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Lee's
bowling blitz scuppers New Zealand for record Cup low
Australia inflicted a World Cup
record lowest score of 112 on New Zealand when fast bowler Brett Lee
ripped out five batsmen for three runs to give the defending world
champions a 96-run win in their Super Six match at Port Elizabeth
today. Lee was outstanding when feasting on New Zealand's
under-employed middle and lower-order at the tournament. He took five
wickets for 42 in his 9.1 over spell which proved far more decisive
than the New Zealand record-breaking effort of six for 23 by Shane
Bond earlier in Australia's innings of 208 for nine wickets. Brought
back for a second spell, Lee achieved the desired goal in removing New
Zealand's best batsman at this World Cup Stephen Fleming when Fleming
gloved a rising ball going down the leg side to wicket-keeper Adam
Gilchrist.
Fleming scored 48, the only innings
of substance in a disappointing effort that the New Zealanders will
reflect on as a match they could have won. That might seem strange
given the margin of victory. But at 84 for seven wickets, as Australia
were when batting first, New Zealand looked to have given themselves a
great chance. Fleming said the side was feeling pretty good at that
stage but had been there before against Australia. "We just ran
out of juice," he said. "When we batted we knew we needed a
partnership but it didn't happen for us."
Lee, who hit two big sixes off the
last two balls of the Australian innings earlier in the game, said
that when they had been in so much trouble the plan had been to hang
in for as long as they could and hopefully the runs would come. That
demand suited Michael Bevan and Andy Bichel who played out a
tradesman-like, and Australian record, eighth-wicket partnership
against New Zealand worth 97-runs before Jacob Oram picked both of
them up at the end of the innings. Bichel scored his maiden half
century on the same ground as his previous highest score, 34 not out
against England last week. He finished on 64 scored off 83 balls while
Bevan scored his 41st One-Day International half-century with 56 off
94 balls.
Australian captain Ricky Ponting said
the side's bowling had been outstanding, not only because of Lee's
great display of yorker bowling, but also due to Glenn McGrath who
made the early breakthrough by picking up Daniel Vettori, who was used
as an opener, Nathan Astle and Scott Styris. Ponting said on the slow
Port Elizabeth wicket it was always going to be tough for any side
trying to chase runs. In the meantime the Australians would need to
identify the best way to play in the first 15 overs at the ground
where they have twice been hard hit in the early overs in matches.
They will now play their semi-final at Port Elizabeth next week. Asked
what his instruction had been when Bichel went out to join Bevan he
said it was: "Try and bat out the 50 overs to give ourselves a
chance to stay in the game."
And so they did. Bond had been
devastating while taking six of the first seven wickets to fall. He
removed both openers early which was just what the side needed as he
further revealed his appetite for Australian wickets. Of the 47 ODI
wickets he has taken in his 25 matches, 22 have come against Australia
at an average of 10.45 with an economy rate of 4.04 and a strike rate
of 15.5. These are opposed to his career average of 19.97, economy of
4.36 and strike rate of 27.4. They represent an impressive ability to
perform against quality players. Matthew Hayden's wicket was the
first, as he edged a ball behind to wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum,
while Gilchrist was given out leg before wicket, to a ball which
barely landed on leg stump, although it was full. With both back in
the pavilion with 24 runs on the board, New Zealand had made
significant inroads which went even deeper after Ponting joined them
when trying to drive a rising ball which he edged to Fleming at first
slip.
Bond took a break after six overs and
three wickets. But when Fleming brought him back for the 23rd over,
not even the skipper could have expected the results that were
achieved. In his last four overs, Bond took three more wickets for
three runs, adding Damien Martyn, Brad Hogg and Ian Harvey to his list
of victims. His haul surpassed the six for 25 Styris took against the
West Indies at Port of Spain last year. However, his completion of his
overs by the 29th over, meant the pressure went on the rest of the
attack. Chris Harris bowled tightly again in conditions he has
utilised so often in New Zealand and took none for 24 by the time he
was finished in the 40th over while Vettori bowled out his 10, for 40
runs, by the 35th over.
Oram took two for 48 from his seven
overs, his figures suffering as a result of the successive sixes hit
by Lee off the penultimate and last balls of the innings. While Lee
enjoyed his hit out, McGrath had more satisfaction by scoring his
first World Cup runs in his third tournament. But in 25 World Cup
games he has only batted four times, testimony to the outstanding
record the Australians have achieved in recent times. A record that
was extended in outstanding fashion today. |
