Australians laugh last but laugh the best

NEW DELHI, April 14: Ajay Jadeja lost his wicket for the first time in this series, and it was one time India could not afford it. By then, ...

NEW DELHI, April 14: Ajay Jadeja lost his wicket for the first time in this series, and it was one time India could not afford it. By then, he had aggregated 356 runs in five matches and was duly crowned the Man of the Series. A little while earlier, Mohammed Azharuddin went past the 8,000-mark in one-day cricket. Ironically, it was the much-vaunted Indian batting that let them down when it mattered most. It had been accolades for India all this while but the title, in the end, went Down Under.

The Australians, coming into the final after a great deal of homework, bowled superbly to both Sachin Tendulkar and Saurav Ganguly. Azhar and Navjot Sidhu did put on 70 runs in 16.2 overs for the third wicket, but that was probably a trifle slow. And, the Indian total of 227 left the bowlers with a difficult task to do. Then, young Hrishikesh Kanitkar gave away 18 in one over, the 41st of Australian innings, to seal India’s fate in the Pepsi Triangular final at the Ferozeshah Kotla today. Australia won by fourwickets with eight deliveries to spare.

So, the Australians, who struggled through the tour — losing the Test series and two matches in the triseries league — won the big one. Leading from the front, today, was Steve Waugh who had all along maintained that his team could win the "big game". They did exactly and Waugh with his two for 42 and 57 also won the man of the final award.

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No less important was left-hander Michael Bevan’s role. A brilliant unbeaten 75 and his 99-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Steve Waugh (57) in 18.3 overs, ultimately clinched the issue.

The Indians will have no one but themselves to blame. Not even the law of averages, for the shots played were poor and no batsman stayed long enough to shore up. For a team that had four three-figure knocks from its batting stars in four league matches, the highest in the final was 48 from Jadeja.

A struggling Saurav Ganguly was beaten time and again till a ball rolled from his arm onto the back of the bat and into the gloves of adiving Gilchrist. Tendulkar was unable to really get going and Azhar went out to an atrocious heave. Once the top order had gone and wickets fell regularly, not even the reliable Jadeja could change the course appreciably. The loss of Tendulkar and Ganguly in the space of four overs left the Indian batting in disarray.

Azhar and Sidhu steadied the innings though their dismissals in close sequence once again put pressure on the remaining batsmen. Jadeja continued his form with the bat in the series but India finished at least 30-40 runs short.

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The only thing India did right was to win the toss, but nothing thereafter went their way. True, even the Australians were restricted in their run-rate till almost the 40th over. But with such a poor total, containing Australia was impossible. The only way India could have won was by dismissing the opposition. And, that was not to be as Australia seemed to determined to end a long and rather tough tour on a winning note.

Highlights

Australia’sfour-wicket victory in the final at Kotla today was their 16th tournament victory in limited overs cricket. It was Australia’s second in as many tournaments in 1988.

Indian skipper Mohammed Azharudin became the second batsman in one day internationals to score 8000 runs. He achieved this feat during his knock of 44 today. It was Azhar’s 257th innings in 278 one-day internationals. West Indian Desmond Haynes was the first batsman to score 8000 runs in ODIs.

Michael Bevan’s fifty off 95 balls was his 15th half century in 79 ODIs.

Steve Waugh’s fifty off 52 balls — with three sixes and three fours — was his 33rd half century in 240 ODIs.

Australia’s victory was their first against India at Ferozshah Kotla. Overall, it was Austrlia’s second victory in four matches at Kotla. Australia achieved this victory after losing four consecutive matches against India — two in the Titan Cup in 1996-97 and two in the league phase of the current tournament.

Michael Kasprowicz became thefirst bowler who got the wicket of Ajay Jadeja in the triangular series. Jadeja had scored 305 runs in four previous matches.

— Compiled by S Pervez Qaiser