[ICC WC 2003 - FINAL] - Australia vs India

[GoEagles]

Discuss the FINAL of the 2003 World Cup of Cricket between Australia and India on this thread.

Well folks, after 6 weeks, 54 scheduled games with 2 that never took place, a host nation yet again struggling to make the final of a World Cup, a non test playing nation making not only the Super Sixes but the Semi Final, a record for the best Individual Bowling at a World Cup, a number of hat-tricks, the emergence of Billy Bowden and the departure of several champions of the game... the final is upon us!

On Sunday, the 8th World Cup of Cricket final will be played as a day game from Johannesburg. Both Australia and India have won the World Cup before (Australia - 1987, 1999), India (1983). For Australia, they will be hoping to be the second team since the West Indies, to win back-to-back World Cup titles.

It will be a different Australian side that India last saw when they played in Durban on the 16th February. Jason Gillespie, the destroyer of the Indian innings was ruled out of the World Cup with injury, whilst Damien Martyn is no certainty to play. Fortunately Andy Bichel is in the best one day form of his career.

India after having a slow start to their World Cup seem to be doing everything right. Their batting order has looked stable since they moved Sehwag to open with the master blaster, Sachin Tendulkar. Also their bowling lineup has looked very impressive with Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra proving their worth.

The game will be televised live from 3.30pm WST on Channel Nine.

If you put money on an Australia-India final before the world cup it's paying $10.

 

[red+black]

took long enough for this thread to get started

 

[red+black]

Originally posted by GoEagles
The game will be televised live from 3.30pm WST on Channel Nine.

Of more relevance to the majority of people in the country, Channel Nine will start live coverage of the final at 6.30pm ESST.

 

[Kenny_01]

Can't wait!! Will be an absolute cracker of a game!!!!

 

[red+black]

Who's going to bowl Gillespie's slow ball and trap the maestro plum in front?

 

[Catman]

Ian Harvey - Man of the Match.

 

[carn_the_nmfc]

I have been looking forward to this match for ages.

I am tipping the aussies to win because they have been so dominant in this world cup.
India will be a tough challenge for us.

 

[raiderman00]

The freak's time has come.

I think this game will be tight and that a certain player will do the unthinkable and win the game for the Aussies. Ian Harvey is going to something extraudery i got a feeling.

My thoughts on the game against India and the whole world cup.

MY AUSTRALIAN TEAM FOR INDIA
HAYDEN- I think he needs some runs and is defently due for a big score. Has been batting out of form and imo needs runs desperatly in the final.

Gilchrist- Also batting below his standards, he has looked pretty average and will need to keep the ball down while playing his shots. Has been caught several times from just being lazy and not puting the ball in the right spot.

Pointing- Looking like a true captain now and looks like he has everything under control. His batting form has been good but not great. I think he will make a 100 on sunday unless he goes out by a soft shot like that one on Tuesday.

Leahman- A weak link in the team at the moment. Looking casual and very relaxed, has contributed to our batting collapses. looks like he is on the fringe. If Martyn comes up with the broken finger, Leahman might just be the surprise omission instead of Harvey. I hate S.A sorry.

Symonds- WOW that is what you can say, how can a guy have no form and then just make runs like that. Beats me how good this guy has become and really has put himself in as a top line batsman.

Bevan-UMMM looks in good form but i think he is on the slide as far as his batting goes. Can save a game and that is why he is there. Has had good sucsess and has made a couple of good scores.

Harvey- Bowling has been great, batting well that has been poor. Looks like he can maybe make a run but then seems to find a way to get out. Might surprise India with his bowling as i am tipping he will have a game of a lifetime on sunday. figures of 5/20 or something.

Bichale- Another great backup player, now maybe a full time player with his batting being that damn good. Another great find for Aussie cricket.

Hogg- Bowling is good, batting is overated and lets just say it ****. I can't help laugh when people call this guy an allrounder because he made 1 score. well now we know he can't bat. Bowling is great though and is a great bowler.

Lee- BOOM is this guy quick, i think he is in great form. is proberly Australia's hope of world cup glory as he is a great bowler. I worry about consistency though. takes 5/42 then 1/56 but still a great bowler.

McGrath- Still the awe of all pace bowlers and is in good touch, i think he has had an average world cup besides the 7/15 he took.

 

[lamby29]

raiderman00

You said that Hogg can't bat and has made one decent score. But your favourite player Harvey (I assume) hasn't made a 50 in his ODI career and has played 25 more games than Hogg.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Re: The freak's time has come.

Originally posted by raiderman00
Leahman- A weak link in the team at the moment. Looking casual and very relaxed, has contributed to our batting collapses. looks like he is on the fringe. If Martyn comes up with the broken finger, Leahman might just be the surprise omission instead of Harvey. I hate S.A sorry.

Not sure who this Leahman bloke is but Darren Lehmann's batting form whilst not brilliant has been on a par with the other Australian batsman with the exception of Symonds. Also, throw in the fact that his bowling has been very tidy has made him our best performed all-rounder (as Symonds' bowling has been woeful along with Hogg's & Harvey's batting). lol - Omit Lehmann for Harvey. Got to be one of the most stupid statements I have read. Do you watch the game at all?

 

[lamby29]

Kane, I am a Boof fan too, but he needs to go on with his starts more often than he currently does.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Originally posted by lamby29
Kane, I am a Boof fan too, but he needs to go on with his starts more often than he currently does.

