Australian victory ruins hopes of one-day decider

Press, 25 January 1988, Page 38

Australian victory ruins hopes of one-day decider

By

DAVID LEGGAT,

of NZPA in Sydney

Australia wrapped up the World Series Cup one-day cricket finals with its second consecutive comprehensive win over New Zealand in the space of three days at the Sydney Cricket Ground yesterday.

The victory gave Australia a 2-0 win in the best-of-three series and ruined the promoters hopes of a desired decider in two days time, on Australia Day in Melbourne. For the second time in the W.S.C. competition rain played a significant part in proceedings, and again it was the New Zealanders on the receiving end.

Five overs into their innings rain reduced the game to a 38 overs contest. After a poor start New Zealand rallied to reach 168 for five in 38 overs.

Australia got the winning runs with 3.5 overs to spare in brilliant sunshine, finishing at 169 for four.

Dean Jones made his second back-to-back half century of the finals, finishing unbeaten on 53 with the Australian captain, Allan Border, ending on 11, giving Australia a six-wicket win.

Yesterday’s defeat means Australia has now won 23 of the 37 one-day internationals between the Tasman rivals, with New Zealand having won 12. It was fitting that Jones hit the winning runs. His innings meant he finished the W.S.C. competition as the highest runmaker, with 461, and he won the player of the finals award. Winning the W.S.C. title completes an excellent

period of one-day success for Australia.

It won the World Cup tournament in India before Christmas, followed that by ending the W.S.C. preliminary competition on top of the three-way series, and the two finals victories give it 16 wins from its last 18 onedayers. New Zealand’s innings was badly affected by the rain, which cost it 117 minutes batting time. From 31 for three it was always going to have a tough job setting a sizeable target. However, Andrew Jones, with his fifth half century of the series, an unbeaten 56, and the captain, Jeff Crowe, with 42 in 40 balls, ensured Australia would be kept honest in its pursuit. Jones completed the competition with 416 runs from nine matches at an excellent average of 52.0.

Australia needed a run rate of 4.44 to win and the opener, David Boon, made certain it stayed ahead of the target rate. He made a bright 43 from 56 balls, with big hitting Craig McDermott justifying his promotion to No. 3 with a thrilling 24 in 16 bells. Dean Jones and Mike Veietta carried Australia within sight of victory with a 54-run partnership for the fourth wicket in 65 balls. Veietta was out 24 runs

short of the win, giving Martin Snedden his second wicket, for 30, from 35 balls. The New Zealand bowlers were unable to keep a tight rein on Australia’s in-form top order batsmen. Even the usually parsimonious Ewen Chatfield cost 29 in his first five overs. The New Zealand team flies home today, having lost the test series, 1-0, and the one-day finals to a rapidly improving Australian side. It will only have a short rest, however, before the first test against England in Christchurch, starting on February 12. Australia now plays England in the Bi-centennial test in Sydney, starting on Friday. ® Richard Hadlee left an Australian cricket arena for probably the last time at 4.54 p.m. yesterday. The great New Zealand fast bowler completed his 10 overs in yesterday’s second World Series Cup final against Australia, having returned excellent figures of 10, 2, 22, 1, before heading for the pavilion. The crowd of 29,356 gave him a mixed reception. Those on the infamous hill, who had managed the occasional crude chant during the day, booed and jeered,

while those in the members’ stand to which he was heading, gave a rousing reception. Border had some sympathy for Hadlee. “I thought it was sad he left the ground that way for the last time. Perhaps it would have been better if he had finished in Melbourne after the third test.” Hadlee took 10 wickets in that match to carry New Zealand within one wicket of a stunning final day victory. NEW ZEALAND T. Blain c Veietta b McDermott 9 J. Wright c Waugh b Dodemaide 8 M. Crowe b Davis 8 A. Jones not out 56 R. Hadlee c Border b Waugh 19 J. Crowe c Jones b McDermott 42 D. Patel not out 11 Extras (Ibll, w4) 15 Total (for 5 wkts). 168 Fall: 20, 21, 31, 79, 139. Bowling.—A. Dodemaide 8,0, 27, 1; C. McDermott 8,0, 29, 2; S. Davis 8,1, 23, 1; P. Taylor 7, 0, 27, 0; S. Waugh 7,0, 51, 1. AUSTRALIA G. Marsh c Wright b Hadlee 5 D. Boon c Snedden b Watson 43 C. McDermott c M. Crowe b Snedden 24 D. Jones not out 53 M. Veietta c sub (Rutherford) b Snedden ... 30 A. Border not out 11 Extras (lb 3 3 Total (for 4 wkts) 169 Fall: 12, 48, 91, 145. Bowling.— R. Hadlee 8,2, 22, 1; E. Chatfield 6,2, 34, 0; M. Snedden 8,0, 45, 2; J. Bracewell 7,0, 37, 0; W. Watson 5.1, 0, 28, 1.