**Official** Semi Finals and Final

[oz_fan]

WI lose another wicket. Morton caught behind off McGrath. WI struggling at 94/5.

 

[alternative]

All over, WI will be lucky to get 150 from here onwards..

 

[Slow Love™]

Hard to see it not being downhill from here for the West Indians. I'd think they'd need 250 at least, and it's very hard to see them getting anywhere near it from this point.

Nice "Ah, **** me!" from Hogg after his misfield caught by the onfield mike.

 

[Slow Love™]

West Indies are ordinary.

You're kidding yourself if you thought the Aussies were under pressure at 2-80 with Chanderpaul; and Sarwan gone before 8 overs. All they needed was Gayles wicket and it was game over.

3 wickets in the first 10 overs - runs are meaningless.

Windies have an ordinary attack and if their batsmen can hit the Aussie attack like that you can guarentee they'll cop it back with interest when they bowl.

Flat track, fast outfield, Windies will be lucky to hit 240.

Aussies in a canter.,...was never in doubt

Essentially you're probably right, but I DO think we were under quite a bit of pressure at 2/80. Bracken got a pearler through Gayle, and that changed everything. But the guy was on absolute fire, with Lara still to come, and in terms of "all they needed was Gayle's wicket and it was game over", tell that to the South Africans.

Incidentally, Lara's had a pretty rotten tourney, hasn't he? Averaging around 25 before this innings, with the one 50.

 

[godofcricket]

McGrath takes Lara for 2, you were saying?

Well i will stick to my first post and say Mcgrath hasnt got enough variety to handle aggressive and attacking batsman.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Thats where i knew Mcgrath was never a great bowler, if a batsman attacks him he has no answer to it!!!!!! Gayle is just awesome.

Haha. This was silly to begin with, but it looks even better after the whole spell is finished.

 

[Dravid]

113-6. WI are done.

 

[Johnners]

Wicket, Samuels gone, Caught by Ponting from Watson, 6/113

 

[oz_fan]

Samuels out now to Watson for 7. WI 113/6.

 

[Johnners]

Haha. This was silly to begin with, but it looks even better after the whole spell is finished.

Potential Greigy?? or no falling into the right criteria?

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

This has been a remarkable comeback from Australia. I felt like the Windies might fall to bits after the second wicket went down (and tried to post it here I believe, but the site wasn't working for me), but never thought it would come apart so fast. Bracken bowled brilliantly and the ball that got Gayle was sensational.

And what can you say about McGrath? First two overs went for 22, then he came back with 2 for 2 off his next 5.

Will take a miracle for the Windies to win from here.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Potential Greigy?? or no falling into the right criteria?

Should be a pushover for it really.

 

[godofcricket]

Haha. This was silly to begin with, but it looks even better after the whole spell is finished.

Well i think u should know who should be given credit for that?

 

[andyc]

Well i will stick to my first post and say Mcgrath hasnt got enough variety to handle aggressive and attacking batsman.

Yeah, cause you know, that's why he's taken over 500 test wickets. Cause he lacks variety.

 

[Arrow]

You can always count on the windies to collapse pathetically. They are either great or useless. This game is over already.

 

[age_master]

This is one of the worst collapses i have ever seen, only partially saved by the start from Chanderpaul and Gayle.

 

[archie mac]

I expect to wake up in the morning, to another easy Australian victory.

Bring on the Ashes and a new series of 'The Office' (PLEASE)

 

[Slow Love™]

Another slaughter in a final. Australia finally get their hands on the Champions Trophy.

Extremely disappointing display from the West Indians. I won't say it was predictable, because I actually gave them a fair chance in this game (and they looked the goods early), but there's a bit of a sense of the inevitable about it all. Bracken obviously killed their chances when he extracted Gayle. MOM already for mine, unless somehow a West Indian bowler conjures up a way to win this game.

 

[godofcricket]

Yeah, cause you know, that's why he's taken over 500 test wickets. Cause he lacks variety.

Well if u want to bring tests into it, then i have no doubt in saying that Mcgrath is a perfect test match bowler, the best bowler for that type game. But even u have to agree that even in tests, like every other bowler he is not a bowler perfect for every situation. Dont try to argue on that basis.

 

[godofcricket]

Windies in tatters, amazing start to begin with then like any other team against australia, specially in the final a collapse.