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| March 25, 2003 | Tuesday | Muharram 21, 1424 |
Aussies in same breath as Yankees and Real Madrid
JOHANNESBURG, March 24: Great sporting dynasties such as the New York Yankees and Real Madrid have an infinite capacity to regenerate themselves.
The current Australia side, in a class of their own at the World Cup which concluded on Sunday, can legitimately claim the same status as the giants of American baseball and European soccer.
India earned their place in the final with an unbeaten run after losing in the first round to Australia.
Yet in neither match were Australia remotely threatened by Saurav Ganguly’s men. Australia rattled up a total 487 runs for the loss of just three wickets at a healthy run rate of 6.7 an over.
Australia won handsomely on Sunday because their top-order batting clicked at last in a record 359 for two. They could afford to fall below their usual impeccable standards in the field and their bowling was not at its sharpest.
After only 10 balls it was clear which way the match was going. Zaheer Khan conceded 15 in his opening over and the Australians were on their way to an embarrassingly one-sided win.
Like the Yankees, the current Australia side have a manifest confidence, swagger and athleticism. Those who deplore their domination of one-day and Test cricket are the same people who find the sustained excellence of Tiger Woods and the Williams sisters boring.
An essential part of the Australian success is their refusal to set any limits to their ambitions and possibilities.
Modern one-day cricket has an increasing affinity with baseball with a result assured, every ball counting and an emphasis on fielding. As with Test cricket, Australia simply play it better than anybody else.—Reuters
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