DESPITE the 2003 World Cup in southern Africa being marred by boycotts of matches on political and safety grounds, one team marched forward relentlessly to cricketing greatness in no uncertain terms.

Ricky Ponting went one step further than his predecessor, Steve Waugh, as he led Australia to an unprecedented third title through a remarkable unbeaten sequence that has yet to be challenge to this day.

The format was same as it was in 1999 but addition of two more teams meant 14 sides participated in a record 54-match tournament, co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya.

However, New Zealand refused to play in Kenya while England opted not to travel to Zimbabwe for their group fixture on moral grounds. This was the World Cup during which Zimbabwean pair Andy Flower and Henry Olonga registered their black armband protest over ‘death of democracy’ in their homeland.

Bangladesh failed to repeat their heroics against Pakistan four years ago by returning after losing each of their six pool fixtures. Pakistan were not left behind as they scurried home after being knocked out in the preliminary phase.

Kenya unexpectedly profited from the ‘boycott factor’ to make the semi-finals where they joined Australia, India and Sri Lanka following the Super Six stage. South Africa made a mess of Duckworth-/Lewis calculations and found themselves out of the tournament after Mark Boucher failed to score one run in the last pool match against Sri Lanka.

In the semis, Australia prevailed over Sri Lanka on D/L Method by 48 runs while India got the better of Kenya to reach the March 23 final at the Wanderers Stadium.

Australia made Saurav Ganguly pay heavily for his gamble to field first by posting the first 300-plus total in a World Cup final. Appropriately, Ponting led the onslaught with a magnificent display of stroke-play, striking only four fours but a record eight sixes in an unforgettable 121-ball innings after Adam Gilchrist had set the tone early with a 48-ball cameo. Damien Martyn played perfect foil from the other end despite beating his captain to the 50-mark.

Ponting was awesome in the latter part of his stay as he scored 90 from 47 balls after taking 74 to reach his half-century. Martyn’s 84-ball gem contained seven fours and one six. Needless to say, the 234-run partnership was Australia’s highest for any wicket at the time.

The second-half was anti-climax as the shell-shocked Indians were bowled out in 39 overs to leave a deserving Ponting holding the trophy.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA:

A.C. Gilchrist c Sehwag b Harbhajan 57

M.L. Hayden c Dravid b Harbhajan 37

R.T. Ponting not out 140

D.R. Martyn not out 88

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-12, W-16, NB-7) 37

TOTAL (for two wkts, 50 overs) 359

FALL OF WKTS: 1-105 (Gilchrist, 13.6 ov), 2-125 (Hayden, 19.5 ov).

DID NOT BAT: D.S. Lehmann, M.G. Bevan, A. Symonds, G.B. Hogg, A.J. Bichel, B. Lee, G.D. McGrath.

BOWLING: Zaheer Khan 7-0-67-0 (2nb, 6w); Srinath 10-0-87-0 (3nb, 2w); Nehra 10-0-57-0 (3w); Harbhajan Singh 8-0-49-2; Sehwag 3-0-14-0; Tendulkar 3-0-20-0 (1w); Mongia 7-0-39-0 (2nb); Yuvraj Singh 2-0-12-0.

INDIA:

S.R. Tendulkar c and b McGrath 4

V. Sehwag run out 82

S.C. Ganguly c Lehmann b Lee 24

Mohammad Kaif c Gilchrist b McGrath 0

R. Dravid b Bichel 47

Yuvraj Singh c Lee b Hogg 24

D. Mongia c Martyn b Symonds 12

Harbhajan Singh c McGrath b Symonds 7

Zaheer Khan c Lehmann b McGrath 4

J. Srinath b Lee 1

A. Nehra not out 8

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-4, W-9, NB-4) 21

TOTAL (all out, 39.2 overs) 234

FALL OF WKTS: 1-4 (Tendulkar (0.5 ov), 2-58 (Ganguly, 9.5 ov), 3-59 (Mohammad Kaif, 10.3 ov), 4-147 (Sehwag, 23.5 ov), 5-187 (Dravid, 31.5 ov), 6-208 (Yuvraj Singh, 34.5 ov), 7-209 (Mongia, 35.2 ov), 8-223 (Harbhajan Singh, 37.1 ov), 9-226 (Srinath, 38.2 ov).

BOWLING: McGrath 8.2-0-52-3; Lee 7-1-31-2 (4nb, 2w); Hogg 10-0-61-1 (2w); Lehmann 2-0-18-0; Bichel 10-0-57-1 (4w); Symonds 2-0-7-2 (1w).

RESULT: Australia won by 125 runs.

UMPIRES: S.A. Bucknor (West Indies) and D.R. Shepherd (England).

TV UMPIRE: R.E. Koertzen (South Africa).

MATCH REFEREE: R.S. Madugalle (Sri Lanka).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Ricky Ponting.