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Australia: 2 out of 2

Monday, January 12 2004

Brad Williams claimed a career-best 22-5 to help Australia rout Zimbabwe by 99 runs in the 2nd VB series ODI game at the SCG on Sunday.

Batting first, Australia didn't get off to the flamboyant start, which they would have wanted to and which they are very much used to. Zimbabwean captian Heath Streak, taking the new ball, bowled within the stumps, not giving anything away. His fellow compatriot and opening bowling partner Douglas Hondo, however couldn't reach to similar standards in the opening spell, during which Adam Gilchrist was able to hit some brilliant shots costing Hondo 24 runs of his first 3 overs. Matthew Hayden looked off-color and was kept quite by Streak, whose first 5 overs cost only 6 runs.

Hayden fell to Streak in the 11th over of the innings for 14, and the score at 42-1. Ricky Ponting joined Gilchrist and together they took the score to 73 with both playing some extravagant shots. However, an awful shot off a wide delivery from Andy Blignaut resulted in the demise of Ricky Ponting for 21. The score 73-2. Gilchrist was removed soon after for 34, leaving the Aussies in some sort of trouble.

Damien Martyn and Andrew Symonds together added 35 runs for the 4th wicket taking the score past 100, before Martyn was dimissed for 21. Streak used Raymond Price and Grant Flower in tandem after the 24th over. Both of them managed to bowl very tight, and gave nothing away. Price couldn't pick up any wickets, but was very economical giving on 34 runs in his 10 overs. Whereas Grant Flower took two wickets, including that of Michael Bevan for 3, reducing Aussies to 5 down with the score just a few runs over 100.

Michael Clarke joined Symonds hoping to repeat the magic of previous game's 143-run partnership. Together they added 66 runs. However both lost their wickets at the start of the last 10 overs trying to accelerate the scoring. Sean Ervine took both their wickets, with the Aussies at 184-6, very much in the possibility of not even reaching 220 or thereabouts.

However, a good 30 run partnership between Ian Harvey and Andy Bichel helped them reach 225-8 at the end of 50 overs.

During the entire innings Zimbabwean bowlers were up to the mark, allowing not a single boundary between 22nd and 42nd overs, and also restricting the scoring to a minimum during the final 10 overs, setting up what looked to be an interesting chase.

All hopes of Zimbabweans giving the Aussies a scare were reduced to ashes when Brad Williams cause havoc during the first 10 overs of the innings. Williams hit the deck hard, pushed the batsmen on the back foot and caught them playing neither back nor forward. Staurt Carlisle, Mark Vermeulen, Grant Flower, Matsikenyeri all went in a similar manner, sticking to the crease and not moving their feet. Jason Gillispie also picked up the wicket of Sibanda. Zimbabweans were reduced to 17-5 after 8 overs, very much in the danger of not even crossing 100.

However, a gritty stand of 73 between young wicket-keeper Tatenda Taibu and skipper Streak helped Zimbabweans salvage some pride. Taibu fell to Symonds for 31, with the Zimbabweans at 90-6, with very little hope of causing an upset.

Streak and Ervine too tried to keep a partnership going, with Ervine hitting a few lusty blows before falling to Symonds again for 14. Streak finally fell to Clarke, after Gilchrist stumped him. Streak scored 46 off 92 balls, and looked by far the best of the Zimbabwean batsmen. Brad Williams, who already had 4 wickets, came back to pick up his 5th, ending the Zimbabwean innings at 126. He was also named the Man of the Match.

Australia now lead the points table with 11 points, gaining 6 points from this match including a bonus point. India are second with 1 point, as they didn't concede a bonus point to Aussies during the 1st match.

Scorecard:

Australia: 225-8 in 50 overs.

Adam Gilchrist 34(44)
Andrew Symonds 42(82)
Michael Clarke 40(57)

Sean Ervine 53-3(10)
Andy Blignaut 21-2 (5)
Grant Flower 42-2 (10)

Zimbabwe: 126 all out in 37.3 overs.

Tatenda Taibu 29(59)
Heath Streak 46 (92)

Brad Williams 22-5 (8.3)
Jason Gillespie 21-2 (8)
Andrew Symonds 24-2 (6)

Result: Australia won by 99 runs.

Man of the Match: Brad Williams (Aus)

Points: Australia 6, Zimbabwe 0


Posted by Sudeep