Monday, June 8, 2009

Australia on the way home!

Or are they staying back and using the next 30 days to prepare for the Ashes?

I never thought that I would say 'Australia' in the same breath as 'Scotland and Bangladesh', but after tonight I am compelled to do it.

Scotland, Bangladesh, and Australia are out of the ICC World Twenty20.

And how.

The world may have figured out the mystery of Mendis, but this was the first time the Australians were up against him.

And they had no idea what to do.

Watson was clueless, Ponting tried to hit him out and failed, and Mike Hussey didn't read him at all.

Johnson played him the best; if it wasn't for him, Australia would have scored a lot less than 159.

Even Murali was difficult to score of; the Aussies managed only 8 runs of his first 3 overs, before Johnson came out and smashed 21 of his last one.

Have Ponting and Co. ever thought of taking batting lessons from Mitchell Johnson?

Malinga was also on top of his game. I just loved those slower balls that the Australians failed to pick throughout their innings.

What a beauty to get rid of Haddin. Johnson also faced one and was left bemused. Then that scorching yorker that got Lee. Awesome!

Then Dilshan happened.

Drives, cuts, pulls, sweeps, slog sweeps, sitting-down-in-weird-frog-type-stance-and-scooping-over-the-keeper shot, and what not.

Dilshan threw the entire kitchen along with the sink at the Aussies.

And then King Sanga took the Lankans over the finish line in his first international match as captain.

End result, Australia became the first major team to be dumped from the ICC World Twenty20.

Who would have thought, or as Homer would say, "thunk"?

Come tomorrow, Pakistan may join them, but for now Australia face this embarassment alone.

Make your pitch on this post...



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24 Pitched:

  1. Wasim said...
     

    yup! Gone fishing.

  2. Abdullah said...
     

    Australia are officially out. This is an amusing affair. T20 is full of unpredictable events and this has to be up there with the most unexpected elimination.

    I hope Pakistan exit as well because then they will realise the valuable absences, re-develop their structure and make some serious changes which is required in this low morale situation. There is no effective combination, game plan and intensity in the side and the way they have performed since arriving in the Uk has been quite pathetic. Specialism of t2o matchwinners has been a major loss and nothing can be justified to explain why the likes of Rana and Nazir weren’t named in the squad regardless. Apart from Umar Gul’s potent Yorkers and ajmal’s economical spell against England, Pakistan was thoroughly outplayed. Anyway the weather forecast is looking dim for tomorrow anyhow.

  3. Q said...
     

    Wasim, I hope they call Symonds back for that fishing trip.

  4. Q said...
     

    Maza, I know the feeling is low and depressive regarding Pakistan. But lets not hope they lose. Lets hope they make it. Lets get behind them one last time :-)

  5. Tifosi Guy said...
     

    Absolutely Shattering Loss to take as an Aussie supporter. How on earth did the last two performance occur still beggars belief.

    I was at work and thus missed the batting. Still I thought 159 - just about enough to trouble Sri Lanka, if they Jayasuriya early. That they did and then it all went pear shaped.

    Pontings tactics were absurd - to give Watson even one over was stupid, let alone two ! If this how Watson is going to ' bowl' even Panesar will be licking his lips to bat against him.

    Damn and here I was wanting an Ind - Aus final :( . Arrrrrrrrrrrrrgh

    I care two hoots now, as to who wins it , well yeah anyone but England and SOuth Africa..

  6. SledgeHammer said...
     

    @Q: I think I'm with Maza. I'm as big a supporter as they come. But it's not just blind support.

    It's one thing to try and play badly, or get some tough breaks, etc. Think WC 92.

    It's another whole ball game not to try at all. And then to make comments the way Younis did?

    OK, so if it's fun and games, fair enough. You came, you had fun, now go home. Netherlands are here for a real tournament. They respect themselves, the sport, and their fans. And as big a fan I am of Pakistan, they are not above the sport and the fans.

    Obviously I will not be disappointed if Pak goes through. Certainly I will be pleased and would want them to go further.

    But, I will not be disappointed one bit if they don't go through. If they aren't able to meet the task, then enjoy the flight home bayzzz!

    So maybe I'm not exactly with Maza, but I can see where he's coming from.

  7. Q said...
     

    Tough luck TG.

    Though i don't understand why Clarke doesn't bowl more.. he picks up wickets every time he bowls, did so today as well. He and hussey would have done a far better job than a less than 100% watson.. Watson was hardly at even half his pace and the Lankans played around with him.

    Dilshan and then Sanga really took the game away.. also Mubarak with some lusty blows at the end.. Lee looks far from his best...

    But have to say the Aussies did really well to get to 159.. any other team would have folded for 120..

