Australia Zindabad (23 June 1999)

23 June 1999

Australia Zindabad

Elmo Rodrigopulle

In one of the most one-sided finals in the 24-year history of the World Cup, the tough, highly professional Aussie Kangaroos pounced on the Pakistanis overawed by the occasion to thrash them by 8 wickets before a packed house at the home of cricket Lord's on Sunday.

Reading the hype before the final, it looked as though the final would be a blood and thunder affair. The big talk of the Pakistanis that they preferred the Aussies in the final rather than the South Africans was a myth as the Aussies romped home finishing the game with 29.5 of the 100 over game to spare.

While the Paksitanis had a fairly easy entry into the final, the Aussies moved into the final by the skin of their teeth with a nail-biting finish against the South Africans.

When Wasim Akram won the toss and had no hesitation in batting, indications were that the strong Pakistani batting line up which runs up to number nine would fire and provide the Aussies with a difficult target to reach.

First the Pakistani early batting was shocked by Damien Fleming and Glen McGrath. Then that marvellous leg spinning sensation Shane Warne continued his mesmerising act again to bemuse, befuddle and completely destroy the Pakistani batting which folded up in 39 overs.

McGrath and Fleming moved the ball both ways, getting considerable lift and bounce and the Pakistani batsmen, whose footwork too was very poor fell easy prey.

When Warne came on, none of his victims used their feet to get to the pitch of the ball. They tried to play him flat footed from the crease and were lured to their destruction. It is essential for a batsman to use his feet to a spinner.

The younger batsmen in the Pakistani line up seemed to be overawed by the big occasion and were all nerves when at the wicket.

As for the Aussies they produced an awesome allround display and they richly deserved their runaway victory and with it the glittering World Cup which will be in their possession for the next four years until the next World Cup time comes around in 2003 in South Africa. It is said that catches win matches. The Aussies proved this with their excellent catching.

The Aussies had prepared earnestly and meticulously for the past four years in their endeavour to grab the richest prize offered in the one-day game.

When the Sri Lankans were in Australia early this year, the Australians were sporting the tag - future World champions. And they lived up to that tag and made their dream come true. They are now the second team to win twice. The Windies were the other team to win the world cup twice.

After dismissing the Pakistanis for a cheap 132, the Aussie openers Mark Waugh and Adam Gilchrist set about their task adopting the correct tactics. While Waugh stood firm, Gilchrist who had a string of failures in the earlier games, found his touch at the right moment and bashed the Pakistani pacemen Akram and Akhtar all round the ground.

When the second Aussie Wicket fell, it would have been nice to see skipper Stephen Waugh join his brother and making the winning runs. Two brothers at the wicket when the winning runs were made would have been a record of sorts.

But records were not in the mind of skipper Stephen. What he wanted was victory and Darren Lehmann drove a ball through the covers to present his skipper the trophy.

When I was in Australia in 1989 with the Sri Lanka team and when in conversation with former Aussie allrounder Neil Hawke, he told me that Lehmann would be the second Neil Harve. So well was Lehmann batting at that time, that many predicted a bright future for the South Australian. But that these predictions did not come true are just one of those things.

The Aussies as world champions will be first visiting Sri Lanka in August for a triangular which also includes India before playing three Tests against Sri Lanka.

One hopes that by that time Sri Lanka cricket would be in order to take on the world champions and if possible beat them.

The Minister of Samurdhi, Youth Affairs and Sports S.B. Dissanayake has in recent times appointed two top sportsmen to head the Cricket and Rugby selection committees. They are Sidat Wettimuny and Group Captain Tikiri Marambe.

Known as 'Lord Sid', Wettimuny is best remembered for his stunning knock at Lords during the one-off test in 1984. Sidat's two brothers Sunil and Mithra too sported Sri Lanka colours in cricket.

With Wettimuny and Marambe at the helm, cricketers and ruggerites vying for national honours are assured of justice, fairplay and merit when it comes to picking national teams.

Marambe was an outstanding product from Trinity College famous for producing top notch ruggerites. He was a clever and cunning scrum half for his school, the CR and FC and the Air Force where he won national colours. He shone in many Asiads and also had the honour of captaining the national squad.

Minister Dissanayake has chosen the best men to head these national sports selection committees and all sportsmen and sports people have nothing but respect and admiration for Wettimuny and Marambe.

Tikiri's brother Major General Nihal too played for Trinity and the Army and his career was cut short by a cruel knee injury that forced him to give up the game. Nihal was also an excellent cricketer.

Source :: The Daily News