Aussies Do What They Could Best Do

After the third one day match between Australia and Pakistan, Australia must be feeling a lot more comfortable for clinching the series, when a part of the odds favored the opposition team namely Pakistan who were also facing the same drought that the Australians were facing. But, that was indeed a welcome vitory for Australia after enjoying their dominating position for almost a decade. Well the news of the Australian team declining in standards of the cricket comparatively, is a stale one I suppose. But, who on earth intends to lose something they have enjoyed for almost a decade? Even Ricky Ponting is no exception.

This could be the only reason for Australia to consider themselves lucky enough. They have at last won a one day international tournament in 2009, after losing twice at the hands of the Proteas and then leveling the series with New Zealand in the later part of the Common Wealth Bank series. This was another match that the Australians just managed to lose once again. For, they had the Pakistani batsmen well in their control when the Pakistani batsmen were found reeling at 56 for the loss of three wickets at the end of the 16th over, with the target being 250.

Occassionly, both the teams out there viz Pakistan and Australia had one of their batsmen scoring an unbeaten 116. For Pakistan, it was Kamran Akmal and for Australia it was the opner Shane Watson. It was fantastic to see the Pakistani batsmen not losing any more wickets after their initial loss. Of course, in the recent past, Pakistan has been doing it commonly in most occassions. I still remember the Pakistani batsmen losing all their wickets for a score of 312 on the first day itself and the next step was India putting up a total of 516, empowered with Virender Sehwag's 173. But, Kamran Akmal and Salman Butt came back strongly in the second innings and ensured that the match never went to India.

However, had this come a match prior to this, things would have been seriously different for both the teams. They could have well won the third one day match when Australia were destroyed for a modest total of just 198 on the board. If a team like Pakistan cannot chase down 198, it is a wonder as to who is to be blamed. Of cpurse, not much could be expected from the second and third ODI where in Pakistan imposed a total of just 207 in the second and ten runs lesser than this in the fourth one day. Finally, the Australian players can play in the IPL peacefully without any blasting from their board.