Beyond the boundary - Australia By A Nose (14 June 1999)

14 June 1999

Beyond the boundary - Australia By A Nose

Shakil Kasem

The last match of the Super Six, inexplicably enough, still had plenty of interest left in it. Australia needed two points to get to the semi-finals. Why this team, which had been the bookmakers' favourite all throughout the tournament, had to sing for its supper, boggled the mind. But, that was how it turned out to be. The aristocrats of cricket had to fight the plebes of the game to establish their credentials in the highest echelons of the game. Australia or Zimbabwe, that was the question.

South Africa in spite of their defeat against Zimbabwe, a result which had turned the cricket world inside out, had already booked a place in the semi-finals. What remained to be seen was whether Australia could pull off a victory that could put them within sniffing distance of actually redeeming the bookies' faith in their abilities. There was more than just pride at stake.

With New Zealand already assured of a place in the last four, it remained to be seen whether Australia had the wherewithal to deny Zimbabwe their place in the last four. With South Africa winning the toss and opting to bat, the Aussies had their work cut out. The Aussie bowling attack, aside from Glenn McGrath, looks fairly ordinary. Their customary trump card Shane Warne had not been in his elements in this competition. In this match, however, Warne displayed his true colours.

In spite of Herschelle Gibbs, who managed to handle the Aussie attack with aplomb, the rest of the innings struggled for a while against McGrath and a seam attack that was penetrative without being lethal. Kirsten prospered briefly, Cronje died early, while Cullinan flattered to deceive. It was left to Jonty Rhodes and Lance Klusener to take the Aussie attack to the sword and put 271 runs on the board for the Aussies to chase.

Quick wickets were the order of the day, and the South Africans tasted blood immediately. With the openers out of the way, Cronje probably had ideas of running through the rest of the order. It was not to be, however. First Ricky Ponting and then Steve Waugh put matters in the proper perspective. Ponting laid on the ideal launching pad, but it was the skipper who strung together the most vital of runs, to ensure Australia a chance of being where they rightfully belonged. Steve Waugh may have scored many a century in the past, but none quite as relevant and important as the one he scored yesterday.

South Africa showed enough chinks in their armour to suggest that the road to the final may not be as smooth as was once envisaged. The bowling, all seam and predictable, would need to fire on all cylinders, should any batsman, without a sense of humour, decide to take them at face value and proceed to do with them what he pleases. The Aussies, particularly Steve Waugh, gave enough indication that such a ploy might be on the cards. The fact that the Ausssies carried enough batting gunpowder right till the end, may have been the crucial difference between a team wanting to make the last four, as opposed to one that was simply the beneficiary of circumstances.

The famed grit and determination of the men wearing the baggy green caps, once again came into prominence. The question that remained unanswered, was why Australia had to leave it to the very end to assert themselves of their place in the semis. In retrospect, Zimbabwe were perhaps better off not being there. There is obviously a time and place for most things. For Zimbabwe, this was not their moment. No, they were not Prince Hamlet, nor were they meant to be. They were just attendant lords, ones that were meant to swell a progress, create a scene or two, as Eliot would have said. For some time at least, the stage has to be set aside for those who had been there before. They were the ones who were politic and meticulous. Zimbabwe would need to wait a while. The club for the big boys still remains exclusive and out of bounds.

Source :: The Daily Star