West Indies vs Australia, Final at Mumbai, Nov 05 2006 - Ball by Ball Commentary

RESULT
Final (D/N), Brabourne, November 05, 2006, ICC Champions Trophy
(28.1/35 ov, T:116) 116/2

Australia won by 8 wickets (with 41 balls remaining) (D/L method)

shane-watson
Player Of The Match
57* (88) & 2/11
chris-gayle
Player Of The Series
474 runs • 8 wkts
New

The matchwinning-shot sparks off huge celebrations in the dressing room. Ricky Ponting and his men now run on to the field to celebrate with Martyn and Watson. This was the only cup that they had not laid their hands on. The wait is over now.

West Indies collapsed sensationally - calypso collapso as they say - after a dream start and Australia, after a stutter at the start, reached the paltry target without much fuss. Not for nothing they are the best team in the world. They must have been shocked when the West Indies openers carpet bombed them but recovered quickly to display the much-famed Australianism.

John Arlott had written about it in 1948 at the end of a successful tour of England by Don Bradman's men. ""Australianism," wrote Arlott, "means single-minded determination to win - to win within the laws but, if necessary, to the last limit within them. It means where the 'impossible' is within the realm of what the human body can do, there are Australians who believe that they can do it - and who have succeeded often enough to make us wonder if anything is impossible to them. It means they have never lost a match - particularly a Test match - until the last run is scored or their last wicket down."

Not much has changed in these 60 years. They are still the best.

Man-of-the-match: Shane Watson . Hmm... I would have given it to Nathan Bracken.

Player of the tournament: Chris Gayle.

That's it then from us. I am Sriram Veera signing off on behalf of Jamie Alter and Sajan Nair.

28.1
1
Sarwan to Watson, 1 run

That's it! Watson brings up the Australian win with a tickle behind square-leg. Australia have won the Champions Trophy for the first time.

Over28
3 runs
AUS 115/2CRR: 4.10  RRR: 0.14
Damien Martyn 47 (71b 6x4)Shane Watson 56 (87b 4x4)
Marlon Samuels0/9 (5)
27.6
Samuels to Martyn, no run

And again.

27.5
Samuels to Martyn, no run

Martyn wants to end up unbeaten. Who can grudge him that. Defends off the front foot.

27.4
1
Samuels to Watson, 1 run

turns in on the middle and leg line, whipped past square-leg

27.3
2
Samuels to Watson, 2 runs

wide outside the offstump, full in length, square-driven past point. Chanderpaul tries to finish things off quickly with a misfield!

27.2
Samuels to Watson, no run
27.1
Samuels to Watson, no run
Over27
9 runs
AUS 112/2CRR: 4.14  RRR: 0.50
Damien Martyn 47 (69b 6x4)Shane Watson 53 (83b 4x4)
Ramnaresh Sarwan0/15 (3)
26.6
4
Sarwan to Martyn, FOUR runs

Short and outside off, Martyn cuts it fine, Samuels misfields it at backward point to keep the crowd humoured

26.6
1w
Sarwan to Martyn, 1 wide

Again well outside the offstump, lost control there and this time declared a wide.

26.5
Sarwan to Martyn, no run

full and well outside the offstump, left alone

26.4
Sarwan to Martyn, no run
26.3
Sarwan to Martyn, no run

short and well outside the offstump, Martyn hurries across to cut but can't make proper contact.

26.2
1
Sarwan to Watson, 1 run

comes down the track and drives it powerfully to cover region

26.2
1w
Sarwan to Watson, 1 wide

wide down the legside, attempted sweep but doesn't connect. Good work from the wicketkeeper Baugh who gathers it smartly and whips off the bails.

26.1
2
Sarwan to Watson, 2 runs

But Australia are intent on getting there in singles and twos. Comes down the track, takes it on the full but no violence. Just pushes it past extra cover

only 13 runs more.

Over26
2 runs
AUS 103/2CRR: 3.96  RRR: 1.44
Damien Martyn 43 (65b 5x4)Shane Watson 50 (81b 4x4)
Marlon Samuels0/6 (4)
25.6
Samuels to Martyn, no run
25.5
1
Samuels to Watson, 1 run

fifty up for Watson. He had not scored many in this tournament and this should please his mother. Driven to long-off

25.4
Samuels to Watson, no run

Aha! big turn has Watson in some tangle. He shapes to cut a delivery that landed well outside the offstump but is surprised by the spin and is rapped on the thighpad

25.3
1lb
Samuels to Martyn, 1 leg bye

turns in from outside off, Martyn walks across, lets the ball to spin to his hips, tickles it to short fine-leg

25.2
Samuels to Martyn, no run

leans forward to smother the spin. Doesn't put bat to ball but takes it on his pads.