WORLD T20

Monday, May 17, 2010

England humble Aussies to lift first ICC title

11:09 AM |

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Posted On : Sunday, May 16, 2010

BRIDGETOWN: England won a major limited overs international title for the first time in history when they defeated their arch rivals Australia by seven wickets in the final of the third World Twenty20 here at the Kensington Oval on Sunday.

Chasing a modest target of 148 runs, England had little trouble in reaching the target as they got it in 17 overs for the loss of three wickets after putting Australia into bat.

Opener Craig Kieswetter top scored with 63 while Kevin Pietersen made 47 and both added 111 runs for the second wicket partnership after England lost Michel Lumb for only seven runs on the board.

Earlier, David Hussey struck an intelligent 59 as Australia clawed their way back from a dreadful start to make 147 for six.

Australia were in serious trouble at eight for three and made only 24 runs from the opening six over powerplay.

The stuttering start began when Shane Watson was caught by Graeme Swann at slip off Ryan Sidebottom after keeper Craig Kieswetter had spilled the ball.

Hard-hitting left-hander Dave Warner was run out after a hesitant call from skipper Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin was controversially ruled caught behind when replays showed Sidebottom's leg-side delivery brushed his hip.

After Clarke went, superbly caught by Paul Collingwood off the excellent Graeme Swann, Cameron White (30 off 21) and Hussey led the recovery with a 50-run partnership in 6.2 overs.

David Hussey had been dropped by Stuart Broad when on just 25 but Broad made amends by taking a fine catch to remove the dangerous White.

Mike Hussey, whose sensational 60 against Pakistan earned Australia their place in the final, joined his brother and the pair put on 47 from 22 balls to help take Australia, bidding for a unique treble of one-day titles, to a competitive score.

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British media lauds England victory at World T20

11:08 AM |

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Posted On : Monday, May 17, 2010

England's 'victory over the old enemy' at Twenty20

LONDON: British commentators on Monday savoured the England cricketers' "crushing victory over the old enemy" after they beat Australia in the World Twenty20.

England won their first major one-day title in a seven-wicket defeat of Australia in the final of the tournament Sunday, providing a pleasant surprise for Britain's cricket pundits.

"England gave one-day cricket to the world almost half a century ago and finally, after decades of international hurt, they have drawn a dividend from their invention," said the Times.

"They won their first ICC event with such ease that you had to wonder what took them so long."

The Daily Mail noted it had been "a ridiculously long wait for England's first one-day title since the World Cup."

"But they finally and gloriously lifted one at the 18th attempt yesterday with a crushing victory over the old enemy."

The Guardian hailed South African-born batsmen Craig Kieswetter and Kevin Pietersen, who starred for England.

The pair "had exposed how uncharacteristically timid the Australian batting had been, and all but sealed the match," said the paper.

England, chasing 148 to win, after reducing a previously unbeaten Australian side at this tournament to eight for three, saw Kieswetter (63) and Pietersen (47) put on 111 for the second wicket at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados.

As far as the Guardian was concerned, the win meant the team had finally arrived in the one-day game.

"Suddenly England feel like a force in international one-day cricket. Winning this tournament is a major achievement," it said.

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New British PM hails England Twenty20 win

11:07 AM |

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Posted On : Monday, May 17, 2010

LONDON: Britain's new Prime Minister David Cameron sent his congratulations to England's World Twenty20 winning team Monday.

Cameron said he hoped the seven-wicket victory over Australia in Barbados would be the "start of a great summer of sport for England", ahead of events including the football World Cup in South Africa, which starts in June.

"Congratulations to Paul Collingwood and the England Twenty20 team on becoming world champions for the first time with a magnificent victory over Australia," he said in comments relayed by his official spokesman.

"Let's hope this marks the start of a great summer of sport for England."

England cruised to victory with three overs to spare Sunday following a second-wicket stand of 111 between South African-born duo Craig Kieswetter and Kevin Pietersen.

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David Hussey stands firm against England

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Posted On : Monday, May 17, 2010

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: David Hussey’s 59 saw Australia to 147 for six against England in the World Twenty20 final after his side had collapsed to eight for three at the Kensington Oval here on Sunday.

Together with Cameron White, the only other batsman to get to 30, David Hussey — missed on 25 — put on fifty for the fifth wicket and then shared a stand of 47 with his brother.

David Hussey was run out in the last over, going for a second run, by Luke Wright’s throw from long-on to wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter.

Left-arm quick Ryan Sidebottom, who made the early inroads, took two wickets for 26 runs from his maximum four overs and off-spinner Graeme Swann a miserly one for 17.

England had a sensational start after captain Paul Collingwood won the toss.

Sidebottom struck third ball when Shane Watson edged an intended cut, which was dropped by Kieswetter only for first slip Swann to hold the rebound.

Then two for one became seven for two when David Warner was run out having, like Watson, made just two.

Australia captain Michael Clarke pushed a good length Sidebottom ball to cover and set off for a single. Warner responded but was beaten by Michael Lumb’s direct hit.

The collapse continued when Brad Haddin (one) swung hard at a legside delivery from Sidebottom and was well caught by diving opposing gloveman Kieswetter. Australia, at the end of the six-over powerplay, were 24 for three.

Clarke was out for a run-a-ball 27 when, having chipped a flighted delivery from Swann, he was brilliantly caught by a diving Collingwood at short midwicket.

Australia had to wait until the 13th over for the first six of the innings, when David Hussey pulled left-arm spinner Michael Yardy high over midwicket.

White then struck a four, six and a four off successive balls as 21 runs came off the over.

In the 15th over, England missed a chance to dismiss David Hussey when the right-hander, on 25, skied Tim Bresnan high above mid-on only for a back-pedalling Stuart Broad to misjudge the chance.

