Champions Trophy Semi-Final
Australia v West Indies
at Chandigarh
Scorecard
Ball by Ball
The West Indies staged a massive upset of Australia to reach the final of the Champions Trophy with a slim 5-run win. After being put in by Ricky Ponting, the West Indies batted impressively to reach 296-4, then limited Australia's charge to 291-9.
Ben Hilfenhaus and Shane Watson came into the side, replacing Mitchell Johnson and Brad Hodge, as Australia surprisingly chose to shake up their unbeaten combination. Hilfenhaus was a bright point for a struggling Australia attack, taking 2-52 in his first game of the tournament. He matched Nathan Bracken's figures, but the two were the only wicket-takers in the innings.
Bracken struck early to dismiss Chris Gayle for 4, then Hilfenhaus chipped in with the wicket of the impressive Devon Smith at 52-2. Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Marlon Samuels added 126 for the third wicket, placing West Indies back into control of the game. Chanderpaul was stunning in striking 11 fours in his innings of 91 from 85 balls, but was dismissed when he skied an attempted pull shot off Hilfenhaus. Captain Sarwan was made to come to the crease and try to avoid the typical West Indian collapse.
He attacked Hilfenhaus straight away, playing off the back foot to collect consecutive boundaries, but then lost Samuels, playing on to Bracken for 57. Dwayne Bravo came to the crease, and neither batsman let the momentum slip. Watson had Bravo dropped by Bracken when he had 7, and the allrounder went on to score 39 unbeaten at a run-a-ball. More immediate punishment came from Sarwan, however, as he launched consecutive sixes in Watson's next over, a 16-run affair. Incredibly, Bracken dropped Bravo again in the following over, this time off Hogg. Bravo flicked Bracken for six over square leg an over later. But Australia closed out the innings well, allowing only 21 runs from the final 5 overs.
The task at hand was imposing at the outset, and even more so when Jerome Taylor struck with the wicket of Hayden for 0 in his first over. An over later saw Gilchrist misjudge a pull shot and fall for 14. Michael Clarke eased into his stride immediately, but Ponting was not quite as assured, and he was caught brilliantly at backward point for 5. Clarke continued his attacking ways, while Andrew Symonds looked to play a more measured innings of 18 in a partnership of 63.
Gayle came into the attack and enticed Symonds into a big shot, but he could only find the safe hands of Taylor at long-on. From 98-4, the mountain for Australia looked immense. But there is no greater man for a crisis than Mike Hussey. The left-hander observed the fierce attack of Clarke early in his innings, choosing to rotate the strike to settle himself. He eventually broke free against Mohammed, sweeping for consecutive fours. The left-arm chinaman bowler had been so successful previously in the tournament, but struggled through 3 overs on the day.
Clarke late cut Gayle for his 14th boundary, to go with one six, to bring up his hundred from 86 balls. It was a sparkling innings - perhaps his finest - and looked to be carrying Australia back into genuine contention at 169-4 then. Taylor returned and conceded 11 runs from his first over, then gave way to Bravo an over later. Dropped twice early on, Bravo suffered to have Clarke dropped by Devon Smith when he had 125.
At the end of the 40th over, Australia needed a very manageable 60 runs from the last 60 balls with 6 wickets intact. Only 13 runs came from the first 3 overs of the final 10, then Powell impacted upon the game swiftly and severely. First he clattered the ball into Clarke's pad to trap him lbw, much to the anger of the batsman, then Powell banged a short ball in at Watson first up. A confident pull shot met the bouncer, but Watson aimed it in the direction of Devon Smith at midwicket, and he jumped to hold a great catch.
Suddenly Australia had 40 balls left to score 47 runs and only 4 wickets in hand. The situation got even more nervous when Bravo dismissed Hogg with a classic slower ball to start the 45th over. By the end of that over, the requirement read 42 from 30 with 3 wickets to go. Hilfenhaus did his part by slogging the returning Taylor into the stands at midwicket, then chinese-cutting the bowler to fine leg for a boundary - 30 from 24. Bravo was in exceptional rhythm though, and he mixed his slower balls to perfection in allowing 3 from the following over.
Hilfenhaus went after Taylor to start the 48th over, and successfully picked out Samuels in the deep. Fired up, Taylor pitched a yorker to Bracken first ball and ensured there were no heroics as against the CW XI, dismissing him first ball. Somehow Tait managed to beat Ramdin with an edge and picked up a boundary, then kept strike for the final over of the innings. Australia needed 13 and Taylor set about to bowl it. A close lbw shout in the mix, Tait managed to hand the strike back to Hussey with 4 balls remaining and 12 runs still needed. To the first ball Hussey drove crisply through the covers, but Dwayne Smith pulled off a blinding save on the ropes to limit the shot to two runs. Next Hussey swung over the top of a slower ball, totally uncharacteristic for his innings to the point. He got it right with the next offering, and picked up a boundary to midwicket. Then 6 runs were needed from the final ball. If there was any man Australia preferred on strike, it was Hussey. Alas, 'twas a rare failure for the man. A supreme yorker could only be slapped at midwicket, where Sarwan collected the ball with an excellent save and jumped up in celebration.
For his incredible innings under pressure and in vain, Michael Clarke won the Man of the Match award as his team departs the Champions Trophy.
West Indies 296-4 (50 overs)
S Chanderpaul 91 [85], RR Sarwan 67* [64], MN Samuels 59 [73]
NW Bracken/BW Hilfenhaus 2-52 [10]
Australia 291-9 (50 overs)
MJ Clarke 147 [141], MEK Hussey 66* [75]
JE Taylor 4-73 [10], DB Powell 3-36 [10]
West Indies won by 5 runs.
Man of the Match: MJ Clarke
Good showing by the CWXI again this tournament so far, showing off our OD power!
Gutted.