Flying start, fast finish: Aussies all the way

It was the sort of performance only Australia could come up with. No doubt they reserve their best when they are needed to deliver and they thrive under such situations, but they spelt it out loud and clear that they are the undisputed world champions of one-day cricket.

The Indian bowlers were clueless as Matthew Hayden at the start, and later Andrew Symonds, clobbered them mercilessly. Ganguly could do little when the bowlers bowled on both sides of the wicket; even 15 fielders would have been too few going by the way they sprayed their deliveries.

It8217;s time Irfan Pathan is told to control his exuberance. If he thinks that by glaring at batsmen on his follow-through, or by engaging in a war dance after getting a wicket, makes him look aggressive, he is sadly mistaken. A bowler needs to show aggression but that has to come through performance and not through verbal or visual. After all, he is playing in an international match and not indulging in a street brawl. His main aim must be to get the batsman out. Zaheer Khan, before him, did the same during the last World Cup final only to lose his rhythm. Nonetheless, Pathan had a very good series as a bowler.

While the Australian batsmen and bowlers did their job splendidly, the fielders were not far behind as they joined the party by grabbing some outstanding catches and effecting splendid run-outs. The result? The Indian wickets fell like ninepins, and even the back-up Aussie bowlers bowled with fire and looked dangerous.