The battle for a double figures ICC T20 ranking, Australia (9) versus Ireland (10), promised so much and delivered so little. Such is the way with many hyped up fixtures in the sporting world.
The Australians had pronounced a degree of indignation at their ranking (the figures are based on wins and losses, it’s not a complicated system).
Be careful or the stain of the self-denial virus that spread from 2004 through 2011 will reappear, like Lady MacBeth’s ‘damned spot’ and nervousness at playing against an underdog – ranked all of one rung below.
It can often be uncomfortable and tetchy when you play against a team that is not SUPPOSED to be very good, someone from the depths of the competition table or from an inferior league that, on their day and with a modicum of good fortune, might just get more runs than your team.
Your team is considered by the media, your fans, and family members to be so much better that it is hardly worth them turning up.
Just ‘phone in the performance’, as the Yanks would say, implying that no more effort and concentration is required for a ‘W’ than lifting the receiver.
Players’ minds can get a tad fuzzy if underdogs hang in or challenge. They focus on the consequences of LOSING to an underdog.
After all, underdogs have nothing to get anxious about: fear of failure is hardly a problem when you are supposed to run second.
Underdogs rejoice in a close loss and feel content with whatever effort it took to lose. Favourites schedule extra practice after a close victory.
Australia has the day off.
On this occasion, it was the Irish setter underdogs that suffered from the nerves and fell to a large loss by 20 over standards.
Ireland got away to a poor start with the bat and only partially recovered with a few late blows from the tail to post a total defendable on some Colombo bunsens designed for Murali and Mendis.
This was not such a surface.
It had bounce and carry and pace and not much sideways movement before or after the ball pitched.
170 and above was closer to par.
It was hard to draw a form line on the Australian performance as they weren’t examined closely in any department.
Shane Watson took wickets, as he has so often done in any form of the game with old or new ball.
He may have had some good fortune with his first, a top edge from a loosener. If his plan was to find out how much bounce was in the middle of the pitch, he found out.
Mitchell Starc didn’t swing the ball as much as in the wide-littered practice game against England.
He looked to sacrifice pace for accuracy, and for the most part succeeded.
His around the wicket Yorkers were spot on and will continue to be so as long as he doesn’t lower the bowing arm angle into his left arm predecessor’s air space.
Glenn Maxwell has slipped comfortably into international cricket with bat and ball. He looks unhurried, composed and constructs each over with care and thought.
The major strength of this Australian team may well be through the all-rounders Maxwell, Christian and Wade. They have spinning and pacey pitches covered, although both Wade and Christian need to bat higher.
They are the batsmen who can create the BIG 20 run plus overs. Overs that win you big games.
Brad Hogg looked like he has had a hair tint and a bucketful of Warney’s miracle face cream. Did he look a lot younger or do I need a new spectacle prescription?
Maybe it’s just because of the irrepressible energy and joy at bowling that he exudes the Benjamin Button effect. Whatever, he still has an unpickable wrong’ un and displays why wrist spin, especially the rarely sighted left arm version, is so valuable at international level.
All of the bowlers did their jobs without being pressured, which left George Bailly plenty of options even without hauling Cameron White to the crease.
White finished with a red ink but should have made only 3 before former North Sydney captain Trent Johnston put him down. David Hussey must be in truly horrible nick to be left out of this starting eleven.
Watson and Warner prospered early and deprived the middle order of any worthwhile challenge.
Australia have crossed the first hurdle by breaking into the lightest of sweats. Ireland’s performance was not that of an underdog ready to revisit some glory days but that of an underdog sneaking home with their tail between their legs.