    They were in a tough group but no one expected them to be the ones out.

  8. Q said...
     

    Sledge,

    I understand that. Maza and u are not alone in thinking along those lines. Lots of others also don't want to see Pak win tomorrow - see my fb profile for reference :-) ..

    But the thing is, we have a chance to qualify. Maybe the team can pull together for this. If they do, then we should support them.

    That's all what I'm asking for.

    I agree Younis's comments were not on.. but lets put all the mistakes and blunders behind and hope that we can get it together for once and do it right.

  9. Anonymous said...
     

    I am shattered too at the Ozzies loss, but today a better team won. Ozzies I knew were not on the display.

  10. Q said...
     

    Sam, they were outclassed. Completely.

    Lanka were too good.

  11. raj said...
     

    All is not lost. Beat Holland by 25 runs and qualify for Super 8. Then you have whom to deal with? Sri Lanka, Ireland and New Zealand.
    Is it that difficult to make the semis from there?
    Paki bashers might want to hold their tongues before lashing out. It might be 1992 all over again...

  12. Q said...
     

    Raj, interesting that u mention 1992.. check out my latest post.. i have an interesting fact in there.

  13. adverbin said...
     

    After their selection gaffes, Australia deserve to be out. I only wish England had joind them though.
    It is a pity that Pakistan have a faux Englishman as captain (T20 is not real cricket so who cares etc...). If they fail to make it, the Super 8 groups will be lopsided.

  14. raj said...
     

    Q, just noticed your post. Yeah, thats a great coincidence. But then, along with Australia - SL, India, WI also crashed out in that world cup which is not happening now :-)

  15. Abdullah said...
     

    Kamran on Pakspin : I'm missing the Badshahs and the Badmashes.

    Exactly the right idea. They would have brought spice, flamboyance, uniqueness and hope for Pakistan with their t20 heroics, specialism, experience and expertise.

    With these mouth-watering prospects Pakistan would probably be up there with the very best. But then again that's the problem with Pakistan cricket, there are too many ifs and buts and not enough reality when it matters most.

    Rana, Nazir, Farhat and ALAM’s inclusion could have put Pakistan in a commanding position with the potential to go the distance. This is a synthetic format for Pakistani players and it’s totally unfair that the best players don't get the opportunity to represent their country for whatever ridiculous external associations. Anyhow the contracts were withdrawn by several players making the eligible to play for the national side. Therefore Pakistan could have made some wise and worthy alterations but the PCB were too reticent over selection matters and unaware over format specialism to make these sacrificed choices for the better.

  16. Abdullah said...
     

    If I was in Usman's father's shoes this would have been an invincible outfit :

    Nazir
    Farhat
    Rana
    Yousuf
    Younis
    Fawad
    Mahmood
    Akmarl
    Tanvir
    Gul
    Ajmal/Yasir Shah

  17. Abdullah said...
     

    Weather update : It's raining in London at 10:00 am.

  18. Q said...
     

    Adverbin,

    Besides Symonds, I didn't see any blunders in the Aussie selections.. maybe Hodge, but 1 batsmen couldn't have changed their fate, could he?

  19. Q said...
     

    Raj,

    Yeah sadly its not though someone else pointed out that "the last time Ireland qualified for the super 8s, pakistan got knocked out in round 1"..

    Hence..

  20. Q said...
     

    Maza,

    U know my opinion on that team :-)

    Is it still raining?

  21. Vedder said...
     

    In another well thought out comment to the press Younis Khan will now declare to the world that he can't wait to follow the Aussies home.

    He will reaffirm his belief in learning from the Aussies (thats what he said after the UAE series) and will now hope his side can match the Aussie effort against the Lankans.

    As a first step he and the team management are about to send Misbah home for breaching the clause in his PCB (soon to be renamed CP) contract that prevents him from picking (or fishing in) his nose during team meetings and drinking (Pakola) in public.

  22. Q said...
     

    Vedder,

    and they will employ Shoaib Malik as vice captain because he has a gf who is a model / actress and make sure he beats up and snitches on all team mates going against CP rules.

    Younis Khan will get a hair transplant and in his intro will say "favorite player Younis Khan".

    Shoaib Akhtar will come back saying he has added 20 pounds of lean muscle and will bowl as fast as ever but will get carted around for 20+ runs per over..

    More to follow..

  23. Anonymous said...
     

    the first time Aussies were kicked out in first round in a world cup was in 1983 and it was in England itself. It was first time when West Indies didnt win the world cup. And it was no body else but India who won the world cup;

  24. Q said...
     

    Haha.. good one Sam.. but i was talking abt the "last" time.

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