Very true, but to drop him for Harvey (if Martyn were fit) is crazy stuff!

 

[NICK THE PIE MAN]

Am I the only one who think we almost deserve to go into the final as the underdog?

Although we are undeafeted, India have been alot more impressive in my opinion. And if the little master gets going, we are in for a tough one. We MUST get him out cheaply. First ball yorked by Lee would be ideal.

The toss will be critical. If we bat first, I think we will win. If India bat first, they will win.

In my opinion, India by 34 runs.
Just a bad feeling

My team for the final:
M.Hayden
A.Gilchrist
R.Ponting
D.Lehmann
M.Bevan
A.Symonds
B.Hogg
I.Harvey
A.Bichel
B.Lee
G.McGrath

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Originally posted by NICK THE PIE MAN

My team for the final:
M.Hayden
A.Gilchrist
R.Ponting
D.Lehmann
M.Bevan
A.Symonds
B.Hogg
I.Harvey
A.Bichel
B.Lee
G.McGrath

Reckon you have the likely line-up if Martyn misses out but I would prefer:
M.Hayden
A.Gilchrist
R.Ponting
D Martyn
D.Lehmann
A.Symonds
M.Bevan
A. Bichel
B.Hogg
B.Lee
G.McGrath

If Martyn is not available move Boof, Symonds & Bevan up the order & bring in Mahar.

 

[red+black]

Originally posted by Kane McGoodwin
Reckon you have the likely line-up if Martyn misses out but I would prefer:
M.Hayden
A.Gilchrist
R.Ponting
D Martyn
D.Lehmann
A.Symonds
M.Bevan
A. Bichel
B.Hogg
B.Lee
G.McGrath

If Martyn is not available move Boof, Symonds & Bevan up the order & bring in Mahar.

This Mahar bloke must be Malaysian or something. Anyway, just wanted to comment re Hogg. I really think he needs to bat #10, why he bats #8 is beyond me.

Drop him. Down the order.

 

[Kenny_01]

Originally posted by red+black
This Mahar bloke must be Malaysian or something. Anyway, just wanted to comment re Hogg. I really think he needs to bat #10, why he bats #8 is beyond me.

Drop him. Down the order.

He isn't a bad batsman, just in some terrible form.

 

[Bombers14]

This match is going to be Great.

Im going to stay up and watch the whole thing then hopefully see the aussies beat those bloody Indians. I hope that the aussies bowl 1st and get the Indian top order out quickly. They will then struggle because they dont have a good bottom order. Then the aussies will then chase and get that score.

GO AUSSIES!!

 

[St-KriS]

This match should be a piece of cake. All Australia has to do is dismiss Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid, Kaif, Mongia & Sehwag...err, on 2nd thoughts, that doesnt sound that easy.

Ive been saying it for days now, but for us to win this, HAYDEN NEEDS TO FIRE!!! And I do believe he will.

Matthew Hayden = Man Of The Man with 193 n.o.

 

[Portmanteau]

Originally posted by St-KriS
This match should be a piece of cake. All Australia has to do is dismiss Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid, Kaif, Mongia & Sehwag...err, on 2nd thoughts, that doesnt sound that easy.

I'm sure Pidgeon, Binga and Andre Bichelle are trembling in their boots at the thought of Sourav Gangulgy, Rahul Dravid, Mohammed Kaif and Dinesh Mongia... In all seriousness... a highly over-rated middle order.

Their openers on the other hand. Freaks.

 

[Kenny_01]

Originally posted by St-KriS
This match should be a piece of cake. All Australia has to do is dismiss Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid, Kaif, Mongia & Sehwag...err, on 2nd thoughts, that doesnt sound that easy.

Ive been saying it for days now, but for us to win this, HAYDEN NEEDS TO FIRE!!! And I do believe he will.

Matthew Hayden = Man Of The Man with 193 n.o.

Don't forget Yuvraj Singh either. I think he is in their top 3 batsmen.

 

[Portmanteau]

Also take into account their 4-man tail. As if this team made the World Cup Final.

 

[kretchy]

Originally posted by Kenny_01
Don't forget Yuvraj Singh either. I think he is in their top 3 batsmen.

He's a good call but does he make the top three when they have Tendulkar obviously no. 1.
Is Singh better than two of Sehwag, Dravid and Ganguly.

 

[Fansquad]

Part of me hopes its a good competetive match for the sake of cricket....but the other part wants me to wipe the floor with them.....Gangualy ****s me no end.

 

[manmountain]

I'm not in the slightest bit worried about Ganguly. He is a front running fairy - three centuries, two of which were against Kenya. What has he ever done against a decent team? SFA. He will struggle to reach double figures.

Hopefully we can get Tendulkar cheaply - if we can do that then half the battle is won already. According to the head of the Indian Cricket Board, India has clearly superior batting, are better in the field, and their bowlers are performing better than ours at the moment. I look forward to his excuses when we cruise home by 60+ runs.

 

[pazza]

A genuine blockbuster final. Don't be surprised if both sides make over 300 as playing at altitude has produced the higher scores throughout this world cup.

There is no question that this final will be as tight as any previous final (perhaps something similar to the '75 cup where the Windies just held on against the Aussies in retrospect).

The Indian bowling is perhaps the most questionable factor in the match.

A tip: Australia to win by about 20 runs, whilst Sachin Tendulkar is man of the match.