Australia v Afghanistan
Wisden's review of the 26th match, Australia v Afghanistan
ESPNcricinfo staff
15-Apr-2016
At Perth, March 4, 2015 (day/night). Australia won by 275 runs. Toss: Afghanistan.
The Afghan fast bowlers were drooling when they pitched up at Perth (the only thing that irked Shapoor Zadran was the run-up area in the nets, which wasn't long enough for him). These children of the refugee camps understood what the WACA meant to quick bowlers and, for six overs, they used the surface well. Finch couldn't handle them, and edged to slip. But Warner - who by his own admission had no idea who these bowlers were or how to pronounce their names - started punishing anything short. One shot struck a boy in the crowd; Warner sought him out later, apologised, and handed over a pair of batting gloves. He reached 150 by the 33rd over, and put on 260 with Smith, Australia's highest partnership for the second wicket in one-day internationals; Warner would finish with 178 off 133 balls. Shane Watson had been left out, but Maxwell had the freedom to reverse-lap, hook, pull and sweep 85mph seamers without fear; his 39-ball 88 included seven sixes. Clarke resisted the temptation for batting practice and promoted the bigger hitters instead; he was rewarded with the highest total at any World Cup, and the seventh highest in the format. Dawlat Zadran, after an early wicket-maiden, finished as the seventh bowler to concede 100 or more in one-day internationals. The Afghan batsmen were unusually subdued, and slumped to the biggest defeat by runs at any World Cup as Johnson helped himself to four wickets. They had arrived knowing about the WACA's reputation; now they knew the reality too. JARROD KIMBER
Man of the Match: D. A. Warner.
The Afghan fast bowlers were drooling when they pitched up at Perth (the only thing that irked Shapoor Zadran was the run-up area in the nets, which wasn't long enough for him). These children of the refugee camps understood what the WACA meant to quick bowlers and, for six overs, they used the surface well. Finch couldn't handle them, and edged to slip. But Warner - who by his own admission had no idea who these bowlers were or how to pronounce their names - started punishing anything short. One shot struck a boy in the crowd; Warner sought him out later, apologised, and handed over a pair of batting gloves. He reached 150 by the 33rd over, and put on 260 with Smith, Australia's highest partnership for the second wicket in one-day internationals; Warner would finish with 178 off 133 balls. Shane Watson had been left out, but Maxwell had the freedom to reverse-lap, hook, pull and sweep 85mph seamers without fear; his 39-ball 88 included seven sixes. Clarke resisted the temptation for batting practice and promoted the bigger hitters instead; he was rewarded with the highest total at any World Cup, and the seventh highest in the format. Dawlat Zadran, after an early wicket-maiden, finished as the seventh bowler to concede 100 or more in one-day internationals. The Afghan batsmen were unusually subdued, and slumped to the biggest defeat by runs at any World Cup as Johnson helped himself to four wickets. They had arrived knowing about the WACA's reputation; now they knew the reality too. JARROD KIMBER
Man of the Match: D. A. Warner.