Sunday, February 14, 2010

Australia take series: Windies a match for Afghanistan?

ODI#3 at the SCG was a washout where only one over, delivered in in two instalments - seven balls (including two wides), punctuated by a long rain break, then the sixth legit one - could be bowled as the West Indies began to chase down Australia's 225.




Today Australia won ODI#4 comfortably, more so than the scorecard indicated. After Chris Gayle, for reasons which eluded me, chose to field after winning the toss, Ricky Ponting's 106/112b (2x6, 6x4), his best ODI innings of the season, led the charge against a modest attack. 7/325 was always going to be too many for the uneven Windies batting to chase unless Gayle matched Ponting though they gave it a good shake, which might have been even better had Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Smith come in earlier.

Australia now leads the series 3-0 with one to play. Would, I wonder without too much of my tongue in my cheek, Afghanistan who have just qualified for the ICC World Twenty20, provide a more even contest if they played the West Indies? We may soon find out.

No comments: