Australia too hot for Pakistan (21 June 1999)
Australia Made good their boast that they are the world's best when they won the World Cup at Lord's yesterday
21-Jun-1999
21 June 1999
Australia too hot for Pakistan
Tony Becca
Australia Made good their boast that they are the world's best when
they won the World Cup at Lord's yesterday.
Rated as Test cricket's number one, Australia were considered second
to South Africa in the limited version of the game going into the
World Cup, and going into the final, they were listed, according to
the bookmakers, as the underdogs.
In an almost perfect display, however, the Aussies not only won the
Cup for the second time, but they did so in a manner which left the
capacity crowd dumb-struck.
Despite losing three matches on the way to the final, the talented,
exciting Pakistan looked the class team of the tournament, and with
the tough never-say-die Australia, after winning one and losing two,
enjoying a wonderful run in which they won five matches and tied one
to reach the final, the showdown for the title was expected to be a
cracking affair - a glorious climax to an exciting and memorable
tournament.
So good were Australia, however, that it was nothing but an
anti-climax.
In a super performance, Australia routed Pakistan in 39 overs for the
lowest total in a World Cup final, and with Australia cruising to
victory in 20.1, the entire action lasted for a mere 59.1 of the
scheduled 100 overs.
Was it that Australia played so well, or was it that Pakistan played
badly?
It was a mixture of both. Australia bowled and fielded brilliantly,
and Pakistan, probably due to the combined pressure of some excellent
bowling by pacer Glen McGrath and right-arm legspinner Shane Warne
and the occasion, batted carelessly and died without a fight.
To many, especially those who backed Pakistan to win, captain Wasim
Akram made the wrong decision when he decided to bat first after
winning the toss. It probably, however, would have made no
difference.
Pakistan, it should be remembered, have a history of going to pieces
chasing a target. On top of that, it was a decision taken by the
entire team and its management - including the experienced Mushtaq
Mohammed; and apart from that, it should also be remembered that
Pakistan's strength is their bowling and that in limited-over
contests, most teams prefer to finish with their strength.
It may not have mattered, not only because the gods appeared to have
been on Australia's side following their escape against South Africa
when Herschelle Gibbs dropped Steve Waugh in their final, decisive
match of the Super Six round, and again when Allan Donald was runout
to tie the semi-final match, but also because the champions of 1987
were at the top of their form.
The first sign that the Aussies were hot was McGrath's opening overs
to Saeed Anwar and Wajahatullah Wasti, the second was when Mark
Waugh, flying to his right at second slip, took a magnificent catch
to dismiss Wasti off McGrath, and the third was when Warne, after
beating Ijaz Ahmed a few times, bowled him with a beauty.
After that, it was all Australia, and with Ricky Ponting diving to
his right at backward point and coming up with a super catch to
dismiss Saqlain Mushtaq off McGrath to end the innings, with Adam
Gilchrist and Mark Waugh thrashing Akram and Shoaib Akhtar with some
lovely strokes to the boundary, they finished in style.
The fans, especially those in Jamaica who did not want Australia to
win, may attempt to find many reasons for Pakistan's batting failure.
The fact, however, is that yesterday, Australia, led by McGrath and
Warne, and brilliant in the field, were too hot for Pakistan.
Based on Australia's good fortune in the two previous matches, the
gods were probably really on their side, and Pakistan may feel that
their fate was out of their hands. As Lance Klusener said yesterday
while reflecting on South Africa's misfortune in not reaching the
final, it just probably was not meant to be.
Akram, however, does not believe that. In the captain own words,
Pakistan were beaten by a better side.
Source :: The Jamaica Gleaner