Dubai: Australia recorded a clean sweep in the World Indoor Cricket Federation World Cup finals to stamp their authority as invincibles in this version of the game.
The Australian men’s team lifted the world cup for a record 10th time while their women’s team emerged world champions for a ninth time. Australia’s under 21 men’s and women’s teams too recorded their sixth world cup triumph at Insportz. The performance of the Australian teams seemed virtually like a drill on how to win matches in indoor cricket.
The wining captains were only too glad to share tales of their team’s triumphs after the finals.
The Australian men’s team captain, Lyle Teske, after defeating New Zealand 94-48 in the final, said: “I am ecstatic because the boys played really well. Batting first and getting that score, that pretty much won us the game. The processes we follow always puts us in good stead. I have never seen a sporting team with this sort of record ever, we just keep it going and keep doing what we do.”
The Australian women’s team captain Jude Coleman, lifted the World Cup a record ninth time defeating South Africa in the final 121-52. She has been the captain of the team for 12 years. “It is always a thrill, you can never get used to it, because you put in so much hard work, so every single one means something different. This time we had a lot of new players so it was a sort of rebuilding really, even though we have some of the old heads around as well. Six new players, first world cup, for us it was pretty important to maintain our world cup status but also bring some of the young ones through and show them what it is like to play at this level.”
Australian men’s under-21 captain Ryan Dowse served warning to never prick Australian pride after defeating New Zealand 68-66 in a thriller of a contest in the final.
On Friday, New Zealand had beaten Australia in the first semi-final 63-58 but, as per the tournament rules, the loser of the first semi-finals gets a second chance by playing the winner of the second semi-final.
Thus Australia took on the second semi-final winners South Africa and defeated them (144-9) to clinch a place in the final against New Zealand .
“It is unbelievable [after losing in semi-final and win the tournament]. A wounded Aussie is a dangerous Aussie, they [New Zealand] fired us up yesterday when we lost, and it was always going to go one way from there. Fair effort to those boys, they pushed us hard all week.”
When Gulf News asked what was the turning moment in the exciting final, Dowse said: “When we were batting, in about the 12th over, we managed to get our way back into the game, at that stage it was very much looking like a New Zealand victory, but we came back and changed the momentum of the game.”
Australia Under 21 women’s captain Adelaide Campion, said after defeating New Zealand 92-54: “We definitely left it to the last minute, which wasn’t great for us, but good for the spectators, but it was good to see the girls bring it home, they showed their nerves of steel.”
The plate final between India and England was exciting with a large crowd turning out to cheer for India.
England’s captain in the men’s open division, Anish Patel, told Gulf News: “We had played three plate finals now and had lost every time. The big thing is that [in this world cup] we lost a few matches through some last-ball finishes. So we had a look at our game and decided to handle the situations well today. We should have finished this match early but the way they bowled and fielded was brilliant.”
Indian team captain Girish Kyatanahalli Gopal said: “We did not perform well in the tight moments and that cost us the match. We cannot blame one person, everybody could have done well. I believe, in indoor cricket, one individual can neither win the game and nor can he lose the game. It is team work. As a team, we did not capitalise during key moments.”
Brief scores:
Men’s final: Australia (M) 94 (Jay Otto 20, Scott Davies 1 wkt) def. New Zealand (M) 48 (Victor Davies 12, Luke Ryan 3 wkts) Player of the Match: Jay Otto Australia.
Women’s final: Australia (W) 121 (Briony Polkinghorne 22, Hayleigh Wheeler 1 wkt) def. South Africa (W) 52 (Sonet Fourie 25, Laura Shaw 3 wkts) Player of the Match Laura Shaw Australia
Under-21 women final: Australia 21 (W) 92 (Samantha Dixon 17, Amberley Thomson 2 wkts def. New Zealand 21(W) 54 (Lucy King 17, Emily Vallance 2 wkts) Player of the Match Emily Vallance Australia
Under 21 men final: Australia 21 (M) (Jamie Diener 16, Mitchell Rush 2 wkts) def. New Zealand 21 (M) (Dion Joll 13, Jamie Diener 3 wkts) Player of the Match Jamie Diener Australia
Plate final: England (M) 85 (Mubeen Rashid 16, Vijay Hanumantharayappa 2 wkts) def. India (M) 81 (Daivik Rai 14, Thomas Roe 1 wkt).
