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| March 2, 2003 | Sunday | Zul Hijjah 28, 1423 |
Australia v England factbox
FORMWATCH: Australia are in prime form, having just equalled the record of 11 One-day International wins in a row. Pakistan and India, their main rivals in Group ‘A’, were both crushed with Ricky Ponting’s side still in third gear.
England will be confused about their current form. A win over Pakistan, helped by an advantageous toss, was nevertheless impressive, with James Anderson taking four wickets. Defeat to India was distinctly unimpressive, despite a significant lost toss.
HEAD-T0-HEADS:
Australia have beaten England in their last 13 one-dayers, but occasionally England have gone close. In early January in Hobart in a tri-nation series, they lost by seven runs. Later that month in Melbourne, the margin was five runs. As often, though, Australia’s wins have been comprehensive. In June last year, they won by 125 runs as they skittled England for 86, Jason Gillespie taking 3-20. In January, it was 117, reserve bowler Andy Bichel taking 4-18 with Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden completing a 10-wicket win in 12.2 overs.
England’s last win came in 1999, when Graeme Hick hit a century.
KEY PLAYERS: Australia — if strike bowler Brett Lee breaks through England’s top order, the one-day all rounders to come are unlikely to last long against Australia’s front-line quicks. A few early wickets and the game could be over within a few overs.
England — Andrew Flintoff is a Russian roulette cricketer. Once in a long while, he does the extraordinary. He has only played against Australia once. It seems unlikely that Lee and company will worry too much about him but Flintoff’s heavy bat may be England’s best chance.
PREVIOUS WORLD CUPS: Holders Australia won the trophy for the first time in 1987 and, having achieved runners-up spots in 1975 and 1996, are the only country to have reached the final on four occasions.
England reached the semifinals in the inaugural 1975 tournament, and have since featured in three finals — 1979 (losing to West Indies), 1987 (losing to Australia) and 1992. Uninspired performances in 1996 and 1999, however, led to early exits.
VENUE: St George’s Park, Port Elizabeth — A surprise choice to stage a World Cup semifinal, St George’s Park is the oldest Test ground in the country, the venue for South Africa’s first ever home Test against England in 1889. It was the venue for South Africa’s last Test before isolation when they thrashed Australia by 323 runs in 1970, completing a 4-0 series sweep.—Reuters
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