DEFEAT at the hands of England in the final of the Commonwealth Bank Series and a 3-0 Chappell-Hadlee Series thrashing by the Kiwis were hardly the ideal build-up to Australia’s ICC Cricket World Cup defence in 2007 – but all worked out okay in the end. Ricky Ponting’s squad, who still featured the likes of Glenn McGrath, Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden and Andrew Symonds, were never seriously tested in any of their 11 matches in the Caribbean.
Australia’s 53-run Duckworth-Lewis victory over Sri Lanka in the final was their lowest victory margin in the six matches in which they batted first, while they won their remaining matches by seven wickets or more when required to chase down a total.
McGrath, who bowled at first change behind Nathan Bracken and Shaun Tait throughout the six-week tournament, was named Player-of-the-Series after taking 26 wickets at 13.73, but the legendary quick was not the only Australian to excel.
Hayden finished the leading run-scorer for the tournament with 659 at 73, while Ponting was his side’s next best with 539 runs at 68.
Having crushed Scotland and the Netherlands by 203 and 229 runs respectively in their opening two Group A matches, Australia sent a message to their main rivals with an 83-run demolition of South Africa.
Australia, who were ranked second on the ICC one-day ranking behind the Proteas at the time, scored a whopping 6-377 from their allotted 50 overs.
Hayden set the tone with a fearsome 101 off 68 balls but was ably supported by Ponting (91 off 91) and Michael Clarke (92 off 103).
In reply, South Africa were bowled out for 294 in the 48th over, with Brad Hogg (3-61) and Bracken (2-40) starring with the ball.
The procession continued in the Super Eight stage as Ponting and company brushed aside the West Indies, Bangladesh, England, Ireland, Sri Lanka and New Zealand.
Their 215-run demolition of the Kiwis was particularly brutal. Hayden’s third century of the tournament (103 off 100) underpinned Australia’s total of 6-348 before Tait (3-23) and Brad Hogg (4-29) helped roll Stephen Fleming’s men for 133 in 26 overs.
Tait continued his fearsome form in the semi-final win over South Africa, claiming 4-39 including the vital scalps of AB de Villiers and Herschelle Gibbs at the top of the order, but McGrath was the real star taking 3-18 off eight overs.
Clarke hit an unbeaten 60 off 86 balls to guide Australia past the modest target of 150 and into their fourth consecutive World Cup final against Sri Lanka – the team that beat them in the 1996 decider.
While the 2007 final will always be remembered for its bizarre finish, which saw the final three overs bowled in near darkness, Gilchrist’s record knock should also never be forgotten.
After Ponting won the toss and elected to bat, the sweet swinging gloveman clubbed 149 off 104 balls – the highest-ever score in a World Cup Final – to lead Australia to an imposing 4-281 off 38 overs in the rain-shortened match.
Kumar Sangakkara (54 off 52) and Sanath Jayasuriya (63 off 67) were the only Sri Lankan batsmen to offer any resistance in difficult conditions as the ’96 champs struggled to 8-215 in reply.
The match descended into chaos when the umpires suspended play due to fading light and initially ruled the match would have to be completed the following day.
But Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene and Ponting agreed to complete the match, with Australia securing their third straight ICC World Cup victory with a 53-run Duckworth-Lewis triumph. (Herald Sun)