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| Now for something of absolutely Earth shattering importance! |
Mathatmacoat |
04/29/07 |
Cricket World Cup
Adam Gilchrist
Farce ruins Cup defence
By Toby Forage
FOXSPORTS.com.au editor
April 29, 2007
AUSTRALIA won an historic third successive World Cup this morning, but not before celebrating prematurely as the tournament's troubled run ended in complete farce.
With three overs left in the match, reduced to 38 overs-a-side because of rain, Sri Lanka's batsmen were offered the light and accepted, sparking wild celebrations from the Australia players.
But after whoops of delight and much prancing around, Ricky Ponting's men were told the game wasn't over after all, and after a long discussion with umpires Aleem Dar and Steve Bucknor, as well as off-field officials, play continued in near darkness.
It was an appalling way to finish a tournament that has been pilloried for its excessive length and lack of depth, and the International Cricket Council will have much to ponder in the four years between now and the next tournament on the sub-continent
The biggest shame is that Australia historic moment, and a performance of sheer class from Adam Gilchrist, will be forgotten as a result of a quite ludicrous finale.
Even the presentation rostrum was sent back into the stands by the officials when the only result possible was an Australia victory.
Three overs in darkness and another wicket later, the game mercifully ended with Sri Lanka on 8-215, chasing Australia's imposing 4-281, losing by 53 runs in a match punctuated by rain delays and the chaos of the ilk Fawlty Towers scriptwriters would have been proud of.
Australia's total was set up by an awesome knock of 149 by Gilchrist, who racked up his runs in little more than two hours from just 104 balls to set a new individual high score record in the World Cup final, beating Ponting's record of four years ago of 140.
"It's been a while between drinks for my hundred, and really pleasing to do it on such an important day," Gilchrist said in the gloom as Australia celebrated in front of a crowd that was probably grateful for its bright yellow team colours, given the ridiculous gloom.
"It's an unbelievable feeling. The guys have worked so hard," he added, without making mention of the bizarre circumstances of victory.
Gilchrist, dropped on 31, and fellow left hander Matthew Hayden's stand of 172 was a World Cup final first-wicket record, surpassing the 129 shared by England's Mike Brearley and Geoff Boycott during West Indies' 92-run win at Lord's in 1979.
Gilchrist opened up in Chaminda Vaas's second over. He flicked the bowler's eighth ball for four over square leg, and next ball he drove him over long-on for six.
Vaas, after an expensive three-over spell costing 24 runs, was replaced by fellow quick Dilhara Fernando, retained despite conceding 45 runs in five overs during Tuesday's 81-run semi-final win over New Zealand.
Fernando, in his second over, dropped a low caught and bowled chance off Gilchrist's checked drive, with the keeper on 31 and Australia 0-47, and conceded 74 from his eight overs.
Next ball Gilchrist struck him for four through mid-wicket to bring up Australia's fifty. The ball after was lashed through long-on and Gilchrist immediately topped that with a six in the same area.
He completed a 43-ball fifty with two sixes and five fours.
Off spinner Tillakaratne Dilshan wasn't let off the hook, Gilchrist driving the bowler over his head for two superb straight sixes as he passed his previous best score this tournament, 59 not out against Bangladesh.
The 35 year old then saw Australia to 100 in just 102 balls by off driving Fernando for six.
Gilchrist swept Murali for a six that soared over mid-wicket before Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene brought back trump card Malinga in a bid to break the stand. His first ball back was smashed for six over long-off by Hayden.
Gilchrist then struck Malinga to the same boundary to bring up a superb century in 72 balls with six sixes and eight fours.
Hayden, renowned as a power-hitter and the tournament's leading run-scorer, was still in the 30s.
Sri Lanka's chase began badly when Upul Tharanga edged a ball into Gilchrist's gloves behind the wicket after less than 10 minutes of the reply.
But Kumar Sangakkara and veteran left hander Sanath Jayasuriya gave Sri Lanka hope of a repeat of the 1996 final, when it beat Australia, with a partnership of 116 before Sangakkara was caught on 54 by Ponting off Brad Hogg's spin bowling.
When part-time bowler Michael Clarke clean bowled Jayasuriya for 63 with a short ball that didn't bounce, Sri Lanka's chase had faltered, and victory began to look inevitable.
After the farce of the end that wasn't, victory eventually was Australia's, and it's third straight World Cup in the bag.
Australia did not lose a single match at this World Cup, extending an extraordinary run of victories that goes back to 1999 and defeat to Pakistan in the group stage of that tournament, which it won to start the hat-trick of titles.
With Agence France-Presse
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Clarification/Follow-up by tomder55 on 05/02/07 10:50 am:
but you did not anser my question .
What does "offered the light" mean ? Clarification/Follow-up by Mathatmacoat on 05/04/07 3:42 am:
Tom, the game of cricket is an all day game usually ending at 6pm. Should the light deteroriate as a result of cloud cover or twilight, the umpires may ask the batting team's captain if they want to continue, because obviously it has become difficult to see the ball. This is called being offered the light. If the Captain decides to accept the innings ends. In this case there were still three overs, 18 balls, available. Theoretically a six, or even a four, on every ball would have ensured victory, but in poor light that's a very unlikely outcome. In this case those overs were played in almost darkness and with no lights on the oval. It is rediculous to stage a first class contest in a sub standard venue.
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