Lankan batsmen undo bowlers’ good deeds

What they ought to have done under the circumstances was to see off the initial overs of Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee, by concentrating on the ones and twos, rather than going for the big shots. For, later the Australians had bowlers who are good but definitely cannot count themselves among match-winners, unlike McGrath and Lee.

You just can’t take on the likes of McGrath and Lee when the ball is new and they are charged. They have more tricks up their sleeve than anyone else playing in this tournament. They are great bowlers and must be shown respect. Both of them are capable of winning matches on their own.

The Australian think-tank planned the Sri Lankan downfall with clinical precision. They had different field placements for different batsmen. Most importantly, their bowlers bowled to the plan. One can formulate strategies as how to bowl to a particular batsman, but the bowlers must have the ability to implement them successfully.

Great cricketers look for challenges, and they thrive on it. The situation the Aussies found themselves in after their innings was good enough to spur on the great Aussie bowlers. It’s amazing how they raise their game when the chips are down. It’s like a drug to them. The entire team gets high on it, and that’s what makes them such a great team.

Look at Andrew Symonds, for instance. What an innings he came up with! He posted a great hundred in their opening game against Pakistan when their top order collapsed and yesterday, in a similar situation, he showed his worth by playing yet another superb knock.

Sanath Jayasuriya made a blunder when he brought on Pulasthi Gunaratne for the 49th over when he should have finished his own quota in the middle overs. That allowed the Australians to help themselves to a sizable total in the end.

I was quite surprised, rather shocked, to see Adam Gilchrist walk when the umpire had given him not out. The Australians are known to walk only when they are bowled.

To my surprise, possibly for the first time in my life, I saw an Aussie walk. Surely, being an Aussie, it required tremendous courage of conviction on the part of Gilchrist to do that, especially when one was playing in the semifinal of the World Cup.