Ricky Ponting led Australia to their second successive Champions Trophy
Ricky Ponting
has attributed Australia's Champions Trophy success to the efforts of
youngsters in his team, especially their performance in an occasionally
tense final.
"We have gone through some ups and downs in the
last 18 months. A number of great players have left and we brought in a
lot of young, fresh players. It was great to see some of them stand up
and deliver," Ponting said after Australia's six-wicket win over New
Zealand that gave them their second Champions Trophy title.
Australia's bowling performance in the final was led by Nathan Hauritz,
who grabbed 3 for 37, including the well-set Martin Guptill for 40.
Later, in their chase of 201, Australia were in trouble at 6 for 2 but Shane Watson
and Cameron White added 128 to put them in control. "Two young guys at
the crease at 6 for 2, it doesn't get any tougher and they did a great
job," Ponting said.
Australia came in to the tournament as favourites along with South
Africa, fresh from the success of a 6-1 ODI humiliation of England.
They beat West Indies in a tough contest in Johannesburg, were dominant
against India in a washed-out game and edged Pakistan in a two-wicket
win in Centurion. They were comprehensive winners in the semi-final
against England, Ponting and Shane Watson hammering centuries in a
nine-wicket win.
"In the ODI series in England after the Ashes, we
did well there to put ourselves in a position where we can give this
tournament a little bit of a shake," Ponting said. "We've played some
great cricket over the last couple of weeks here."
The Champions Trophy also brought personal success
for Ponting, as he emerged the highest run-getter with 288 at 72 in
four games. He was honoured with a golden bat for that feat, and
followed it up with the Man-of-the-Series award, ahead of Watson, who
finished the tournament with back-to-back centuries.
"We needed discipline today, and we knew that if I was around till the
40th over, we had a chance," Watson, who was Man of the Match, said
after his innings of 105. "It was set up with Ricky's help in the
semi-finals to get me through, and he missed out today, but it was time
for another to step up.
"The wicket today was a little slower than the
other night but Kyle Mills and Shane Bond bowled beautifully straight
up until me and White had a good partnership."
3.2
edged and taken! Siddle takes out McCullum with bounce, bangs it in and
gets McCullum flashing outside off stump, there's a thin nick and Paine
gobbles it up 5/1
18.3stumped,
Redmond's not had a good day, came down the track and Hauritz spotted
him, hurled it wide and Redmond had a wild swing at it, couldn't reach
it and Paine clipped off the bails to find him short 66/2
22.2caught and bowled,
straightforward delivery that, bowled full and flat outside off,
Guptill pushed at it firmly and scooped an easy catch back to the
bowler 77/3
23.1
gone! Bowled it on a good length outside off, gets to the pitch to
drive it past point but ends up slicing it just wide of him, Hussey
flings himself to his right and takes it over his head, excellent
effort 81/4
26.4
trapped in front, the inswinging yorker gets him a wicket, Elliott was
too late trying to defend it into the off side, it struck him hard on
the pads right in front of middle, the umpire had no hesitation, went
back to play at it and was caught plumb in front, too quick 94/5
40.5 from Watson, run out
off an atrocious delivery, high full toss outside off, played it down
to point, Franklin wanted a single but Broom hesitated, he was running
back to his end and then turned back, was too late to respond to
Franklin's call and Hussey at point returned a safe throw down to
Watson who took off the bails to find Broom miles short 159/6
41.6
the yorker, straight on off stump at 146 kmph, Franklin made room to
dig that out into the off side bu the bat came down too late and the
stump went on a walk 166/7
46.4Johnson to Patel, run-out,
that's gone, dropped down in front of Ponting who runs, collects and
throws down the stumps in one motion at the striker's end to send Mills
back to the pavilion 187/9
43.4
he's given him! Tossed it up outside off and it turned in, Butler came
forward and tried to play it across the line towards square leg, missed
and was rapped on the pads. It would have gone on, but we need a replay
to check whether or not he was struck outside the line, looked out on
first sight 174/8
26.4 to Elliott,
trapped in front, the inswinging yorker gets him a wicket, Elliott was
too late trying to defend it into the off side, it struck him hard on
the pads right in front of middle, the umpire had no hesitation, went
back to play at it and was caught plumb in front, too quick 94/5
41.6 to Franklin,
the yorker, straight on off stump at 146 kmph, Franklin made room to
dig that out into the off side bu the bat came down too late and the
stump went on a walk 166/7
3.2 to McCullum,
edged and taken! Siddle takes out McCullum with bounce, bangs it in and
gets McCullum flashing outside off stump, there's a thin nick and Paine
gobbles it up 5/1
23.1 to Taylor,
gone! Bowled it on a good length outside off, gets to the pitch to
drive it past point but ends up slicing it just wide of him, Hussey
flings himself to his right and takes it over his head, excellent
effort 81/4
18.3 to Redmond, stumped,
Redmond's not had a good day, came down the track and Hauritz spotted
him, hurled it wide and Redmond had a wild swing at it, couldn't reach
it and Paine clipped off the bails to find him short 66/2
22.2 to Guptill, caught and bowled,
straightforward delivery that, bowled full and flat outside off,
Guptill pushed at it firmly and scooped an easy catch back to the
bowler 77/3
43.4 to Butler,
he's given him! Tossed it up outside off and it turned in, Butler came
forward and tried to play it across the line towards square leg, missed
and was rapped on the pads. It would have gone on, but we need a replay
to check whether or not he was struck outside the line, looked out on
first sight 174/8
Australia innings (target: 201 runs from 50 overs)
1.2
Bond strikes straightaway! Lovely catch by Taylor to back him up, he
swings it away from the right-hander and pitches it up on the correct
spot and lures him to go for the drive, Taylor snaps the outside edge
diving low to his right 2/1
2.2
now Mills joins the party, Ponting's all at sea with this one, the ball
lands on the off stump line and nips back in, Ponting shuffles across
only slightly but he's too late in covering the line, trapped right in
front of middle, no issues with height, Mills knows it, he turns back
for confirmation and Ponting has to go 6/2
34.5
bowled'im! Slowish, bowled at 128.3 kmph, on a good length just outside
off, White opted to leave it but really late, got an inside edge just
as he was shouldering arms and the off stump was knocked back 134/3
38.3
Mills gets Hussey! Bowled it on a driving length outside off, Hussey is
not totally committed to that shot, just scoops that drive straight to
Patel at point 156/4
2.2 to Ponting,
now Mills joins the party, Ponting's all at sea with this one, the ball
lands on the off stump line and nips back in, Ponting shuffles across
only slightly but he's too late in covering the line, trapped right in
front of middle, no issues with height, Mills knows it, he turns back
for confirmation and Ponting has to go 6/2
34.5 to White,
bowled'im! Slowish, bowled at 128.3 kmph, on a good length just outside
off, White opted to leave it but really late, got an inside edge just
as he was shouldering arms and the off stump was knocked back 134/3
38.3 to Hussey,
Mills gets Hussey! Bowled it on a driving length outside off, Hussey is
not totally committed to that shot, just scoops that drive straight to
Patel at point 156/4
1.2 to Paine,
Bond strikes straightaway! Lovely catch by Taylor to back him up, he
swings it away from the right-hander and pitches it up on the correct
spot and lures him to go for the drive, Taylor snaps the outside edge
diving low to his right 2/1
