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World Cup 2003 Final
India vs Australia
Wanderes,Johansberg
Sunday March 23
0230 AM Eastern
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So guys BIG Day is here.Its on Sunday and we will know who is the Worldchampion of Oneday cricket.Will it be defending champion Aussies or resurrgent Indians.
We had so much discussion about Format,boycots and how undeserving teams made it to super sixes.But one thing is sure in the FINAL we have 2 most deserving side.Both the team totally outperfomed other teams in tournament and were far ahead of them by few notches.It will be great to see world best bowling lineup against worlds best batting lineup lead by best batsman of world.
Aussies do have big psychological advantage going into this match.They have proved to be better side than India .They clearly outperfomed India in that match,but since then Indian team has grown in confidence and been much improved side.
Indian will probably field same side as Semis .Aussies may bring in Damien Martyn in place of Harvey if he is fit.
Aussies have clear advantnage in bowling fielding and all round department.in batting both teams arr pretty much same .but aussies has more depth than Indians.
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My perosonal Opinion: Indian can win only if Sachin plays a knock of his life.Else its Aussies all the way.
I would put aussies chances as 70:30
India should win this game like a piece of cake. After all they have the World Class batsman in Sachin. They also have Ganguly as captain who seldom makes any mistakes. Dravid is yet to get out in this tournament (or at least in the innings I have seen). Yuvrav is beaming with confidence. Sehwag has to score a century now, he is such a great talent - form is temporary, class is permanent. Kaif and Mongia dont have to score in the presence of all the other five great batsmen. Kaif will make up in fielding and will get Gilchrist run-out.
Also, you have the greatest left arm bowlers left in the tournament now. Nehra is sharp and likes to bowl at attacking batsmen. Zaheer is a class act. Srinath, well what can I say, his record speaks for him. Turbanator is unplayable for the Aussies.
True, if Sachin doesn't score, India will lose, they depend on him very much. Others in the team might have done a very good job but against great bowling lineups of Australia, and even Pakistan, Tendulkar has been on the frontline.
So the final is not between India vs Australia but Australia vs Sachin Tendulkar.
The best thing to do for both team is to win the toss, bat first, put a huge total and put the opposition in pressure.
This time Ganguly shouldn't make the decision of batting 2nd like he did against New Zealand, chasing against Australia is almost an impossible task.
For Aussies, they are badly injury hit, first Warne, than Gillesspie and now Martyn not in 100% fittness.
If those 3 were there, I would give Australia 90-10 of victory but since Australia is missing those players I would give Australia 60-40 of chances of winning.
I will be shocked if India pulls this off. The only way would be for Sachin to score a huge knock AND one of those bowlers to get huge wickets. Too much to ask for both.
Oh boy (the way tony greig use to discribe exciting moments)
hopefully we can see 10dulkar treating Lee + Mc Grath the same way with 4s + 6s as he did to Waqar and Shoaib (shoby deserved it for the poor bowling) .....
it'll be interesseting to see how Gilly handle the Indian Left armers since he always had some difficulties facing them when the ball jagged back in to him ..... Waseem can u tell a story about that ...... Srinath comes also into play coz he is very good bowler to lefthanders so will be worth watching how Gilly and Matty go after him ..... since he is a old fox who know what is needed on this very very special occasion (where he'll not be again)
If Aussies win them the last chance for S Waugh to get in the one day squad is gone (although i think he might have given it up)
Shoaib showed that 10dulkar is vulnerable around chest hight at high pace so i think aussies will be planning to get rid of him early on that way ..... Mc Grath may get the sclap of Sehwag bcoz the AFRIDI like footwork is still a concern for him .....
all in all it'll (hopefully) be a hell of a match and not the sort of previous Aus vs. Ind encounter .....
Well, my view is that this WC has been a shambles. Too many teams have gone out because of circumstances which were out of their control. Having said that, I still will look forward to this final because definitely two of the best sides will contest the Final. India are definitely on the up, while Australia are struggling to dominate after losing Warne and Gillespie, two of their prime strike bowlers in their dominance over the last decade.
Even so, i think Australia will win. I don't think Tendulkar will score big in the Final and India will be up against a top team on equal terms for the first time in this tournament. If they come through it then hats off to them. It's Australia for me though.
I have always enjoyed Australia bat. Whats up with their batsmen. these guys score at 5 to 6 runs an over even if they are 50 for 4. Great way to play 50 overs cricket.
The match will be at Joburg, the same place where Australia played Pakistan, its a pretty even pitch, the ball comes to the bat very nicely and the fast bowlers do get some assist on both part of the innings.
I think Brett Lee McGrath and Bichel will do enough damage to the Indian batting line up even without Warne and Gillespie. If Tendulkar does the business in the final I guess all questions about him not being a finsher will be answered. He's a great player, but I'm not sure about the rest of them.
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*Originally posted by Mr Xtreme: *
I think Brett Lee McGrath and Bichel will do enough damage to the Indian batting line up even without Warne and Gillespie. If Tendulkar does the business in the final I guess all questions about him not being a finsher will be answered. He's a great player, but I'm not sure about the rest of them.
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Of that lot, I think Dravid is a gem too. Every team should have one.
A good competition to watch. I wouldn't say it "best bowling vs best batting" game. Since Australian batting is also on top and Indian bowling is emerging as competitive. It'll be an "all round" competition, competition in all departments of the game (batting, fielding, bowling, captaincy, not to ignore umpiring ;) but thats not in a team's control).
Lets see what we get in final. I say Australia, but have a feeling that India will do it.
Thats what I thought the other day, that all the teams I was hopeful/supportive have lost, so lets support India so they’ll lose . But this logic has failed on so many other occasions
It will be an even bigger domination by aussies than it was against pak in 99. Forget old records..when it comes to crunch matches aus has nerves of steel,which will ultimately be the grail of victory. Although that is the most likely scenario...i just hope we get a decent match and not a slaughterfest.
