In trying to decide which teams might do well in the World T20 tournament, the first question that leaps at you apart from who was the psychiatrist that passed Andrew Symonds fit to resume his international career is can lightning strike twice for Ricky Ponting?
In trying to decide which teams might do well in the World T20 tournament, the first question that leaps at you apart from who was the psychiatrist that passed Andrew Symonds fit to resume his international careeru00a0 is can lightning strike twice for Ricky Ponting?
In 2003 Ponting did a magnificent job of re-focusing the Australian team after Shane Warne was banned for a drug offence on the eve of the World Cup. This time the task of picking up the pieces will be more difficult because Ponting has less senior players in the squad.
The timing of Symonds' indiscretion couldn't have been worse; Australia already had a difficult enough task just trying to qualify for the semi-finals. To reach that stage they first have to beat both the West Indies and Sri Lanka to move onto to a Super Eight Group E that's loaded with talent.
With due respect to the West Indies and their potential to cause an upset, the most likely scenario is a group that will include India, Australia and South Africa. That's the three best teams in the tournament, all in one Super Eight group.
The lop-sided nature of the draw means that one of the big three; India, Australia and South Africa will miss out on a semi-final berth. Following Symonds' demise the chances that team will be Australia just rose like a sky rocket on New Year's Eve.
So less time
Because T20 matches are brief there's very little time to recover from a setback. Therefore, teams with match winners at the top of the order or among the front line bowlers are well placed to wrest the initiative. Australia just lost one of a rare breed; a player who can have a major effect on a game from the middle order.
Nevertheless, Australia is still well credentialed and ranks up there with India and South Africa in that respect.
Virender Sehwag, Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina can all get a move on at the top of the order and Zaheer Khan is a proven wicket taker. Australia is well placed with Shane Watson, Brad Haddin and Ponting and a lethal pairing of Mitchell Johnson and Lee to make early inroads.
TOMORROW: Ian Chappell on Sri Lanka Pakistan, Sri Lanka and New Zealand's chances in World T20
