WI vs The Aussies T20 #1 match report: The Kangaroo Collapse.
Dear WI cricket fan; yes, we won. You can stop rubbing your eyes in disbelief now. At the end of a game that can only be described as unexpected, the WI emerged triumphant by 18 runs with 4 overs to spare. Did the home team really WIN this as much as the Aussies contrived to LOSE it, though? This, my fellow cricket fans, is the question that occupies my thoughts as I await the start of today’s game, for I cannot help but think that in a contest that lasted a total of 36 overs, the WI were virtually outplayed for the first 30 and then the Aussies spent the last 6 committing cricketing hara-kiri.
To partner the returning Fabien Allen in the spin department, WI went with Hayden Walsh Jr. Gasp! A wrist-spinner! Imagine that! Apparently, SOMEONE took notice of Shamsi’s success in the previous series vs SA. Kudos to them. No Pollard meant a captaincy debut for Pooran but more importantly, someone would need to finish the innings strongly. The early signs were not promising as Aussie skipper Finch sent in the WI and by the 8th over the top 3 were back in the pavilion with only 35 runs on the tins. At the halfway mark of the innings, the total was a paltry 53-3, and Josh Hazlewood must have been considering changing his name to Sandalwood for he had completely mesmerized the WI batters with figures of 2 for 3 in 3 overs. 16 out of his 18 deliveries were DOT BALLS. This from a PACE BOWLER. Pooran’s mindset is clearly not right at the moment and if his run-out doesn’t prove that nothing will. Luckily, Dre Russ decided to shake off the rust from his broad blade and took up the finisher’s role with gusto, belting 51 off 28 balls to see WI to a final total of 145-6. I confess that I thought this was at LEAST 30 runs shy of really challenging the Aussies, but what do I know eh? Russel’s antics apart, however, the WI batters again failed to keep the score moving along. Whilst they averaged a dot-ball total of around 48 vs SA, in the face of steadier and more consistent lines and lengths from the Aussies we were one ball short of TEN OVERS of scoreless deliveries. I shudder to think what must eventually happen before this approach is abandoned.
Dear WI selectors; the Fidel experiment is a failure. Yeah, it’s just been a couple games of it, but come on – WHEN was he EVER going to be the disciplined, economical opening option? Oh, and by the way, Russel looks barely any better. Please stop letting the occasional wicket they pick up lull you into thinking that you don’t need better bowling options. Their 3 combined overs gained 1-38. Nuff said. The Aussie top order was seemingly intent on securing victory. By the end of the powerplay, they had already scored 47.9% of their required target and at the halfway mark, were sitting very comfortably at 105-4, needing 41 runs off 60 deliveries. Here it was that the toughness of Walsh Jr. and McCoy would show up in spades. Both were taken for 10 and 17 respectively in their earlier first overs, but their return to the attack sparked the kind of collapse that the WI is usually known for. Bowling in tandem for the next 6 overs, they snared the remaining 6 Aussie wickets for the addition of 22 runs. Neither can be realistically called the best exponent of their individual bowling styles, but what they DID have was the element of surprise since the Aussies had not played against either before. This, partnered with the discipline to keep their deliveries in the right areas, led to all-out panic at the disco for the men from down under. No doubt the Aussie coach will be hopping mad at some of the shots his batters fell to, but WI, in the end, was simply elated to have snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
Let us hope that today’s contest does not see our Merry Men in Maroon be complacent and expect more of the same from their opponents. They would do well to remember that of all the deadly species of animals that are present down under, a wounded and embarrassed Aussie cricket team is perhaps the most lethal.
