3/31/2015

TheAustraliansupremacyTheHindu

OpinionEditorial
Published:March31,201502:09IST|Updated:March31,201505:25IST

TheAustraliansupremacy
IftherewereanydoubtsaboutAustraliaspreeminenceincricketsworldorder,thosewereruthlesslybanishedatthe
MelbourneCricketGroundonSunday.AfifthWorldCupcrownin11editionseachachievedinadifferentcontinent,
between1987andnowconfersanauraofsupremacyasnothingelse.ConsiderthatAustraliahasmadetwoother
finalsatthegamesquadrennialshowpieceevent,andyougetasenseofacountrythatproducesdynamic,match
winningcricketerswhopassonbloodymindednessfromgenerationtogeneration.MichaelClarkesmenwereslight
favouritesatthestartofthecurrenteditionhardlyanyoneincricketcirclespicksagainstAustraliainbigtournaments,
especiallyoutsidethesubcontinent.Giventhesidewaslikelytoplayamajorityofitsmatchesathomeincludingthe
semifinalandfinalatSydneyandMelbournerespectively,stompinggroundswhereithashistoricallybeenhardtobeat
itwasnosurprisethatthesmartmoneywasonAustraliaregainingthetitle.Butbeingfanciedisonething.Towin
anddoitsooftenthatitappearsinevitable,particularlyinbiggames,isthehardestchallengeinprofessionalsport.
Australiagrewinstrengththroughthetournament,asClarkeandtheinfluentialJamesFaulknerreturnedafterinjury
enforcedabsences.TheonewicketdefeattoNewZealandwhenthesidesfirstmet,Clarkesaid,wasawakeupcall.But
heknew,asdidmostwhofollowthegameclosely,thatAustraliahadnobusinessstayinginthecontestaslongasitdid.
Othersidesinthetournamenttooknotice:thefearedAustralianwillwasapparentallthatremainedwasforitsgame
rhythmtoclickintogear.SteveSmithandMitchellStarcshonethebrightest,theformerbattingwithcalmmasteryin
theknockoutmatches,thelattercreatingchaosandpanicintheoppositionwithsearingleftarmpace.Bothplayed
vitalpartsinthefinaltoo,StarcremovingthetonesettingBrendonMcCullumandSmithensuringthatasmallchase
sufferednonerves.ButthiswasanAustraliansidefullofexplosivegamebreakers.UnderClarke,wholeftoneday
cricketinafairytalefinish,thesideplayedstirring,attackingcricketmuchliketheteamitbeatinthefinal.New
Zealandlookedlikeaheartwarmingunderdogstorytothecasualfaninrealityithasbeentheformsideinoneday
cricketoverthelastsixmonthsorso.Itsvibrant,intelligentstyleofplayestablishedtheWorldCupszeitgeistwith
eightsuccessivewins.AoneofffinalinunfamiliarMelbourneafterallitsmatchesathomeprovedtoomuch,
however.Australiawasbetterontheday,asitsooftenis,butNewZealandprovedthatvalourandimaginationcan
bringtheimpossiblewithingrasp.
Keywords:ICCCricketWorldCup2015,CricketWorldCup2015,WorldCup2015,AustraliavsNewZealand
Printableversion|Mar31,20152:50:13PM|http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/the
australiansupremacy/article7049880.ece

Viewcomments(8)

TheHindu

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/theaustraliansupremacy/article7049880.ece?css=print

1/1