Baggy Greens, Black Caps feel
WELL BEGUN Co-hosts Australia, New Zealand start World Cup with crushing victories over England, Sri Lanka
SYDNEY: Three days before Australia’s World Cup opener against England, coach Darren Lehmann noted that the teams who fielded the best had invariably claimed the trophy in past tournaments.
The observation certainly rang true in Australia’s run to their four world titles in 1987, 1999, 2003 and 2007, with fielding excellence a hallmark of each triumphant campaign.
Judging by their clinical execution of skills in the 111run rout of England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday, Australia possess the vital ingredient to challenge for a fifth title.
Steven Smith’s spectacular catch at short cover to dismiss wicketkeeper Jos Buttler was the high point of a relentless display in the field from the World Cup co-hosts, which magnified England’s shoddy earlier display.
With brilliant anticipation and lightning-quick reflexes, Smith dived low and left to snaffle a fullblooded 1987: Chetan Sharma (Ind) v NZ (Ken Rutherford, Ian Smith, Ewen Chatfield)
1999: Saqlain Mushtaq (Pak) v Zim (Henry Olonga, Adam Huckle, Pommie
Mbangwa)
2003: Chaminda Vaas
(SL) v B’desh (Hannan
Sarkar, Mohammad
Ashraful, Ehsanul Haque)
2003: Brett Lee (Aus) v
Ken (Kennedy Otieno,
Brijal Patel, David Obuya)
2007: Lasith
Malinga (SL) v SA (Shaun
Pollock,
Andrew Hall,
Jacques Kallis, AUSTRALIA ENGLAND
slog and give young allrounder Mitchell Marsh a huge boost with his fifth wicket.
Smith’s catch was one of eight taken by the Australians, with Glenn Maxwell throwing down the stumps to run out James Anderson and seal the win with eight overs to spare. Makhaya Ntini)*
2011: Kemar Roach (WI) v Ned (Pieter Seelaar, Bernard Loots, Berend Westdijk)
2011: Lasith Malinga (SL) v Ken (Tanmay Mishra, Peter Ongondo, Shem Ngoche) 2015: Steven Finn (Eng) v Aus (Brad Haddin,
Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Johnson) * Malinga got four wickets in four balls