Aussies Challenge An Unchallenging New Zealand

It was not long ago that the number one team in test cricket- Australia went down 0-2 to India on the recent tour to the same.This series really tested and questioned the Aussies' dominance in atleast test cricket, with the retirement of the key Aussie players at almost the same time just added fuel to fire.After that, Ponting's words meant that he would be playing tough cricket in the day to come.Of course that is anyway obvious for any team that has lost so badly which questioned its strength and guts.But, that is now the past.Now that Aussies are found them- selves back winning ,Ponting thinks that he's back with a bang after the recent 2-0 whitewash over New Zealand.

Its is true that Australia defeated New Zealand 2-0 at home.But, now the question arises whether New Zealand were or are up to the challenge posed by the mighty Aussies?What is the place that the current New Zealand team commands in the ICC test ratings?If one takes a look at the recent ICC test ratings, New Zealand is placed in the eighth position, only behind Bangladesh.And if one thinks that Aussies have dominated the test series, its mistaken.I don't find anything special in a test match, wherein the number test team beats a last placed team. And, had Australia beaten New Zealand in New Zealand, I would have given them a consolation. But, now Australia were playing at home.So....?

With the current test situation being so horrible in the cricketing world, it would not be tough for the Australian team to get back to their winning ways.Right now, there are hardly any teams who plays good test cricket.Only teams like India and South Africa are really equipped to face the challenge imposed by the Aussies.Australia has lost to India 2-0, meaning that their challenge means nothing to India and are forced to agree that India are a far better team.Now, in the days to come,Australia will be facing South Africa, which would be a better challenge for them.But, even this series is played at home for Australia.So, even an Australian win might not command their position in people's mind who have their own ratings for teams.

And, if one takes the last 4-5 tours that Australia have played test against New Zealand, we would find that Australia have just swept the New Zealand.In 2004- 05,Australia beat them 2-0,with a match drawn, owing to bad weather.And the same year, New Zealand were thrashed 2-0 when they toured Australia, 3-0 in 1999-00 in New Zealand.The last time New Zealand won a test match against Australia was way back in 1992-93 in Christchurch by 5 wickets.So, I now leave it to people to judge themselves regarding the might of the Australian team.A real test would be when Australia leaves to South Africa from february to April next year.

Some Exchanging Of gifts Between the Teams In Melbourne..

Though not of any great consequence,the twelfth ODI match between Australia and Sri Lanka at Melbourne turned out to be a christmas for both the teams,for both Australia and Sri Lanka exchanged gifts between each other.

It all started with Sri Lanka winning the toss and electing to bat first for the first time in the series against Australia.The Sri Lankan batting going on as usual,with hardly any firing from the Sri lankan batsmen.Sri Lanka-who had lost three earlier matches to Australia was not at all expected to come back harsh at the Australians by grabbing a consolation win at Melbourne.

For a change,Sri Lankans batted first in the match.But,the result being the same,ie the team batting first winning the contest.It was something special for both the teams out there.Firstly for Sanath Jayasuriya-the man who is playing his last match on the Australian soil(or probably his last series or match) got his 249th six when he cleared the ropes off the bowling of Brett Lee.And what more...the man got his first wicket in the series and that too of his first ball.And not less for Muttiah Muralitharan who was also playing his last match on Australian soil.The man picked up 2/42..the best against Australia this series.

Next was that of Adam Gilchrist-who for some reasons had planned to quit international cricket all of a sudden was found in a punishing mood altogether,belting 83 runs of just 50 balls.It looked as though the Sri lankans would be disappointed this time too.But,when the rest of the Australian players had planned to gift the match to the Sri Lankans,what more has Gilchrist got to do with it?

At the end of the day,Sri Lanka had something to take away,as they snatched narrow 13run win against Australia,three times after losing to the same even after some initial success with the ball.As deserved,Adam Gilchrist was awarded the man of the match for his astonishing innings.Though it was too late for Sri Lanka,it was some consolation for the Sri Lankan team which had lost all chances to enter the finals.The win can be better said to be Australia's loss rather than a Sri Lankan win.

Well Sri Lanka,this time the Australians have genourously donated a match after the last one was cut short due to rain.Else,an Australia-Sri Lanka finals would not be a wrong statement.

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End Of A Formality!

This post refers to the fifth and final ODI match played between England and New Zealand at Christchurch.A golden opportunity was once again lost by England to level the 5 match series,after the fighting tie at Napier on Feb 20th.The English batsmen once again showed us that they are hardly interested in playing decent cricket.

A disappointment was the factor that none of the English batsmen were able to put up a score of 50 or more.The highest run scorer in the England team being the no 7 batsman Luke Wright.The next success was from the blades of opener Alistair Cook-who took 70 balls to score 42 runs.And the rest of the English batsmen just followed suit.

A delightful innings in the England batting came towards the end of the session when Luke Wright blasted 47 off 42 balls that included 2 fours and four sixes.And one more delight of the innings being Dimitri Mascarenhas who belted the New Zealand bowling towards the end to score a 12 ball 29 including 2sixes and 1four.But,still ending up with a modest total of 242.

Any target imposed by the England team was welcomed by the New Zealanders, especially after the first four ODI matches.The English bowlers were not at all under their hit list of their(New Zealand's)batsmen I believe.No trick was found to work out for the English bowlers as the big hitting Brendon McCullum was found to be in a punishing mood altogether.The man once again belted 77 off 43 balls that included 5fours and 6sixes,including a 103 run opening partnership along with Ryder.

England were never found to be in the match from the beginning of the series.All that they could afford was a role of being an onfield spectator,just clapping their hands at whatever good work that was done by the New Zealand team.It was like there were 11 ball boys dressed in Blue uniform on the field.

I think the England team are still in the 90's arena where even a score of 250 was considered to be a decent one.When there are more than ten scores over 300+ being chased down,it looks like England are still in the belief that a score of 250 would be enough to challenge the opposition.Or is it that the English players have forgotten about winning matches after their recent T20 and ODI losses?

With the rain interfering inbetween the match,the England bowlers were relieved I believe that the match got over well before the stipulated time,providing the English players to take a tour of Christchurch.

But still guys!All is not yet over!There's still the test series to come.So lets look out for some good action from English players in the cricket at which they are good.An ODI win being out of question for the England team as of now,atleast let there be a performance similar to the Ashes 2005 from the England team before the fans give it up...

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