Cricket Viewpoint - News, Opinion, Analysis

The boys are back in town!

Move over all pretenders - the real thing is here. Australia showed today why they are still the real deal comprehensively outplaying South Africa in their Group A, first round match at St. Kitts today.

Batting first, the Australians scored 377 for 6 off their alloted 50 overs. Matthew Hayden was the star, scoring a World Cup record breaking century off 66 balls. The team was given a great start by Adam Gilchrist and Hayden who put on 106 in under 15 overs, before Gilchrist was out for 42.

Ricky Ponting hit a run a ball 91 and young batting star Michael Clarke 92 off 75 balls, with 7 fours and 4 sixes.

All the South African bowlers were taken to the cleaners, especially Shaun Pollock who went for 83 off his alloted 10 overs without taking a wicket

The South African riposte was spirited. A B DeVilliers and Graeme Smith pounded the Australian bowlers right from the start. Glenn McGrath’s first 3 balls all went for boundaries.

Smith and DeVilliers put on 160 for the first wicket in 21 overs, a terrific rate of nearly 8 runs per over. DeVilliers was unfortunately run out for 92 off 70 balls. Smith had to retire with severe cramps whilst he was on song - going at better than a run a ball in his innings.

This pretty much turned out to be the turning point in the match. Although Jacques Kallis chipped in with 48 it was too little, too late. South Africa were bowled out for 294, with Brad Hogg taking 3 for 61 and Nathan Bracken and Shaun Tait taking two wickets each.

Read more about the match here from Rediff.com

Both the teams are through to the next round, with Australia of course taking the honours for the group.

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New Zealand paceman Daryl Tuffey has unfortunately been ruled out of the World cup after injuring his right arm.

He is going home and will be replaced by right arm paceman Chris Martin.

New Zealand is already through to the second round and are thought to be the dark horses of the tournament. Stephen Fleming’s men have been highly impressive in opening games of the tournament.

Coming off a strong showing at home, when they comprehensively beat Australia, in the Chappell Hadlee trophy, they are very much looking the team to beat in this tournament.

Tuffey sent home with shoulder injury
Daryl Tuffey has been ruled out of the World Cup after injuring his right arm during New Zealand’s 114-run win over Canada and will be replaced by Chris Martin.

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Well, India are almost out of the Cricket World Cup 2007 now, after losing to Sri Lanka by 69 runs in a crucial match today. The only chance that they have is to have Bermuda beat Bangladesh on Sunday, which does look a very, very remote possibility.

So in all likelihood, India will become the second fancied team from the sub continent, to bow out from the tournament in the first round itself.

At the start of the day, Indian captain Rahul Dravid won the toss and elected to put Sri Lanka in. The Indian bowlers started well, extracting pace and bounce off the wicket. Danger man Sanath Jayasuriya was snaffled by Zaheer Khan early, to leave Sri Lanka 33 for 1 off 7 overs.

At one stage Sri Lanka were 133 for 4 (off 32.2 overs), but Chamara Silva and Dilshan combined well to preserve wickets and put together a crucial partnership of 83 runs.

Sri Lanka finished on 254 for 6 off their alloted 50 overs.

The Indian reply never really got off to a good start, losing 3 wickets for 44 runs in 12 overs, including the prized wickets of Sachin Tendulkar for zero and Sourav Ganguly for 7.

Captain Rahul Dravid scored a brave 60 and Virender Sehwag put up a fight with 48 runs off 46 balls. However Sehwag’s dismissal, followed quickly by the run out of Yuvraj Singh and then Dhoni LBW to Murali sealed India’s fate.

Eventually India were bowled out for 185 in 43.3 runs. Muralitharan was the man of the match taking 3 wickets for 41 runs.

With the Indian batting failing to fire, when it was most needed, it seems that the hopes of a billion people now vanish with it.

Read the full story of the match here.

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