Kiwi and Kangaroo orchestras to perform ‘concerto – Chin Music’
Go rush to your TV screen and get glued to the final episode of the concerto ‘Chin Music’ on stage at the Melbourne Cricket Grounds in progress
right now. Two orchestras – one representing Australia and the other representing New Zealand have put their wits to test to learn as whose players would play the better version of ‘Chin Music’. Yes, ladies and gentlemen it is time for the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 version.
Though cricket is essentially a batsman’s game, it was their fast bowling strengths that brought both these teams to this final battle. For Australia it was the Mitchell twins – Strac and Johnson and for New Zealand – Trent Boult and Tim Southee – the latest hot properties of pace bowling in the world of cricket today.
First time around when the two warring factions enacted the Tasman war in New Zealand, it became a battle of the titans. All but one batsman were decapitated by the menacing fast bowlers of both sides, until the prodigal Williamson decided to hit the ball out of the park.
Even Lankan cricket can have some consolation that out of three games lost by them in the tournament, two of them were against Australia and New Zealand.
In the first semi-final it was New Zealand who held their nerve over the choking Proteas to reach the final. The truth is it was a game that the South Africans had loose control and they just did that towards the end of the game. They lost their cool and dropped vital catches and so did their desire to hold aloft the World Cup for the first time also disappeared.
So far in the run to the final the Kiwis have been unbeaten, but, by the grace of the organisers – the ICC, they played all their games at home and now for the final and the second battle with co-hosts Australia, it’s their turn to cross the Tasman Sea.
Yet this time in batting it is young Steve Smith for Australia and unlikely hero Martin Guptill for the New Zealanders.
Nevertheless at this big one it is the Kiwi who is at a disadvantage. The MCG wicket may have less swing than their own turf, and the boundaries will also be much further. For instance the New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum has scored 308 of his 329 tournament runs in the mandatory power play, hitting 59 boundaries in the 150 balls he has faced, but, will those big hits of his reach the desired destination or a carefully designed trap inside the bigger ground, this time around? Besides only McCullum, Daniel Vettori and Ross Taylor have played at the MCG before.
Could Southee and Boult get the same zip out of the drier MCG wicket? These are some of the questions that the New Zealanders would have at hand. They must remember that after seven dreadful experiences in the final round, this is the first real chance that they have worked hard to achieve, so there should be no flaws in this final script.
As for the Australians they are perfectionists, and have to be the best at everything. At the same time from the first occasion that the tournament was held in 1975, the Australians have been in the finals on six previous occasions and won the coveted plum on four of them.
On Thursday, the Australians taught the Indians about their own inadequacies against real fast bowling at the Sydney Cricket Grounds. The Australians went against the general norms of the Sydney wicket and employed only one part time spinner in Glen Maxwell and kept the doors open for the fast bowlers play their own ‘chin music’ and the Indians wilted.
On Friday, thousands of Indians who bought tickets for the final were valiantly attempting to sell them in the open market.
Head-to-head, yes, it is the Australians who have all pointers turned in their direction, but, in this tournament the New Zealanders have proved that they have the guts to take on the best on equal terms and beat them in their own game. They did it once to the Australians and then went on to halt the Proteas in their tracks in the semi-final.
The Australian skipper Michael Clarke commenting on the match said, “In our first meeting they gave us a kick on our backsides. We woke up with that and tightened up a few loose ends and now we are a stronger opposition. Still New Zealand is a good side to beat”.
It’s sure going to be a nail-biter and the cricket dished out should be of good quality.