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| February 25, 2003 | Tuesday | Zul Hijjah 23, 1423 |
Easy win virtually puts Australians into Super Six
BULAWAYO (Zimbabwe), Feb 24: Australia were given their most searching World Cup Group ‘A’ examination so far by Zimbabwe on Monday before coasting to a seven-wicket victory.
The hosts fought back from 142 for six to reach 246 for nine, the highest score against Ricky Ponting’s side in the tournament, as all-rounder Andy Blignaut bludgeoned 54 from only 28 balls, the third fastest fifty in World Cup history.
Then with Zimbabwe’s spinners taking the pace off the ball effectively, it took some hard work from Australia’s batsman to ensure the world champions remained unbeaten in the tournament, securing their fourth successive win with 15 balls to spare.
Damien Martyn made his second successive fifty of the tournament, finishing unbeaten on 50, and Darren Lehmann scored 56 not out as Australia’s fourth-wicket pair added 92 in 15 overs to guide their side home.
The victory has virtually secured Australia a place in the Super Six with two qualifying matches to play and also means they are the only side in either qualifying group with maximum points.
The final victory margin appeared comfortable, but it was not achieved without some moments in which Zimbabwe threatened Australia’s control of events.
When Brad Hogg took two wickets in successive balls in the 37th over of the Zimbabwe innings, the home side looked set for a score of less than 200. Blignaut, though, had other ideas.
He pulled and drove powerfully and at one stage Zimbabwe scored 37 in two overs from Jason Gillespie and Hogg.
Blignaut reached his 50 from just 25 balls, a mark only bettered in World Cup history by Brian Lara (23 balls) and Wavell Hinds (24 balls) both scored the previous day against Canada, and it took a freak catch to remove him.
The left-hander drove powerfully at a full toss from Brett Lee and the startled bowler somehow held on to the return catch as he put up his hands more in self-defence than any genuine hope of clutching the ball.
Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak maintained his side’s late momentum with an unbeaten 28 from 19 balls and it meant the home side had a more than useful total, ruining some of the good work done earlier by Hogg and Andrew Symonds.
Symonds conceded just 35 runs in 10 overs of medium pace, while Hogg claimed three prized wickets with his left-arm wrist spin.
On the day Nathan Hauritz was named as Shane Warne’s slow bowling replacement in the Australian squad, Hogg showed he can fill the spin bowling role in the side with three for 46, including the prized wicket of Andy Flower.
Zimbabwe’s senior batsman had cruised to 62, including eight glorious fours, when he went back to cut Hogg and was beaten and bowled by a quicker ball.
Flower and his brother Grant had stabilised the Zimbabwe innings with a third-wicket stand of 84 in 21 overs after the early loss of openers Guy Whittall and Craig Wishart to Gillespie and at 112 for two the home side looked well placed.
However, a mix-up between the pair left Grant run out at the bowler’s end by a direct hit from wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist and that was the start of a middle order decline. Hogg removed Andy Flower and followed that coup by dismissing Dion Ebrahim and Doug Marillier in successive balls.
When Australia batted they got a solid start from Matthew Hayden (34) and Gilchrist (61) but were still indebted to Zimbabwe’s generosity as Gilchrist was dropped twice on 12 and 50.
The opening pair added 89, but when Hayden was caught at short fine leg Zimbabwe’s spinners Marillier (1-32) and Brian Murphy (1-40) established some control.
Marillier eventually had Gilchrist caught in the deep by substitute fielder Sean Ervine, on the field for Andy Flower who sat out the Australian innings with a groin injury, and when Ponting (38) was caught and bowled by Murphy, Australia still required 91 to win.
They could have cracked but Lehmann and Martyn played with calm authority to show why the World Champions are such hot favourites to retain their title.
Scoreboard
ZIMBABWE:
C.B. Wishart b Gillespie 10
G.J. Whittall c Hogg b Gillespie 1
A. Flower b Hogg 62
G.W. Flower run out 41
D.D. Ebrahim b Hogg 15
T. Taibu b McGrath 23
D.A. Marillier c Ponting b Hogg 0
A.M. Blignaut c and b Lee 54
H.H. Streak not out 28
B.A. Murphy b McGrath 1
D.T. Hondo not out 1
EXTRAS (B-4, LB-3, W-3, NB-4) 14
TOTAL (for nine wkts, 50 overs) 246
FALL OF WKTS: 1-13, 2-28, 3-112, 4-121, 5-142, 6-142, 7-208, 8-242, 9-244.
BOWLING: McGrath 9-2-24-2; Gillespie 9-1-50-2; Symonds 10-1-35-0; Lee 10-0-64-1; Hogg 8-0-46-3; Martyn 4-0-21-0.
AUSTRALIA:
A.C. Gilchrist c sub b Marillier 61
M.L. Hayden c G. Flower b Hondo 34
R.T. Ponting c and b Murphy 38
D.R. Martyn not out 50
D.S. Lehmann not out 56
EXTRAS (LB-1, W-8) 9
TOTAL (for three wkts, 47.3 overs) 248
FALL OF WKTS: 1-89, 2-113, 3-156.
DID NOT BAT: M.G. Bevan, A. Symonds, G.B. Hogg, B. Lee, J.N. Gillespie, G.D. McGrath.
BOWLING: Streak 6-0-39-0 (1w); Blignaut 10-0-53-0 (4w); Hondo 9-0-49-1; Whittall 3.3-0-26-0; Marillier 10-1-32-1 (3w); Murphy 9-0-48-1.
RESULT: Australia won by seven wickets.
UMPIRES: B.F. Bowden (New Zealand) and D.L. Orchard (South Africa).
TV UMPIRE: B.G. Jerling (South Africa).
MATCH REFEREE: G.R. Viswanath (India).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Andy Blignaut.—Reuters
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