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  • West Indies v Australia, Final, Champions Trophy

    <P class=news-subheading>West Indies v Australia, Final, Champions Trophy<P class=news-title>The Invincibles<P class=news-author>The Verdict by Peter English<P class=news-date>November 5, 2006<P class=news-body><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=170 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=10>
    </TD><TD class=photo>
    <TABLE cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=photo>' Other teams may try to convince themselves anything is possible, but modern-day Australians believe they are as invincible as their most famous predecessors' <NOBR>© AFP</NOBR>
    </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=news-body><P class=news-body>Many things make Australian teams such dominant outfits, but the knowledge they can win from virtually any position is one of the most devastating characteristics. Other teams may try to convince themselves anything is possible, but modern-day Australians believe they are as invincible as their most famous predecessors, especially in big matches. <P class=news-body>At times they almost seem to be toying with each other. "Let's see how much trouble we can dig ourselves out of today." In the Champions Trophy final Australia were struggling to hang on halfway down the cliff within ten overs. Chris Gayle supplied his whirlwind impression and at 2 for 80 West Indies had more control than an airport immigration officer. However, it didn't bother Australia and the lengthy break for rain in the second innings was the only serious disruption. <P class=news-body>Ricky Ponting's glare became more piercing as Gayle bounded, but there was no slumping in the field or terminal concerns from his charges. They knew it was time to lift and they moved swiftly from near death to certain victory. It was the same belief that drove Don Bradman's 1936-37 outfit from a 2-0 deficit to a 3-2 Ashes victory. Keith Miller had it when he convinced his journalist friend RS Whitington to write Australia would win the Durban Test of 1949-50, despite still wanting 250 on the final day after being bowled out for 75 in the first innings on a horrid pitch. <P class=news-body>Steve Waugh turned the trait into a trademark and has passed it on to this side. Success is not expected as much as it is demanded. It is why the embarrassment of Australia's previous misses in the Champions Trophy was treated so seriously even though the Ashes series, the peak of their calendar, begins in less than three weeks. <P class=news-body>There was no thought of engineering an early exit to gain more Test preparation even when West Indies over-ran them on the same Mumbai ground in the opening round. The team's heavy artillery started to move into firing range and repelled the opposition in four matches that were effectively knockouts, saving their biggest reaction for the final. <P class=news-body>Nathan Bracken, who opened ahead of Glenn McGrath, was the only one unscathed during the brutal opening exchanges and delivered an incredible spell considering the opposition's method. In collecting the first three wickets he kept Australia breathing - the dismissal of Gayle, bowled playing inside the line of an outswinger, was the highlight - as he waited for McGrath to recover from an early beating of 22 in two overs. Gayle's forceful six, pulled four and hammering off-driven boundary in consecutive balls stirred McGrath and he hit back with the essential wicket of Lara with the help of a wonderful left-handed diving catch by Adam Gilchrist. <P class=news-body>Moments like those win trophies. Lara, one of the few batsmen who has been able to sway Australia's confidence, was dispatched as part of another horrendous West Indies collapse. From the comfort earned by Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, they lost 8 for 58 as McGrath, Bracke
    "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

