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Aussies lift the
DLF Cup with a comprehensive 127-run victory |
September 24, 2006 (Link to
Scorecard)
 Australia
have won the DLF Cup beating West Indies
comprehensively in the Final at the Kinrara
Academy Oval. Defending a total of 240, the
Australians bundled out Windies for a paltry 113
in just 34.2 overs to win by a huge margin of
127 runs. The World Champions were partly let
down by it top order as they struggled to gather
any sorts of momentum in the afternoon. But a
late resurgence coming through its clean
strikers, Australia posted enough runs on the
board for the likes of Lee, McGrath and co. to
play with. West Indies were very much on line to
win the match realistically till the 16th over
when they lost their last hope Skipper Brian
Lara to a bad piece of umpiring. After that it
was totally a one-sided affair with wickets
going down in quick time.
The start to the final wasn't promising enough
with the skies looking cloudy. The start from
the Aussies wasn't promising either as they lost
Shane Watson in the 7th over with nothing much
on the board. At one end there was Simon Katich
unable to break free and play any free flowing
shots. Ricky Ponting was expected to give the
much needed momentum to the innings but he was
done in by an unplayable inswinger at good pace
from Jerome Taylor. Australia couldn't make any
use of the powerplay blocks accumulating just
61. In an attempt to get a move ahead, Simon
Katich hit a sweetly timed six off Dwayne Bravo
over long off but his painstaking innings came
to an end soon caught off Chris Gayle in the
outfield after facing 66 deliveries for just 25.
Damien Martyn who had started off timing the
ball nicely stuck around with Andrew Symonds to
reconstruct the innings. Both batsmen eased into
a wonderful partnership to take Australia to 153
for 4 in the 39th over when Martyn had holed
down to long off in Ian Bradshaw's bowling.
Damien Martyn scored a 77-ball 52 with 5
boundaries with his square cuts being the
percentage shot of his innings. Andrew Symonds
fell soon after making a 59-ball 52 after he
picked up Morton in the outfield off the bowling
of leg spinner Ramnaresh Sarwan. Symonds's knock
contained a couple of powerful sixes on the
legside. Australia smashed 75 runs in the last
10 overs to get to 240 for 6 with Michael Hussey
remaining unbeaten on 30 (24 balls, 2x4s, 1x6)
along with Brad Haddin (17 in 12 balls with
1x6). West Indies bowling honours was once again
taken by Ian Bradshaw who conceded just 30
besides taking two wickets in his 10 overs.
Jerome Taylor was the next impressive bowler,
giving away just 36 in 10 overs along with the
wicket of Ponting.
The man who was so important in providing the
platform for West Indies, Chris Gayle was yorked
the very first ball of the innings by Brett Lee.
It was a 143kmph delivery that swung back to hit
the tall left hander on his toes much before he
could get his stick down. Chanderpaul was the
next to go in the 8th over as he was late in
checking his flick shot which had lobbed to mid
on. Runako Morton, the no.3 today did a Katich-act
which was even better than Simon Katich as he
just couldn't get even a single run after facing
31 deliveries. Morton was caught lbw playing
along the wrong line by Nathan Bracken. The left
armer who was driven through the covers
majestically by the West Indian Captain for
boundary was lucky to get his third wicket. It
was Brian Lara who was given out caught behind
off Bracken which turned out to be a poor
decision as the sound that had come was that of
Lara's bat hitting his pad in an attempted
drive. With West Indies at 32 for 4 in the 16th
over, it was a Herculean task for Sarwan to do
anything along with the rest of the players to
match Australia's bowling.
Sarwan did get a partnership going with Dwayne
Smith who was hitting out of trouble. But a
superb direct throw from Ponting ended Sarwan's
tiny little fight and after that there was no
looking back for the Aussies with Brett Lee
cleaning up the remaining three wickets. Sarwan
was the top scorer with 36 in 64 balls with 5
hits to the fence. Dwayne Smith's 30 was an
entertaining one as he got two sixes including a
pull shot off Shane Watson. Brett Lee finished
with 4 for 24 after bowling 8.2 overs and he got
the Man of the Match and the Man of the Series
award. Shane Watson was equally impressive
picking up two wickets in his 6 overs. Glenn
McGrath had little to do except to bowl a
six-over spell that produced as many runs.
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