Champs Aussies destroy India

JOHANNESBURG: Australia retained the cricket World Cup with a 125-run win over India in yesterday’s final at the Wanderers. Skipper Ricky Ponting scored an unbeaten 140 off 121 balls as Australia compiled 359 for two — a record total for a World Cup final — after being sent in to bat. In reply, India was bowled out for 234 in 39.2 overs, with Glenn McGrath snaring three wickets, including the valuable wicket of Sachin Tendulkar in the first over.

Australia extended its winning stretch to 17 matches, collected an unprecedented third world title and became the first team since the West Indies in 1979 to successfully defend the World Cup. The Australians previously won cricket’s quadrennial showpiece in 1987 and ‘99. McGrath picked up the last wicket, having Zaheer Khan caught by Darren Lehmann for four, with the Indians still needing 126 runs off 10.4 overs. The 33-year-old paceman finished with 3-52. Opener Virender Sehwag scored a run-a-ball 82 before his run out spelled the end of India’s hopes. The 24-year-old was at the non-striker’s end when Tendulkar (four) — who’d assured the Player-of-the-Tournament honors before the final — was caught and bowled by McGrath on the fifth ball. Sehwag then shared a 54-run stand off 59 balls with skipper Sourav Ganguly (24) before India lost two quick wickets to slip to 59 for three.

Brett Lee had Ganguly caught by Lehmann and McGrath picked up his second wicket, having Mohammad Kaif (duck) caught behind. Sewag blazed three sixes and two boundaries and shared an 88-run stand with No 5 Rahul Dravid for the fourth wicket before he was out by Lehmann’s direct hit from mid off to reduce the Indians to 147 for four. Dravid notched 47 from 57 balls before he dragged an Andy Bichel delivery back onto his stumps. Yuvraj Singh (24) survived three dropped catches and finally succumbed when he tried to hit against the spin of Brad Hogg and was caught in the outfield by Lee. Andrew Symonds picked up two wickets in his first two overs. Dinesh Mongia (12) was brilliantly caught by a diving Martyn at mid-on and Harbhajan Singh was surprised by a bouncer and turned a catch around to McGrath as India was reduced to 223 for eight. Lee increased his tournament haul to 22 wickets when he returned to bowl Javagal Srinath as India slipped to 226 for nine.

A 26-minute rain interruption, when India was 103 for three in the 17th over, had earlier threatened to force the match into a reserve day. But as soon as the Indian innings went into its 26th over, a result was guaranteed regardless of further rain interruptions. Earlier, Ponting’s unbeaten 140 — the highest individual score in a World Cup final - and his 234-run third wicket stand with Martyn had propelled Australia to its highest total ever in 534 limited-overs matches. Ponting brutalised India’s highly-rated pace attack for eight huge sixes and four boundaries, while Martyn scored an unbeaten 88 after the Australians were sent into bat. Exploiting a fast, even wicket similar to conditions at home, the Australians got away to a flyer with Adam Gilchrist (57) and Matt Hayden (37) putting on 105 for the first wicket.

Offspinner Harbhajan stemmed the run flow, for a while, when he removed Gilchrist and Hayden as the Australians lost two wickets within 20 runs to be 125 for two in the 20th over. But Ponting and Martyn consolidated and helped Australia overhaul the previous highest total in a World Cup final by the 45th over. The West Indies’ record total 291 for eight had stood since the inaugural World Cup final against Australia in 1975. The West Indies had 60 overs to score their runs. Ponting also became the first Australian to score a century in a World Cup final and only the fourth overall. Playing in his third decider, after the loss to Sri Lanka in 1996 and the lopsided win over Pakistan at Lord’s four years ago, Ponting turned a single off Javagal Srinath in the 46th over to reach triple figures and increase Australia’s total to 299 for two.

Martyn, who missed Australia’s semi-final win over Sri Lanka with a fractured right index finger, had stroked six boundaries and reached his 50 off 46 balls, while Ponting took 74 balls and produced only one boundary in his 50. Ponting then took charge, smacking Harbhajan for consecutive sixes over mid wicket when the offspinner was brought back into attack in the 39th. After being sent into bat, Gilchrist and Hayden smashed India’s pace attack around for the first nine overs, forcing Ganguly to introduce spin. The bowling change worked when Gilchrist miscued an attempted sweep off Harbhajan and skied a catch to Sehwag at deep midwicket. Hayden added 20 with Ponting before he was caught behind.  India’s pace attack, with a combined 49 wickets in the tournament, bowled too short and didn’t collect a wicket against the Australians in the tournament. In the first over, Zaheer Khan, who had 18 wickets for the tournament, conceded two no-balls and six wides as the Aussies raced to 15 and he finished with 0-67 off seven overs.  Srinath, who conceded two boundaries and a six to Gilchrist in the eighth over, returned 0-87 from 10 overs. Harbhajan had figures of 2-49 off seven overs.