At face value, a target of 209 is not the stiffest by any stretch of the imagination. And for an Australian team in a World Cup, it is the easiest two points, so you would think. But, this edition has been different, very, very different. There’s never been an Australian outfit at the World Cup as timid as this. Finding themselves at the bottom of the barrel with a harrowing loss to India and then to South Africa and on both occasions not able to cross the 200-run mark, the target of 210 sure must have looked daunting at the Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee Stadium, Ekana, Lucknow on Friday.
One of Australia’s strong suit in ODIs, this year at least, was the speedy start the combination of Travis Head, David Warner and Mitchell Marsh had provided and contrary to that, their first two games of the tournament have been under-par. Marsh had only seven runs to his name in 21 balls while Warner too has been slow to start with. He did score 41 v India but had a slow start, and against SA he managed 13 off 27.
So vs SL, after Australia wrapped them up for 209 from 125/0, the batters needed to take on the game early in the piece and Marsh did exactly that with a powerful drive off the first delivery, which was over-pitched from Lahiru Kumara. To Maheesh Theekshana a back foot push with timing followed and then a square cut.
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During SL’s innings, the ball was coming on the bat so nicely that both openers Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera enjoyed the pace on the bat, but in the second innings, even though there was some zip still for the pacers, for spinners you had to wait on ever so slightly and on the back foot, Marsh was a treat to watch. And this is the Marsh we saw in India earlier this year, which is why he becomes the vital cog in Travis Head’s absence at the top of the order.
Warner’s consistency at the top is now a bit of a question mark, and on his last legs as an international cricketer, he has not been able to force his way into this tournament. That happened today as well when he was undone by the left-armer Dilshan Madhushanka, a close call upheld on the review by the barest of margins, Warner was visibly upset and bad-mouthed his way back to the pavilion. That frustration looked more aimed at his inability to get going than the decision itself.
And that has been a worry for Australia. They went on to lose Steve Smith to Madhshanka, again leg before wicket as he shuffled a bit too much trying to cover up for the swing of the left-hander, at 24/2, 209 started to look like 290.
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But Marsh had decided to be the aggressor and he ensured that Australia were not falling behind. He continued to wait for the bad balls … rather the ones with room, which both Madhushanka and Kumara were reasonably happy to provide, and Marsh slashed at those with aplomb. When Dunith Wellalage and Maheesh Theekshana dropped it marginally short, he rocked back in a jiffy employing his long leavers to the maximum effect. By the 12th over he had reached his fifty in 49 balls with the help of nine boundaries. He had done his job, at least in the game and what the situation demanded of him.
But the game was still not over. Chamika Karunaratne’s quick release throw to wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis had Marsh short of his ground and the Sri Lankan hopes were up again. 81/3. Such has been Australia’s performance that even at this stage, the balance remained in the middle. Marnus Labhuschange and Josh Inglis had to step up. Inglis in particular, as he had replaced the vice-captain Alex Carey in the XI from the previous game.
A backup wicketkeeping option Inglis’ exploits in the BBL had prompted the Australian management to give him a look in and in the nine previous ODI appearances, Inglis had not done anything of note, barring a 50 against South Africa at Bloemfontein in September this year. He needed the level-headed Labhuschgane for company and the duo got together for an enterprising 77-run stand in 86 deliveries. Inglis was not overwhelmed by the spin of Theekshana, Dhanajaya de Silva and Wellalage and bid his time in the middle.
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It did help to get a fuller one and then the full toss as your first two deliveries which he duly dispatched to the fence, but he did not override with confidence after that and effectively blunted the spinners and took on the pacers. When Kumara tried a short stuff, Inglis in proper Western Australian fashion took on for a maximum, followed by a drive towards mid-off to bring up a sparkling fifty. Yet, when it looked like it was time to close out the game, he departed for 58. Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis provided the finishing touches, but the game was made by Inglis and Marsh, with Australia huffing and puffing to their first win of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.
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