Australian Captain Ricky Ponting and his arsenal of fast bowlers destroyed minnows Scotland, laying waste to them with a 203-run victory. The World Champions went in first at the crease and set a formidable total of 334 for 6 with Ponting top scoring on 113 off only 93 balls.
It was Ponting’s 23rd ODI century and showed Australia are intent on making this their third successive World Cup triumph in a very one sided affair. The Australian total was bolstered by solid performances by Matthew Hayden (60), Adam Gilchrist (46) and Brad Hogg (40 off only 15 balls ) before the Scots took up the bat and faced the Australian attack.
A 335 total was always going to be a big ask and despite a valiant effort by Colin Smith (51) none of the rest of the order managed to reach a score of over 20. Smith was eventually dismissed by Brad Hogg with the rest of the order tumbling after. The Australian pace attack tore through the Scots with Glenn McGrath being the top wicket take with figures of 3 for 14, finally resulting in all out for 131.
This could have been nothing but a warm up match for the Aussies and an opportunity for the likes of Ponting to increase their run-rate.
OUR MAN OF THE MATCH:
RICKY PONTING
Full Name: Ricky Thomas Ponting
Age: 19/12/1974, Tasmania, Australia
Age: 32 years
Team: Australia
Role: Higher middle order batsman
Batting Style: Right-hand bat
Bowling Style: Right-arm medium
Height 1.78 m
A natural batman, Ricky Ponting plays with a full flourish of the bat and knows only to attack, and his breathtaking, dead-eye fielding is a force in the game by itself. Ponting's growing maturity was acknowledged by the ACB when he saw off competition from Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist to succeed Steve Waugh as Australia's Captain in 2002, leading to a successful 2003 World Cup campaign, clouting a 140 not out in the final. Carreer highlights include 207 against Pakistan, joining Don Bradman and Greg Chappell as the only Australians to reach four double-centuries. Ponting is the world's leading strokeplayer, and finished 2005 with 1544 runs and posted twin hundreds three times in five months.
It was Ponting’s 23rd ODI century and showed Australia are intent on making this their third successive World Cup triumph in a very one sided affair. The Australian total was bolstered by solid performances by Matthew Hayden (60), Adam Gilchrist (46) and Brad Hogg (40 off only 15 balls ) before the Scots took up the bat and faced the Australian attack.
A 335 total was always going to be a big ask and despite a valiant effort by Colin Smith (51) none of the rest of the order managed to reach a score of over 20. Smith was eventually dismissed by Brad Hogg with the rest of the order tumbling after. The Australian pace attack tore through the Scots with Glenn McGrath being the top wicket take with figures of 3 for 14, finally resulting in all out for 131.
This could have been nothing but a warm up match for the Aussies and an opportunity for the likes of Ponting to increase their run-rate.
OUR MAN OF THE MATCH:
RICKY PONTING
Full Name: Ricky Thomas Ponting
Age: 19/12/1974, Tasmania, Australia
Age: 32 years
Team: Australia
Role: Higher middle order batsman
Batting Style: Right-hand bat
Bowling Style: Right-arm medium
Height 1.78 m
A natural batman, Ricky Ponting plays with a full flourish of the bat and knows only to attack, and his breathtaking, dead-eye fielding is a force in the game by itself. Ponting's growing maturity was acknowledged by the ACB when he saw off competition from Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist to succeed Steve Waugh as Australia's Captain in 2002, leading to a successful 2003 World Cup campaign, clouting a 140 not out in the final. Carreer highlights include 207 against Pakistan, joining Don Bradman and Greg Chappell as the only Australians to reach four double-centuries. Ponting is the world's leading strokeplayer, and finished 2005 with 1544 runs and posted twin hundreds three times in five months.
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Interesting to know.
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