CRICKET:IT IS rare for such an eagerly anticipated contest to live up to expectations. But this one did. A fast-fluctuating, red-blooded contest played out in front of a cacophonous and ultimately euphoric crowd, was won by India by five wickets with 14 balls to spare. This means that there is the small matter of a meeting between India and Pakistan in the semi-final in Mohali on Wednesday.
The Australians defended a total of 260 for six, thanks to a superb century from Ricky Ponting, and they protected it tenaciously right until the end. They were often quite brilliant in the field, hurling themselves across the turf and throwing their bodies on the line at every turn.
But their pacemen, despite summoning up every last dreg of energy, were not quite disciplined enough on a sluggish track. Moreover, the lack of quality in their spin department was exposed. They did not lack spirit but they lacked subtlety. So for the first time since 1996 someone else will be world champions.
Perhaps it will be India, though there were moments when they looked as if they might buckle under the pressure. In the end it was Yuvraj Singh, currently in princely form, who guided the home side to victory.
As ever there were some wonderful, flamboyant off-side shots, though he also threatened to run out several of his partners along the way. He finished it all off alongside Suresh Raina, preferred to Yusuf Pathan for this game, which now looks an inspired selection.
This pair of left-handers joined forces on 187 for five with the game in the balance. They did not exactly undertake to “get ’em in singles”. Singh peppered the off-side boundaries when Ponting recalled his pacemen; Raina launched a six off Brett Lee into the stands at mid-on and the game was just about up for the Australians.
Earlier in the Indian reply Sachin Tendulkar had batted exquisitely for 53. Then he edged outside the off-stump and walked for the second match in a row. For a while he was detained while the umpires checked the validity of Shaun Tait’s delivery.
It was just legitimate.
Gautam Gambhir scrambled a 50 but betrayed Indian nerves when he was run-out. So did Virat Kohli when he hit a David Hussey full-toss to midwicket. Those nerves extended to the crowd when MS Dhoni was caught at cover point with 74 runs still needed, but Yuvraj and Raina soon cheered them up.
There was not so much to cheer for Ponting, despite his return to form, though he could be proud of the commitment of his team. He did not bat like a man contemplating the delights of carpet slippers, the occasional round of golf and the odd guest appearance on Channel Nine’s equivalent of Strictly Come Dancing – they must have one.
He batted like great batsmen do on the big occasion: pragmatically. It did not matter to him how he got his runs. But he was damn well going to get them. He willed himself to 100, not because he was consumed by saving his career, but because there was a very important game to win. Australia have appeared in the final of every World Cup he has played in and he was determined that this sequence should not be broken.
Ponting came to the crease in the 10th over after Shane Watson was bowled by Ravi Ashwin, attempting to sweep. For a while he was content to bat in Brad Haddin’s shadow. The wicketkeeper has an exquisite touch.
But once Haddin was caught at extra-cover, Ponting had to carry the innings on his shoulders.
Depressed Yardy quits England squad
MICHAEL YARDY has withdrawn from England's World Cup squad suffering from depression and has returned home ahead of England's quarter-final against Sri Lanka in Colombo, writes David Hopps. After consultation with England's medical staff, Yardy has returned home immediately to receive specialist advice as he seeks to overcome an illness that
an England Wales Cricket Board statement said he "has been managing for a prolonged period of time".
A statement from Yardy, the Sussex captain, said: "Leaving at this stage of a World Cup campaign was a very difficult
decision to make but I felt it was the only sensible option for me and I wanted to be honest about the reason behind that decision." Hugh Morris, managing director of England cricket, said: "I would like to offer my full support to Michael on behalf of everyone involved with the England team and the ECB.
“He has been an integral part of the England set-up in recent years and while he will be missed in the knockout stages of the World Cup, our priority now is to ensure that he returns home to his family and is able to spend time recovering with a strong support network around him. " The ECB have applied to the ICC’s Technical committee to replace Yardy in their CWC squad and are awaiting a decision. Yorkshire’s all-rounder Adil Rashid, overlooked for the entire winter, would be one of the players in contention, along with Nottinghamshire’s Samit Patel.
Australia won toss and batted
Australia innings
S Watson b Ashwin 25
B Haddin c Raina b Yuvraj Singh 53
R Ponting c Zaheer Khan b Ashwin 104
M Clarke c Zaheer Khan b Yuvraj Singh 8
M Hussey b Zaheer Khan 3
C White c b Zaheer Khan 12
D Hussey not out 38
M Johnson not out 6
Extras (lb2 w9) 11
–––––
Total (for six wickets, 50 overs) 260
Did not bat: Lee, Krejza, Tait. Fall of wickets: 1-40, 2-110, 3-140, 4-150, 5-190, 6-245. Bowling: Ashwin 10-0-52-2 (1w), Zaheer Khan 10-0-53-2, Harbhajan 10-0-50-0 (4w), Patel 7-0-44-0, Yuvraj Singh 10-0-44-2, Tendulkar 2-0-9-0, Kohli 1-0-6-0.
India innings
V Sehwag c Hussey b Watson 15
S Tendulkar c Haddin b Tait 53
G Gambhir run out 50
V Kohli c Clarke b Hussey 24
Yuvraj Singh not out 57
MS Dhoni c Clarke b Lee 7
S Raina not out 34
Extras: (lb 3 w 16 nb 2) 21
–––––
Total (for five; 47.4 overs) 261
Did not bat: Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel.
Fall of wickets: 1-44, 2-94, 3-143, 4-168, 5-187.
Bowling: Lee 8.4-1-45-1 (3w), Tait 7-0-52-1 (2nb, 6w), Johnson 8-0-41-0 (2w), Watson 7-0-37-1 (1w), Krejza 9-0-45-0, Clarke 3-0-19-0, Hussey 5-0-19-1.
India won by five wickets
