Pace trio crush Zimbabwe
Champions Australia softened up a resolute Zimbabwe with fiery pace
and bounce to kick start their World Cup campaign with a resounding
91-run victory on Monday. Australia’s speed merchants Brett Lee, Shaun
Tait and Mitchell Johnson (four for 19) regularly hit the 145 kph mark
to reduce Zimbabwe to 44 for four within 13 overs, from which the
African nation never recovered and they were all out for 171.
While Lee and Tait resorted to the short pitch stuff, Johnson kept it
full and fast to torment the Zimbabwean batsmen.
Off-spinner Jason Krejza also chipped in with two wickets after the
pace battery had done its job with the new ball — giving Australia their
30th consecutive win in the 50-over tournament.
Zimbabwe only managed to delay the inevitable with a 44-run fifth
wicket partnership and an eighth-wicket stand of 49 runs as the sult was
well decided within the first 15 overs. Australia were initially tied
down by the Zimbabwe spinners before they managed to break free and post
262 for six after opting to bat first.
Tangled by a barrage of inspired spin bowling, Australia looked
guarded in their approach at the start and needed some powerful hitting
at the end in front of a quarter full stadium in Ahmedabad on a surface
which had no demons in it.
Ball trickled
Lusty hitting by vice-captain Michael Clarke (58 not out off 55
balls), David Hussey and Steve Smith at the close of the innings ensured
Australia went past the 250-run mark.
Zimbabwe started with paceman Chris Mpofu and the experienced
left-arm spinner Ray Price at the other end and both bowlers managed to
keep openers Shane Watson (79) and Brad Haddin under check as they
managed a meagre 28 runs in the first 10 overs. Haddin, on 16, was lucky
to survive when the ball trickled on to the stumps after hitting his
pad, but failed to dislodge the bails.
What was surprising was the approach from the openers who never
looked to attack the bowlers, barring the 14th over from Mpofu which
went for 17 runs and included four boundaries.
The sweep shot, a preferred choice of batsmen against slow bowling
was not employed much, as the Zimbabwe spinners went through their overs
at breathtaking pace. The Zimbabweans used the Decision Review System
judiciously and were successful on both their referrals to get rid of
Watson and Haddin leg before to their spinners.
Ponting and Watson managed to up the scoring rate with a 79-run
partnership off 75 balls but Watson’s dismissal and subsequently
Ponting’s run out hampered their tempo once again. Captain Ponting was
run out at the non-striking end by a brilliant direct throw from the
mid-wicket boundary by the lanky Mpofu while attempting a second run.
AHMEDABAD, Reuters
Australia
S. Watson lbw b Cremer 79
B. Haddin lbw b Utseya 29
R. Ponting run out 28
M. Clarke not out 58
C. White b Mpofu 22
D. Hussey b Price 14
S. Smith c Chakabva b Mpofu 11
M. Johnson not out 7
Extras (lb7, w7) 14
TOTAL (for six wickets; 50 overs)262
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-61 (Haddin), 2-140 (Watson), 3-144 (Ponting), 4-207 (White), 5-241 (Hussey), 6-254 (Smith).
BOWLING: Mpofu 9-0-58-2 (w2), Price 10-0-43-1 (w1),
Utseya 10-2-43-1 (w2), Cremer 10-0-41-1 (w1), Taylor 3-0-23-0, Chigumbura 2-0-18-0 (w1), Williams 6-0-29-0.
Zimbabwe
B. Taylor b Tait 16
C. Coventry c and b Lee 14
T. Taibu c Watson b Johnson 7
C. Ervine lbw b Johnson 0
E. Chigumbura c Haddin b Krejza 14
S. Williams c Watson b Tait 28
R. Chakabva lbw b Krejza 6
P. Utseya c Ponting b Hussey 24
G. Cremer c Haddin b Johnson 37
R. Price not out 5
C. Mpofu c Haddin b Johnson 2
Extras (b4, lb9, nb2, w3) 18
TOTAL (all out; 46.2 overs) 171
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-22, 2-40, 3-40, 4-44, 5-88, 6-96, 7-104, 8-153, 9-167, 10-171.
BOWLING: Tait 9-1-34-2 (nb1, w2), Lee 8-1-34-1 (nb1, w1), Johnson 9.2-2-19-4, Krejza 8-0-28-2,
Watson 3-0-7-0, Smith 5-0-24-0, Hussey 4-1-12-1. |
