Aussies going out takes away the glamour

Australia tumbling out of the International Cricket Council Second Edition of the World Cup Twenty20 has gone to take away the glamour and also gone to drop ticket sales.

The Aussies flew in here fine tuned, determined and confident that they could win the Twenty20 Trophy which has been eluding them. In the First Edition, they were unlucky to be out in the semis.

The Aussies are a team the crowds here love to hate. They play their cricket hard and in an arrogant way, steamrolling over all opponents, that they begin to be the envy of all teams.

Ricky Ponting's team this time round does not seem to have that killer instinct in them, surprising when one thinks of their teams of the past.

They seem to be a team just waiting for things to happen and not making it happen. Being in Group `C' with Sri Lanka and the West Indies, they seemed the best team on paper to head the group beating the other two teams. But surprisingly conceded victory to the Windies, and when they fronted up to Sri Lanka the pressure was really on.

Unable to out think West Indian captain Chrys Gayle and dismiss him early was their undoing. None of the bowlers could bowl the unplayable delivery that could have got Gayle out.

It was this inability, that screwed the Aussies and paved the way for their tumbling out of the tournament.

After struggling to make 159, it was vital that they got Gayle early if they were going to stay with a chance for victory.

But then they ran into a batting gale in the form of Gayle and they were just blown off. Gayle struck with such ferocity, that the Aussie bowlers and fielders just had to stand and watch the hitting exhibition by the tall and strongly built Chrys Gayle.

Gayle on that day at the Oval was lord all almighty. He just stood and hammered the bowlers,especially Brett Lee with utter disdain and one of sixes off Lee sailed over the ground.

It was just one right royal batting display that had the spectators yearning and shouting themselves hoarse urging Gayle for more hitting action.

When he was dismissed, spectators were stunned into silence and stood shocked that this murder of bowlers had cruelly ended.

Lee who was specially singled out by Gayle for a thrashing, finally got Gayle, but by that time the game was good as over, bar the shouting. The crowd stood to a man and gave the West Indian a standing ovation.

Lankans carry on the good work

The damage done by the Windies seemed to have hit hard at the Aussies and when they faced the Lankans seemed to be in no mans land. They were still shell shocked by the Gayle battering, that they could not do anything right against the Sri Lankans and were easy beats.

The early dismissal of David Warner signalled the beginning of the end for them.

From then on the Lankans took charge and stayed on top till the final ball was bowled which saw to the demise of the Aussies and the further progress of the Lankans.

Symonds a big loss

The Aussie problems really began before the tournament started when they had to deport Andrew Symonds on an allegedly drinking charge. This is not the first time that a charge of this nature had been slapped on Symonds.

The absence of Symonds would certainly have upset the apple card for the kangaroos and all their plans and strategies would have gone awry, and would certainly have had to do some rethinking.

Symonds had been given enough opportunities to reform. He had been put through counselling, and if his misbehaviour here is an indication, then he has not learnt.

Pity when one thinks of the enormous abilities of Symonds as an allrounder. Bowlers fear his power hitting. As a fielder he is second to none and as a bowler can bowl off spin or revert to bowling troublesome medium pace seam and swing.

According to reports this probably will be the last time that Symonds will wear the baggy green cap of Australia. When that happens the game will lose one of the greatest entertainers to take the field.

The Australian cricketing authorities must also be congratulated for maintaining discipline, not caring how powerful or indispensable he is to the game. The Aussies have set an example and others would do well to follow it.