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Friday 13.02.2015 to Sunday 15.02.2015 | Dubbo Weekender
CRICKET WORLD CUP 2015 C
There’s no place like Steve Smith looms large as the Aussies try to win the World Cup on their own turf for the first time, writes Rob Forsaith
AUSTRALIA AARON FINCH Age: 28 ODIs: 41 Batting average: 37.10 The hard-hitting Victorian, who is playing in his first World Cup, blasted a Twenty20 world-record 156 against England in 2013, but is also capable of more measured match-winning knocks.
GEORGE BAILEY Age: 32 ODIs: 56 Batting: 41.74 Despite being Australia’s vice-captain, the Tasmanian’s recent form is a cause for concern. Hasn’t posted an ODI half-century since his 70 against South Africa on November 14.
MITCHELL JOHNSON Age: 33 ODIs: 145 Batting: 16.14 Bowling: 25.50 Was crowned ICC Cricketer of the Year in 2014 after firing Australia to Test series wins over England and South Africa. His recent one-day form has been just as impressive.
OR the vast majority of Steve Smith’s childhood, he knew no better. From age 10 until 21, Smith’s compatriots had a veritable mortgage on the most meaningful piece of cricket silverware in the world. They won in 1999, 2003 and 2007, becoming the first nation to triumph at the one-day international event three consecutive times. But when Smith left for the subcontinent in 2011 as a leg-spinning all-rounder yet to register a half-century in 15 ODIs, the glory one-days ended. Fresh from a humiliating home Ashes series loss, Australia went down by five wickets to eventual winners India in their World Cup quarter-final. Smith didn’t play that match. Most fans would remember his collision in the field with Ricky Ponting, when instead of celebrating a catch the skipper hurled the ball to the ground in frustration. Four years later, Smith carries the bulk of the burden when fourtime champions Australia seek to win the World Cup on home soil for the first time. The 25-year-old will have plenty of support. David Warner and Aaron Finch are arguably the most potent opening partnership in the world, James Faulkner is a formidable finisher, while Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc loom as game-breakers with the ball. But it is Smith who will be the key wicket for rivals, after a stellar year in which he transformed from fringe player to the side’s form batsman. Smith’s 769 runs in the fourTest series against India broke all manner of records, but the right-
DAVID WARNER Age: 28 ODIs: 54 Batting: 32.73 The fiery opener is capable of taking the game away from the opposition in a handful of overs, but is yet to dominate one-day cricket in the same fashion he has Tests.
GLENN MAXWELL Age: 26 ODIs: 41 Batting: 30.67 Bowling: 38.03 Suffered a major form slump after his Test call-up in the UAE but bounced back in the recent tri-series final with a knock of 95 and bowling figures of 4-46. Likely to be the side’s main spin option.
MITCHELL STARC Age: 25 ODIs: 33 Batting: 32.40 Bowling: 21.27 A proven performer with the new and old ball, he took his game to another level when spearhead Mitchell Johnson was recently sidelined, including a career-best 6-43 against India at the MCG.
SHANE WATSON Age: 33 ODIs: 180 Batting: 40.57 Bowling: 31.21 The 50-over format has been Watson’s most successful with the bat. Recently turned to meditation to conquer the sport’s mind games. Can the enigmatic all-rounder find form and fitness?
MITCH MARSH Age: 23 ODIs: 14 Batting: 38.18 Bowling: 48.33 A hamstring strain hampered his preparation for the World Cup, but if fit he should be part of Australia’s XI. Often shows composure beyond his years and is dependable with both bat and ball.
JOSH HAZLEWOOD Age: 24 ODIs: 8 Batting: N/A Bowling: 22.41 Comparisons with champion Aussie paceman Glenn McGrath are not misplaced, with Hazlewood’s greatest strength his consistent line and length. It would be tough to leave him out of the XI.
MICHAEL CLARKE Age: 33 ODIs: 238 Batting: 44.86 Bowling: 38.07 Hasn’t played a lot of one-day cricket over the past two years, but he is Australia’s most accomplished and experienced batsman. Chronic back and hamstring woes remain a major concern.
BRAD HADDIN Age: 37 ODIs: 118 Batting: 31.20 Survived a challenge from Matthew Wade to keep his spot and the early indication is it was the right call, with Haddin twice helping Australia chase down tricky totals in the recent tri-series.
PAT CUMMINS Age: 21 ODIs: 10 Batting: 11.00 Bowling: 35.50 The promising young gun has suffered a series of serious injury setbacks since his memorable Test debut at age 18, but he is fully fit and firing after being nursed through the summer.