  • #2
    RE: West Indies v Australia, Final, Champions Trophy

    <P class=news-subheading>West Indies v Australia, Final, Champions Trophy<P class=news-title>Dancing to the Collapso<P class=news-author>Anand Vasu in Mumbai<P class=news-date>November 5, 2006<P class=news-body><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=170 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=10>
    </TD><TD class=photo>
    <TABLE cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=photo>Unpredictable or inconsistent? <NOBR>© AFP</NOBR>
    </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=news-body>"I love the tag unpredictable, which means that no opposition, no matter how strong they are can think that they're going to roll us over," Brian Lara, the West Indian captain, had said on the eve of the Champions Trophy final. But rolled over they were. After a rollicking start from Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Chris Gayle, losing ten wickets for only 89 and ending up all out for 138. Even rain, which stole an more than a hundred minutes of playing time, could not halt Australia's victory march. <P class=news-body>West Indies have played such good cricket in this tournament, at least in all their key matches before this, that talk of a resurgence has gained momentum. It would be harsh to overlook all the strides they have made on the basis of this one game - any team can be bowled out cheaply by Australia on the day - but it's also impossible to ignore the fact that West Indies are collapsing more often and more spectacularly than any other side. <P class=news-body>It was a day when Chanderpaul and Gayle began like men on a mission, blasting every bowler that came at them. Brett Lee was carted for 36 off three overs and had to be taken off the attack, Glenn McGrath's first two overs went for 22, and it appeared as though a huge score was on the cards. The fifty of the innings came in only the sixth over, a little after Chanderpaul had fallen, dragging Nathan Bracken back onto his stumps. <P class=news-body>Gayle, who has scored 474 runs in this tournament, hit some incredible shots - a pull over midwicket and a driven six over long-on against McGrath being the stand-out hits - but played inside the line of one from Bracken when on 37. From 80 for 2 in just the ninth over, West Indies then disintegrated, being shot out for 138. McGrath ending on 2 for 24 off his seven, including a stunning phase that read 5-3-2-2. <P class=news-body>Supporting West Indies is tricky business, for they always find a way to strain the nerves. On occasion they're thrashing international bowlers with the freedom of young men just hanging out at the larking about, but even then you fear that a complete reversal is never far away. The large crowd that had gathered for the final were fully behind them, chanting the names of several batsmen regularly, but they were silenced by the collapse that followed. <P class=news-body>And this wasn't the first time they'd capitulated. About two weeks ago, they'd suffered a rout in the qualifying stages of this tournament, being bowled out for only 80 by Sri Lanka. And it wasn't even Muttiah Muralitharan spinning a web that day; rather it was the industrious Farveez Maharoof who did the damage with a career-best 6 for 14. Later in the tournament West Indies were cruising to victory against India, chasing 224. At 212 for 3, with 12 needed from 14 balls, they were on their way. But, somehow, they managed to lose four wickets for seven runs, and scampered to the tape with just two balls to spare. <P class=news-body>Look back a little further, to the tournament preceding this one, and the story is the same. In the DLF Cup in Malaysia, West Indies were 172 for 1 chasing 280 against Australia, with Gayle scoring a half-century, and Chanderpaul creaming a fine 92. Then they surrendered to Shane Watson, who grabbed 4
    "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

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    • #3
      RE: West Indies v Australia, Final, Champions Trophy

      <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=600 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%">

      <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=620 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD noWrap width=150>ODI no. 2443
      </TD><TD align=middle>ICC Champions Trophy - Final
      Australia v West Indies </TD><TD noWrap align=right width=150>2006/07 season </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

      <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=620 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>

      Played at Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai (neutral venue), on 5 November 2006 - day/night (50-over match)

      Result Australia won by 8 wickets (with 41 balls remaining) (D/L method) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

      <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD></TD><TD colSpan=2></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR bgColor=#cccccc height=25><TD colSpan=3>West Indies innings (50 overs maximum)</TD><TD align=right>R</TD><TD align=right>M</TD><TD align=right>B</TD><TD align=right>4s</TD><TD align=right>6s</TD><TD align=right>SR</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD align=right></TD><TD noWrap width=192>S Chanderpaul</TD><TD width=246>b Bracken</TD><TD align=right>27</TD><TD align=right>53</TD><TD align=right>18</TD><TD align=right>4</TD><TD align=right>1</TD><TD align=right>150.00</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD align=right></TD><TD noWrap width=192>CH Gayle</TD><TD width=246>b Bracken</TD><TD align=right>37</TD><TD align=right>27</TD><TD align=right>27</TD><TD align=right>6</TD><TD align=right>2</TD><TD align=right>137.03</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD align=right></TD><TD noWrap width=192>RR Sarwan</TD><TD width=246>c Hogg b Bracken</TD><TD align=right>7</TD><TD align=right>13</TD><TD align=right>9</TD><TD align=right>1</TD><TD align=right>0</TD><TD align=right>77.77</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD align=right></TD><TD noWrap width=192>DJ Bravo</TD><TD width=246>lbw b Hogg</TD><TD align=right>21</TD><TD align=right>86</TD><TD align=right>47</TD><TD align=right>3</TD><TD align=right>0</TD><TD align=right>44.68</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD align=right></TD><TD noWrap width=192>BC Lara</TD><TD width=246>c Gilchrist b McGrath</TD><TD align=right>[B]2
      "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

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