JOHANNESBURG, 13 February 2003 — Australia played champion cricket to register a thumping victory over Pakistan in their first game of the tournament.
The day didn’t start well for them with the news that Warne was to go back for a drug-related misdemeanor. To lose one of your match-winning bowlers is not the best way to start a defense of a title, but the Aussies are renowned for their resilience and they showed why they are the tough guys in world cricket with an awesome performance against a side that on its day can beat anybody.
They didn’t get the usual brisk start that the openers give them, but in spite of losing wickets regularly they simply did not stop playing shots, so the Pakistanis were never able to strangle the runs even as they were taking the first four wickets.
Ponting had stuck his neck out for the inclusion of Andrew Symonds in the squad and his faith was not only justified but amply rewarded by the spectacular century that Symonds got.
He has been batting lower down the order for Australia where he has come in when maybe ten overs were left, but here he came in when there were more than thirty overs still left to be bowled.
The question mark has been about his temperament and whether he had the ability to ride out a tough situation and not indulge in wild hitting. He cleared those doubts in fine style, playing himself in and getting a feel of the pitch as his captain scored at the other end.
But as soon as the skipper was gone, he took over the attacking role and his partnerships with the lower order demoralized Pakistan totally when the Pakistanis were contemplating getting the Aussies out for less than 200.
Pakistan also did not help their cause by the extras that they gave, which not only contributed more runs and deliveries but also slowed their over-rate and so in the end they had to chase 310 in 49 overs.
Discipline is the key in limited-overs cricket and it is here that fast bowlers need to be reined in so that they don’t spray the ball or overstep in trying for the extra yard or two of pace. Pakistan unfortunately has not shown this discipline which shows the coach in poor light.
Without Saeed Anwar, it was going to be a tough time for the Pakistanis and so it proved as McGrath with his impeccable and relentless off-stump line made it hard to get him away and the others supported him brilliantly.
Some of the shots that the Pakistanis played smacked of desperation and that was purely due to the fact that the Aussies gave nothing away on the field and kept the pressure on by denying them singles too.
Once the seniors like Youhana and Inzamam had failed, there was no depth in the batting, especially against this Aussie attack, to take them further. The tail did wag a bit with Latif and Wasim Akram banging away but it was the last flicker of a dying candle. It was crucial for Pakistan to get as close to the Australian total, for the last place to qualify may well be decided on the net run-rate.
The World Cup has begun with some top-class cricket from the West Indies, Sri Lankans and the Australians, and that augurs well for a tournament which has had extraneous issues take the focus away from the game itself.
Hopefully we will now only talk about the onfield performances rather than the dramas off it. (Professional Management Group)
