3/31/2015 The Australian supremacy ­ The Hindu

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Opinion » Editorial

Published: March 31, 2015 02:09 IST | Updated: March 31, 2015 05:25 IST

The Australian supremacy

If there were any doubts about Australia’s preeminence in cricket’s world order, those were ruthlessly banished at theMelbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday. A fifth World Cup crown in 11 editions — each achieved in a different continent,between 1987 and now — confers an aura of supremacy as nothing else. Consider that Australia has made two otherfinals at the game’s quadrennial showpiece event, and you get a sense of a country that produces dynamic, match­winning cricketers who pass on bloody­mindedness from generation to generation. Michael Clarke’s men were slightfavourites at the start of the current edition; hardly anyone in cricket circles picks against Australia in big tournaments,especially outside the subcontinent. Given the side was likely to play a majority of its matches at home — including thesemifinal and final at Sydney and Melbourne respectively, stomping grounds where it has historically been hard to beat— it was no surprise that the smart money was on Australia regaining the title. But being fancied is one thing. To winand do it so often that it appears inevitable, particularly in big games, is the hardest challenge in professional sport.

Australia grew in strength through the tournament, as Clarke and the influential James Faulkner returned after injury­enforced absences. The one­wicket defeat to New Zealand when the sides first met, Clarke said, was a wake­up call. Buthe knew, as did most who follow the game closely, that Australia had no business staying in the contest as long as it did.Other sides in the tournament took notice: the feared Australian will was apparent; all that remained was for its gamerhythm to click into gear. Steve Smith and Mitchell Starc shone the brightest, the former batting with calm mastery inthe knock­out matches, the latter creating chaos and panic in the opposition with searing left­arm pace. Both playedvital parts in the final too, Starc removing the tone­setting Brendon McCullum and Smith ensuring that a small chasesuffered no nerves. But this was an Australian side full of explosive game­breakers. Under Clarke, who left one­daycricket in a fairytale finish, the side played stirring, attacking cricket — much like the team it beat in the final. NewZealand looked like a heart­warming underdog story to the casual fan; in reality it has been the form side in one­daycricket over the last six months or so. Its vibrant, intelligent style of play established the World Cup’s zeitgeist witheight successive wins. A one­off final in unfamiliar Melbourne — after all its matches at home — proved too much,however. Australia was better on the day, as it so often is, but New Zealand proved that valour and imagination canbring the impossible within grasp.

Keywords: ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, Cricket World Cup 2015, World Cup 2015, Australia vs New Zealand

Printable version | Mar 31, 2015 2:50:13 PM | http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/the­australian­supremacy/article7049880.ece

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