Australia makes cricket boring

<div class="section1"><div align="left" style="position:relative; left: -2"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="left" border="0" width="27.0%"> <colgroup> <col width="100.0%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><img src="/photo/990627.cms" alt="/photo/990627.cms" border="0" /></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal" style="" text-align:="" center=""><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">Brad Hogg picked up five wickets to skittle West Indies</span></div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal">It is becoming almost nauseating to see the Aussies thrash the living daylights out of the opposition with alarming regularity.The men from Down Under keep on churning out performances which seem almost programmed. Like unemotional robots, the Aussie cricketers never seem to be under pressure and their batting, fielding and bowling is so immaculate that it is almost unreal. So much so that maybe someone needs to check whether the Australians have a win-at-all-costs chip implanted under the skin much in the fashion that people suspected Indian hockey legend Dhyanchand of having a magnet installed in his stick!<br /><br />The first game of the VB Triangular series between Australia and the West Indies at the MCG was no different. The almost clinical manner in which Ponting and his men demolished the Windies was not funny. The Windies started as match winners, getting rid of the dangerous Adam Gilchrist for a duck with the score reading 4/1. With the ball wobbling in the air and an early wicket to boot, Lara would have been with peace with himself. Most teams after losing an early wicket would have settled to drop anchor and dig their heads in.<br /><br />But the Aussie batsmen, somewhat like baseball strikers, know only one way to play – go hammer and tongs after the pitcher (read the shell shocked Windies bowlers). The Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting did just that, taking the initiative away from a beleaguered West Indies. Ponting raced to 50 from in as many balls and suddenly the charged up West Indies outfit was rushing to protect the boundaries. <br /><br />It is this attitude and self belief, which mind you just does not come from winning alone, that other teams need to inculcate. For the Australians every batsman right down to Glenn McGrath (who believe it or not is working hard on his batting) believes that a century is there just for the taking! <br /><br />This time round it was Damien Martyn’s turn to raise his hand and be counted. A thoroughly professional 95 from just 93 balls helped Australia reach 301 after an indifferent start. And do not forget, the prolific Hayden was not even playing the game.<br /><br />Most teams would sit back and relax after having piled up 300 plus and let the opposition free their arms a little bit. But not the ruthless Aussies. Brett Lee in an awesome spell ran through the Windies top order and looked as if he was defending a total of just 150 plus. This is where the Aussies score over other teams. They are consistent; never give a breather to the opposition and like to wrap up the match as soon as possible. In a similar situation, India in all likelihood would have let the match drag on to the 50<span style="" vertical-align:="" super="">th</span> over and then maybe finally win it by 25 odd runs. <br /><br />The professionalism that the Australians bring to the game is unparalleled. Their success mantra is simple – pretty much like what Pete Sampras’ was in tennis – prosper on the unforced errors of the opposition! This is something that teams like India and Pakistan need to learn. Both of these teams are so obsessed with so-called stars in their teams that they do not even bother to force errors from a team like Australia. <br /><br />If Australia have to be dethroned from the top position that they have made their own, other teams will have to show the same commitment, team effort and the hard work that the Aussies put into their game.<br /><br />But the question to be asked is whether a team like Australia is good for the game or would we rather have teams like India and Pakistan which might grab defeat from the jaws of victory but provide more adrenaline pumping finishes!<br /></div> </div>