Ben Carter
Roar Guru
Hi Brett - according to Cricket Australia last week, Nine has secured the rights to the "big games" of this and the next T20 World Cup PLUS the 2015 ODI World Cup to be payed in Oz/NZ. Of course, what that really means is invariably "we might just show you Australia's matches only, if we're feeling nice, sometime after midnight". The Asia Cup football tournament, also in Australia in 2015, is on SBS. Can you IMAGINE SBS daring to even HINT that they would not show all 30-odd games IN FULL, the majority LIVE? Imagine the outrage is Les Murray said it would just be Australia's three group-stage matches, plus any more second-round fixtures IF they qualified, then two of the four quarter-finals, one semi and the final, delayed by an hour? It just wouldn't happen. So why does it happen to the national cricket side - WHEN NINE HAS TWO, count'em, TWO WHOLE DIGITAL CHANNELS to SPARE every day of the week?????? Absolute madness!!! (you can tell this kind of thing has been getting to me a bit, here, can't you?)...
Ben Carter
Roar Guru
I totally agree Will.A total pain in the backside. 8pm live AEST yet after midnight on Nine. Pathetic.
MrKistic
Roar Rookie
Probably also worth mentioning that England won the last won over Australia. So we've at least made a final. England won fairly easily, although one D.Hussey top scored to get us to a reasonable total. Also, there's no cup! For whatever reason, the ICC refer to it only as the 'ICC World Twenty20'. Although I'm not sure why I continue to be surprised at the mildly insane behaviour of world cricket administrators, I should really be used to it by now.
Brett McKay
Expert
this is actually the fourth WT20, Jigs.. - India won the first one in 2007 (which promptly made India fall in love with T20 as a format, ICL, IPL emerged) in South Africa - Pakistan won the second one in 2009, In England. - England won the last one in 2010, in the West Indies
Jiggles
Roar Guru
Well you learn something new every day.
Brett McKay
Expert
nope...
Jiggles
Roar Guru
Right, have we won any?
Brett McKay
Expert
2007, and this is about the fourth one since...
Jiggles
Roar Guru
I didn't even know there was a T20 world cup. When did this start?
Lowthman
Guest
Cameron White has been in terrible form the last couple of years and I agree, Hussey for White is a much better option!
Tobes
Guest
Tough decision. You'd think D. Hussey's offies would get him a look in especially in Sri Lanka. Although Geoff did say it wasn't a slow turner like other pitches will be. Anyway competition for spots is always healthy keeps everyone focussed and hopefully on top of their game! I guess the only disappointment of the game was Cummins. I didn't see any of it was he bowling fast and swinging the ball?
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Could not care less about 20/20 Henry but the virus of self denial will stretch until the test series against Sth Africa is lost before a cure is seriously sought.
Brett McKay
Expert
OK cheers Will.. Adam (below), there's probably an element of that in it, for sure, though realistically Bailey, White, and both Husseys are competing for three spots. Personally, I'd have David Hussey before Cameron White just for the extra bowling he brings. But a good start to the tournment last night either way..
Adam
Guest
The omission of Hussey is a result of the farcical situation where Bailey as captain, needs a spot accommodated for him. Pick the best 11 players, then choose a Captain.
Will Sinclair
Guest
Hi Brett, They were definitely showing T20 last night, but it didn't start until very late (after 10:30pm). Not sure whether that was the Aussie game on delay or one of the later games live though. Just disappointing when you consider the abject garbage that DOES get shown on Gem and Go!
Brett McKay
Expert
Will, I'm not sure Nine are showing any of the WT20 at all, or perhaps just from the semi-final stage. Happy to be corrected.. Geoff, a fair summation of how last night played out. I thought Australia bowled pretty well, and the Irish bats with the exception of Ed Joyce looked a bit star-struck almost. Some of their shot selection had elements of 'just happy to be here' about them. And I must agree about David Hussey. If anyone had suggested a month ago that Australia would go into the first match of the WT20 without D.Hussey and C.McKay, I'd have recommended a head-reading...
Will Sinclair
Guest
I'm getting sick of asking these obvious questions but... Anyone have any idea why Channel 9 weren't showing this live on one of the secondary digital channels? It started at 8:30pm - prime time for sports fans - and surely would have drawn more viewers than the re-hashed trash they were actually showing?