STEVE SMITH Age: 25 ODIs: 50 Batting: 35.84 Bowling: 32.44 Just keeps rolling. One of the form batsmen in the world, who was crowned ODI Player of the Year, Test Player of the Year and Allan Border medallist at Cricket Australia’s recent awards night.
JAMES FAULKNER Age: 24 ODIs: 38 Batting: 48.12 Bowling: 32.36 Comes in under an injury cloud but his record of finishing off ODI chases with ice-cool nerves is starting to get ridiculous. He was Australia’s leading ODI wicket-taker last year.
XAVIER DOHERTY Age: 32 ODIs: 59 Batting: 14.42 Bowling: 39.34 The Tasmanian has been the nation’s first-choice ODI spinner for most of the past four years. He won’t play every game, but will get a chance to shine on some pitches.
hander has recently looked just as composed in the dark green and canary yellow. Dating back to the century he scored against Pakistan in October, Smith has averaged 74.44 in 12 one-day internationals. AB de Villiers is the best batsman in the world and crashed an astonishing ODI century off just 31 balls last month. But Smith isn’t far behind. He showed as much in November, twice outshining the South Africa skipper to earn man-ofthe-match honours against the Proteas.
“He’s almost a captain’s nightmare when he comes to the crease after 25-30 overs,” de Villiers said during the five-match series. “He makes it really difficult for us.” Australia won that series 4-1. Form is arguably the strongest reason to make Australia tournament favourites – as bookmakers have. Powered by de Villiers, zen master Hashim Amla and ferocious firebrand Dale Steyn, South Africa should dominate Pool B. Australia are well-placed to do the same in Pool A and, if so, a March 29 MCG final be-
tween the two sides is very much on the cards. Given the fierce rivalry, which got even more heated last year after Michael Clarke’s confrontation with Steyn in Cape Town, it would be a fitting end to the event. Clarke’s desperation to return from hamstring surgery and lead his team for the first time at a World Cup has been an intriguing subplot over the past month. By all accounts the 33-year-old is well ahead of schedule after selectors set February 21 – Australia’s second match, against Bangladesh in Brisbane– as the deadline
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Leading the way: Steve Smith enters the World Cup in the best form of his career. PHOTO: AAP IMAGE
for him to take part. If Clarke proves he is fully fit, it’s likely stand-in skipper George Bailey will be squeezed out. Coach Darren Lehmann and his fellow selectors also face a tough task coming up with their first-choice bowling attack, given Johnson, Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins all command a berth. The pressure will be on chief selector Rod Marsh and Lehmann – as it will be on Clarke, Bailey, Smith and their teammates on the field. Even Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland, who
1975: West Indies bt Australia by 17 runs in final at Lord’s Gary “Gus” Gilmour was the star of the tournament and took five wickets in the final, but he couldn’t stop Clive Lloyd scoring a matchwinning century. 1979: West Indies bt England by 92 runs in final at Lord’s Sir Viv Richards belted 138 off 157 balls. Australia only managed one win – over Canada – in the group stage. 1983: India bt West Indies by 43 runs in final at Lord’s India caused a massive boilover, as Zimbabwe did on ODI debut when they defeated Australia in the tournament opener. 1987: Australia bt England
by seven runs in final at Kolkata David Boon’s 75 earned him man-of-the-match honours, while Craig McDermott topped the wicket-taking table with 18 scalps. 1992: Pakistan bt England by 22 runs in final at MCG Wasim Akram swung the match on its head. Co-hosts Australia failed to reach the knock-out phase of the first World Cup to feature coloured uniforms, floodlights, white balls and fielding restrictions.
1996: Sri Lanka bt Australia by seven wickets in final at Lahore Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath failed to take a wicket between them, as Sri Lanka became the first side to win a World Cup final when batting second. 1999: Australia bt Pakistan by eight wickets in final at Lord’s In a remarkably tame affair compared with the dramatic semi-final tie against South Africa, Darren Lehmann
hit the winning runs as Australia chased down a target of 133 in 20.11 overs. 2003: Australia bt India by 125 runs in final at Johannesburg Australia weren’t able to call on banned Shane Warne but still went undefeated at the tournament, with captain Ricky Ponting leading from the front in the final with a superb knock of 140. 2007: Australia bt Sri Lanka by 53 runs in final at Bridgetown Adam Gilchrist (left) creamed 149 off 104 balls, but his scintillating performance was overshadowed by a farcical finish in poor light. Australia again went through the tournament undefeated.
AP IMAGES
Living in the past: Cup history full of highlights
2011: India bt Sri Lanka by six wickets in final at Mumbai India (above) become the first side to win a World Cup final on home soil by chasing down 275. Australia were knocked out by India in the quarter-finals, when Ricky Ponting posted a century in vain.