New ideas, new manpower brings Australia out of storm

The ICC One Day Super Series has seen many different concepts, but Christopher O’Leary believes it is the showcase of Australia’s next generation that is now the rage in world cricket.

In Melbourne, it rains.

In Australia, Adam Gilchrist catapults balls to the boundary.

In Melbourne, it rains.

In Australia, Ricky Ponting deadly throwing arm keeps batsmen behind the crease.

In Melbourne, it rains.

In Australia, there is a band of men who never give up when it seems like they are up against the world.

Some things never change, but Australia’s second win against the World XI in the Johnny Walker One Day Super Series produced a few surprises worth applauding.

The world champions are now 2-0 against the world, though they did not do it with the same squadron or spirit from the Ashes class of 2005.

Telstra Dome’s roof provided the shield to protect cricket from the spirited rain falling across Melbourne.

Like the roof, Australia’s up and coming guns provided the shield to protect them from the spirited comeback the World XI began to front.

Chris Gayle looked absolutely angry for his 54, bashing and bunting the ball left, right, and centre in the most unorthodox of fashion.

Meanwhile Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara also made a serious attack at Gilchrist’s memorable 103 off 79 balls, the fastest century made by an Australian, by hitting nine fours and a six for his 61.

While he was influential with his 66 and tactful moves on the field, Ricky Ponting must have been thanking his stars (and witnessing the creation of some new ones) for the form displayed by New South Welshmen Nathan Bracken and Stuart Clark, as well as Shane "I can play international cricket" Watson.

Veterans of the domestic scene but suspect on the international stage, these three players (along with the underused Cameron White) did a great deal keeping the world’s finest outside Australia to just 273 on an unbelievable batting wicket.

The old guard fired as well. Andrew Symonds was brilliant with his blazing bat, ripping off spinners and safe catching hands.

Out of form batsmen such as Simon Katich and Damien Martyn saved their careers by having found the middle again, Gilchrist in spectacular fashion. The Western Australian really did shake the `Flintoff’s bogey man` tag by finding the form to bash even the ever dangerous Muttiah Muralitharan out of the Dome.

While Australia did benefit from the world’s poor running decisions and some safe hands and shots at stumps, it is hard not to resist the effort made by the world champions’s less experienced players.

When Gayle and Sangakkara settled in for a good old fashion slog, it was Bracken (3/43 off 7.3 overs) and Clark (2/55 off 9) that kept plugging away with their length and, eventually, starved the world for room to smash.

Along with Watson (1/56 off 10), who eventually captured the West Indian, these pace men did not stray from common sense, and gave their captain plenty of untapped energy to go into battle with.

The philosophy Australia goes about its cricket – bat first, build gigantic total, then wear your opponents down with sharp fielding and smart bowling – has not been altered since the days of Waugh, but doubts crept into observers’ minds over the Australians post-Ashes like grey clouds in an English summer.

Fast forward to Melbourne, equally as gloomy on the match, and already the new blood that has been injected into these supposedly suspect Aussies has made establishing review panels and questions against captains and coaches seem some what trivial.

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