India.
A cricket board lawyer told the court there was no binding agreement because a draft letter of intent sent to Zee had not been accepted. Zee had wanted to negotiate some terms in the letter, the lawyer said.
The Indian cricket board told the court on Monday the Australian team may not tour India if the television row was not resolved soon. The Australians were worried the games would not be broadcast, upsetting sponsors.
As well, the International Cricket Council (ICC) told the Indian board it needed to provide television pictures to go ahead with the series. The TV pictures are needed so decisions made by the two umpires on the pitch can be reviewed by a third official.
Pakistan Prospect Zaidi Mauls Zimbabwe
In Sheikhupura, Asher Zaidi mauled the touring Zimbabwe attack with a brilliant undefeated double century as the Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman’s XI drew a two-day game here yesterday.
Zaidi made 202, hitting 29 boundaries and a six during his 387-minute innings, as the hosts accumulated 398-2 in their allotted 90 overs, in reply to Zimbabwe’s 215 all out on the first day. The 23-year-old left-handed opener put on 158 for the opening wicket with Asif Zakir, who scored 61, as the inexperienced Zimbabwe bowlers toiled hard to get a breakthrough.
