Apr-Jun 03: Australia in West Indies

Entertainment Cricket and Other Sports
1

Homies,

What a great news to hear for all Cricket fans - One of the best players ever to pick up a cricket bat, Steve Waugh has decided to continue on playing as Test Match Captain.

Steve Waugh Plays On!

I’m unbelievably happy that Steve has decided to continue on in the International arena - Hopefully now he can go on to break some more records like becoming the most successful captain in history.

Here’s the Schedule

Four Tests and 7 ODIs. Complete entertainment package! :slight_smile:





Date        Match                           Venue
====        =====                           =====
April

5-7	  v GCB President's XI            Georgetown
10-14     1st Test		          Bourda, Guyana
19-23     2nd Test		          Port of Spain
26-28     v UWI Vice Chancellor's XI	  Cave Hill, Barbados

May

1-5       3rd Test                        Bridgetown, Barbados
9-13      4th Test                        St. John's, Antigua
17        1st ODI                         Kingston, Jamaica
18        2nd ODI                         Kingston, Jamaica
21        3rd ODI 			  Castries, St. Lucia
24        4th ODI                         Port of Spain
25        5th ODI                         Port of Spain
30        6th ODI                         St. George's

June

1         7th ODI                         St. George's
2

Looks like a very one sided series specially in test matches, in one days it might be a little closer.

3

Congratulations for your victory aussies..:hehe:..
but still westindies can do anything…

4

[QUOTE]
Originally posted by UMAIR316: *
**Looks like a very one sided series specially in test matches,* in one days it might be a little closer.
[/QUOTE]

I doubt Caribbean boys would let Aussies to win easily. But still I'd say Test Matches favors Aussies as Steve Waugh will be back!

I can't wait until this series starts - Hopefully Australia will continue on where they left of and Steven Waugh will continue on to break records. This really will be a test for the West Indies though to see whether they can get back on track after being screwed by the rain in the World Cup.

5

I can't wait for the excitment from the fans especially.

The 1999 series will always be remembered. That's one reason why Steve Waugh has decided to come back to the WI.

6

Carl Hooper retained as captain for the series against the World Champs.

7

I fully expected Carl Hopper to continue on as Captain to be honest - It wasn't his fault what happened in the World Cup - The West Indies got screwed by the rain.

This should be a great series - Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Ricky Ponting and Brian Lara are all still in the top 10 rankings for Test Match batsmen - and some of the pitches in the Caribbean are great for batting - I really cannot wait until it starts.

8

I think *Ricky Ponting * should be given test captaincy also because he has proved that he can be a good captain by winning World Cup 2003...

9

It will be a boring and one sided series. Australia will win all the Tests and all the ODIs.

10

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Asif_k: *
It will be a boring and one sided series. Australia will win all the Tests and all the ODIs.
[/QUOTE]

This is what everybody said in 99. But, Lara proved them wrong by averaging 91 in four tests. He changed the course of some matches single handedly. Watch out.

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It’s Steve Waugh sayin’. Take that!

[thumb=B]020307.JPG[/thumb]

Lara - Relishing Aussie challenge

Waugh says West Indies are returning to top form

**Australia Test captain Steve Waugh believes the West Indies, led by the brilliant batting of Brian Lara, are on the way to becoming a force again in world cricket. **

Waugh, who has played a world record 156 Test matches, will lead the 15-man squad who fly out of Sydney on Monday for the four-Test tour of the Caribbean.

Australia are fresh from a 4-1 Ashes series victory over England and a successful World Cup title defence and are keen to reclaim their ranking as the top Test side from South Africa.

“They (West Indies) are one of the few sides in world cricket which are on the up,” Waugh said in an interview with the Australian Associated Press on Friday.

**"They went through a tough phase for a few years there. They’ve rebounded fairly well and they seem to be more together.

“(Chairman of selectors) Viv Richards :wink: seems to have quite a bit of say in West Indies cricket, which is good for them, and world cricket needs them to come back.” **

Australia last toured the Caribbean four years ago, Waugh leading the visitors to a 2-2 draw in his first series as captain following the retirement of Mark Taylor.

**Lara blasted 546 runs at an average of 91 including a highest score of 213 among his three centuries in the series. **

The 33-year-old left-hander holds the world records for the highest individual score in Test (375) and first-class (501) cricket.

**“He was phenomenal last time we were there and, knowing him, he will want to play well against the best side in the world, so he’ll definitely fire up,” ** Waugh said.

**"They have some very good young players – (Ramnaresh) Sarwan, (Marlon) Samuels, (Chris) Gayle, (Wavell) Hinds, then you’ve got (Shivnarine) Chanderpaul, Lara, (Carl) Hooper and (Ridley) Jacobs there, so it’s an excellent batting side.

"This (Jermaine) Lawson looks like a good bowling prospect and then you’ve got Merv Dillon and we’ve come across a few other blokes.

“They’re going to be a lot tougher than people give them credit for and we certainly won’t be underestimating them.”**

12

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by funguy: *
This is what everybody said in 99. But, Lara proved them wrong by averaging 91 in four tests. He changed the course of some matches single handedly. Watch out.
[/QUOTE]

I agree and dont doubt Lara's ability to turn any match single handedly, but WI also had Ambrose & Walsh bowling together. Anyways lets see.

13

There is no way that the Australians are going to expect to win just like that - They will have to play great cricket as usual and will have to work just as hard as ever. The West Indies had one of the greatest sides of all time (if not the greatest - that could lead into a huge topic of its own) and they are showing signs of having those stars that they had back in the 70’s and 80’s :wink: - The likes of Ramnaresh Sarwan are up and coming stars along with Brain Lara seems to have found his form again.

This will be a great series, yeh! :k:

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PT bhai, The Australians will walk it. They will win this series even if they played with their second eleven.

15

Agreed!!! :k:
West Indies do have some good batsmen but their bowling is weakest ever.

I dont understand thei mentality of some guppies here.Whenevr India goes to play some team suddenly they start calling that team is lousy and weakest ( Example : Windies,Eng tour of India) .And moment some other teams tour them same team becomes one of the best .

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:hehe::hehe: I just read somewhere Paki friends are calling Kenya and Zimbabwe very strong Teams.

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…and how sure are you about that?

akb: Don’t you compare WI with India. :hoonh: India and WI, both are difference teams.

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where did I compare :smack:

19

Oh sorry, my apologies, akb.

But I don't agree that this Series will be easy for Aussies, after readin' the article of Steve Waugh about West Indies. Though, I'm firmed on my position, Aussies will win but it wouldn't be an easy for them. World Cup is just an example how Aussies work hard to acheieve milestone. And by knowin' the fact great batsmen from both sides will be playin', this Series got sparks for sure!

:)

20

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Pakistani Tiger: *
Oh sorry, my apologies, akb.

But I don't agree that this Series will be easy for Aussies, after readin' the article of Steve Waugh about West Indies. Though, I'm firmed on my position, Aussies will win but it wouldn't be an easy for them. World Cup is just an example how Aussies work hard to acheieve milestone. And by knowin' the fact great batsmen from both sides will be playin', this Series got sparks for sure!

:)
[/QUOTE]

Yes..but Bowlers are also very important.
Infect in test matches Bowlers are more important than batting lineup.
I will be surprise If AUS win with anything less than 2-0 margin.