2003 Cricket World Cup

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Final

24 March 2003 Australia v India.

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24 March - 2003

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India won the toss, and Ganguly—slightly strangely—asked Australia to bat, hoping to take advantage of a pitch left damp by dew and rain. On a lively Wanderers Stadium pitch, the Australian openers took advantage of very wayward Indian opening bowlers to get off to a flying start. Bringing up a century opening stand in the fourteeth over, Adam Gilchrist, who had been swinging at everything, holed out off a sweep shot from the bowling of Harbhajan Singh leaving Australia at 1-105. Matthew Hayden, looking somewhat better than he had throughout the tournament, soon followed for 37. Captain Ricky Ponting and Damien Martyn (playing with a broken thumb) then completed a partnership of 234, an Australian record for one-day cricket. Ponting and Martyn started efficiently, putting away bad balls but mostly keeping the scoring going with good running, then letting loose in the last ten overs, taking 109 from them, Ponting in particular dispatching the bowling over the fence with fearsome regularity making 140 from 121 balls. The final Australian total of 2-359 was their highest ever in ODI history.

Related Topics:
Wanderers Stadium - Adam Gilchrist - Harbhajan Singh - Matthew Hayden - Ricky Ponting - Damien Martyn

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The Australian total looked impregnable, particularly after India's trump card Sachin Tendulkar was out in the first over after skying a pull shot, Glenn McGrath completing the caught and bowled. Nevertheless, Virender Sehwag's run-a-ball half century gave India respectability as they maintained a high scoring rate, but their only realistic hope—a washout—looked a possibility as the game was interrupted by rain in the eighteenth over. However, the rain proved fleeting, and India's hopes were dashed when Sehwag was run out by Darren Lehmann for 82. India's batsmen continued to throw wickets away in the chase and were finally bowled out for 234 giving Australia an emphatic victory underlining their dominance of the tournament. Ponting was named "Man Of The Match", and Sachin Tendulkar, for his demolition of bowling attacks, was named "Player Of The Tournament."

Related Topics:
Sachin Tendulkar - Virender Sehwag - Darren Lehmann

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