Australia too hot for Pakistan (21 June 1999)

21 June 1999

Australia too hot for Pakistan

Tony Becca

Australia Made good their boast that they are the world's best when they won the World Cup at Lord's yesterday.

Rated as Test cricket's number one, Australia were considered second to South Africa in the limited version of the game going into the World Cup, and going into the final, they were listed, according to the bookmakers, as the underdogs.

In an almost perfect display, however, the Aussies not only won the Cup for the second time, but they did so in a manner which left the capacity crowd dumb-struck.

Despite losing three matches on the way to the final, the talented, exciting Pakistan looked the class team of the tournament, and with the tough never-say-die Australia, after winning one and losing two, enjoying a wonderful run in which they won five matches and tied one to reach the final, the showdown for the title was expected to be a cracking affair - a glorious climax to an exciting and memorable tournament.

So good were Australia, however, that it was nothing but an anti-climax.

In a super performance, Australia routed Pakistan in 39 overs for the lowest total in a World Cup final, and with Australia cruising to victory in 20.1, the entire action lasted for a mere 59.1 of the scheduled 100 overs.

Was it that Australia played so well, or was it that Pakistan played badly?

It was a mixture of both. Australia bowled and fielded brilliantly, and Pakistan, probably due to the combined pressure of some excellent bowling by pacer Glen McGrath and right-arm legspinner Shane Warne and the occasion, batted carelessly and died without a fight.

To many, especially those who backed Pakistan to win, captain Wasim Akram made the wrong decision when he decided to bat first after winning the toss. It probably, however, would have made no difference.

Pakistan, it should be remembered, have a history of going to pieces chasing a target. On top of that, it was a decision taken by the entire team and its management - including the experienced Mushtaq Mohammed; and apart from that, it should also be remembered that Pakistan's strength is their bowling and that in limited-over contests, most teams prefer to finish with their strength.

It may not have mattered, not only because the gods appeared to have been on Australia's side following their escape against South Africa when Herschelle Gibbs dropped Steve Waugh in their final, decisive match of the Super Six round, and again when Allan Donald was runout to tie the semi-final match, but also because the champions of 1987 were at the top of their form.

The first sign that the Aussies were hot was McGrath's opening overs to Saeed Anwar and Wajahatullah Wasti, the second was when Mark Waugh, flying to his right at second slip, took a magnificent catch to dismiss Wasti off McGrath, and the third was when Warne, after beating Ijaz Ahmed a few times, bowled him with a beauty.

After that, it was all Australia, and with Ricky Ponting diving to his right at backward point and coming up with a super catch to dismiss Saqlain Mushtaq off McGrath to end the innings, with Adam Gilchrist and Mark Waugh thrashing Akram and Shoaib Akhtar with some lovely strokes to the boundary, they finished in style.

The fans, especially those in Jamaica who did not want Australia to win, may attempt to find many reasons for Pakistan's batting failure. The fact, however, is that yesterday, Australia, led by McGrath and Warne, and brilliant in the field, were too hot for Pakistan.

Based on Australia's good fortune in the two previous matches, the gods were probably really on their side, and Pakistan may feel that their fate was out of their hands. As Lance Klusener said yesterday while reflecting on South Africa's misfortune in not reaching the final, it just probably was not meant to be.

Akram, however, does not believe that. In the captain own words, Pakistan were beaten by a better side.

Source :: The Jamaica Gleaner