Who says inexperience is a huge handicap for touring teams? look at how Ponting's young Aussie side coped in Vadodara
Who says inexperience is a huge handicap for touring teams? look at how Ponting's young Aussie side coped in Vadodara
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Before the start of the seven-match series, Australia's clear disadvantage was the inexperience of many of its players had of playing in Indian conditions. How they would cope with it was certain to have an impact on the outcome of the series. For this redeveloping Australian team, how their powerhouse of cricket shapes up also hinges on the fact as well.
After the first game that Australia clinched by four runs yesterday, the youngsters gave ample proof that they are capable of delivering.
Opener Tim Paine put on a 97-run partnership with skipper Ricky Ponting after Shane Watson departed early. The 'keeper-batsman's 62-ball 50 showed his maturity and also ensured the middle-order had a platform to build on.
With Michael Clarke out with injury, the middle-order was looking quite fragile with Cameron White, known for his big hitting, coming in at four. But the Victoria skipper not only curbed his aggressive ways, but also held one end up to make sure there were no hiccups in the middle overs.
During his 68-ball 51, he put on 49 with Ponting and 76 with Michael Hussey. This meant Australia had enough wickets at their disposal in the final 10 overs, which eventually yielded 79 runs to take the total to 292.
"The way they have gone about their one-day cricket in the last one month or so has been pretty impressive.
"White got us across the line in the Champions Trophy final and Paine has hardly put a foot wrong in Australian colours," Ponting said.
Even someone like Peter Siddle, who is playing his first one-day international series in India, stepped up in the final overs when Harbhajan Singh and Praveen Kumar were threatening to take the match away after Brett Lee could not bowl because of a sore elbow.
Though he gave away a lot of runs in the 47th over, he bowled a gem of a final over. With only nine runs needed, he kept his cool and gave away just four runs. "It was a good learning curve for him too. He has never been in this position for Australia so it was good to see him close out that final over," Ponting said.
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