However in the next over, Luke Wright’s first of the tournament, Broad, running back from cover point held an excellent catch to get rid of White and end a fifty stand to leave Australia 95 for five. White’s exit brought in Michael Hussey and he finished on 17 not out.

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Friday, May 14, 2010

Hussey the hero as Australia stun Pakistan

6:29 PM |

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Posted On : Saturday, May 15, 2010

GROS ISLET: Michael Hussey's latest rescue mission saw Australia beat defending champions Pakistan by three wickets with just a ball to spare to reach the World Twenty20 final here on Friday.

Set a huge 192 to win, Australia collapsed to 62 for four.

But, initially through Cameron White, who made 43, and Hussey's unbeaten 60, they recovered and will now face old rivals England in Sunday's final at Barbados's Kensington Oval.

Australia needed 18 to win off the last over, from off-spinner Saeed Ajmal. Mitchell Johnson took a single off the first ball and then Hussey took over.

The left-hander pulled Ajmal for six, struck him over long-on for six more, brought the scores level with a four and thumped another six for good measure as Australia finished on 197 for seven.

The man-of-the-match faced just 24 balls, but hit six sixes and three fours.

Brothers Kamran and Umar Akmal both scored fifties as Pakistan piled up 191 for six.

Opener Kamran's 50 and younger brother Umar's even more rapid 56 not out came against an Australia side, yet to lose at this tournament, which had thrashed them by 34 runs in a first round group match.

Australia, set a huge 192 to win, slumped to 23 for two.

Left-arm quick Mohammad Aamer, who led the attack with three wickets for 35 runs, struck twice to remove Australia openers David Warner (nought) and Shane Watson (16).

And when wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal completed two neat stumpings off left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman and leg-spinner captain Shahid Afridi to dismiss Brad Haddin and captain Michael Clarke respectively, Australia were 62 for four inside nine overs.

David Hussey and White staged a brief revival before the former was caught and bowled by Rehman to leave his team 105 for five in the 13th over.

White though kept swinging away but when he drove an Aamer full toss straight to Mohammad Hafeez at long-off, to end a game innings of 43, featuring five sixes, Australia were 139 for six in the 17th over.

Australia though, thanks to Michael Hussey, kept going to seal a superb come-from-behind win.

Earlier, Warner was out second ball when he cut Aamer to Umar Akmal at backward point before Watson drove the bowler directly to Abdur Rehman at long-on.

Pakistan, sent in by Australia captain Michael Clarke after rain delayed the start, saw their innings start with a Dirk Nannes maiden.

But Kamran Akmal and left-hander Salman Butt (32) shared a first-wicket stand of 82 as Australia's pace trio of Nannes, Shaun Tait and Mitchell Johnson failed to make an early breakthrough.

Pakistan then cashed in against Australia's second-string bowlers with all-rounder Watson's two overs costing 26 runs and leg-spinner Steven Smith conceding 23 from two.

Nannes's second over saw the match's first boundaries when Kamran Akmal, stepping away to leg, lofted him high over the covers. Next ball he drove straight down the ground for another four.

Smith's first over went for 15 runs, including a massive Kamran Akmal six.

The spinner was replaced by Watson but his first ball back was driven for another huge six by Kamran Akmal.

The keeper, giving himself room, then cover-drove the fifth ball for four and, off the last, cut the medium-pacer for another boundary to complete a fine fifty off just 32 balls with two sixes and six fours.

But he was out for 50 after Warner, running round from the extra-cover boundary, took a fine diving catch off Johnson.

Umar Akmal smashed Johnson for two enormous sixes, the second a crunching pull over midwicket that saw him to fifty in just 29 balls, with four sixes and two fours.

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Akmal Brothers set Australia huge target of 192

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Posted On : Friday, May 14, 2010

GROS ISLET, Saint Lucia: The Akmal brothers, Kamran and Umar, struck half-centuries as defending champions Pakistan set Australia an imposing 192 to win their World Twenty20 semi-final here on Friday.

The highest successful run chase in this tournament came on the same St Lucia ground when Sri Lanka eclipsed India's 163 in their final Super Eight game on Tuesday.

In an innings that began with a Dirk Nannes maiden, opener Kamran made exactly 50 before big-hitting younger brother Umar followed up with a blistering 56 not out as Pakistan Pakistan amassed a huge 191 for six to register the joint second highest total in this tournament..

Pakistan, sent in by Australia captain Michael Clarke after rain delayed the scheduled start and threatened to bring the Duckworth-Lewis system, thought to favour the side batting second, into play, made a fine start.

Kamran Akmal and left-hander Salman Butt (32) shared a first-wicket stand of 82 in 9.4 overs and then 19-year-old Umar Akmal lashed four sixes in his 56 from 35 balls.

At the end of the six-over powerplay, Pakistan were 40 without loss.

Kamran completed a fine fifty, his fifth at this level, off just 32 balls with two sixes and six fours. But he was out for exactly 50 after David Warner, running round from the extra-cover boundary, took a fine diving catch off Johnson.

At the halfway mark Pakistan were well-placed for a large total at 85 for one and it, seemed that, at the very least, this would now be a closer match than the first round group fixture between the side that Australia won by 34 runs on this ground.

After Butt was out, Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi and Khalid Latif both fell cheaply but it scarcely mattered as 106 runs came in the second 10 overs.

Umar Akmal smashed Johnson for two enormous sixes, the second a crunching pull over midwicket that saw him to fifty in just 32 balls.

Should no result at all be possible because of bad weather, Australia will be in the final as they have won more matches at the tournament than Pakistan.

Whoever wins this match will face England, who beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the first semi-final, in Sunday's final in Barbados.

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