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 Down to the wire Talent takes on sheer tenacity
Posted: Saturday June 19, 1999 02:58 PM
So after 41 matches and more than a month of cricket the World Cup is down to the wire, with the grand final set to feature a pair of teams, Pakistan and Australia, whose combined talents could make for a classic. Taking the ball for Pakistan, there's speed sensation Shoaib Akhtar, who bowling at around 96-mph is officially the world's fastest bowler. The 23-year-old boasting the ability to combine pace with reverse swing, that even had Aussie skipper, Steve Waugh, acknowledging him as one of the main obstacles to Australia's success. Australia too has a lethal weapon in the bowling department however in Shane Warne. The revitalized leg-spinner, whose troubled and lackluster World Cup took an inspirational U-turn in the semifinals, with figures of 4-29, admits to being "electrified" by his own display. That fact alone making Pakistan's bravado in claiming "he doesn't bother us" seem a hollow one. Pakistan's Saeed Anwar is widely regarded as the best batsman in the world. His 353 runs from nine innings having earned him widespread praise from the Aussies, whose feisty pride rarely permits opposing batsman any more than a grudging respect. The one unknown factor is his health, after Anwar missed training with a virus. Even at less than 100 percent however, he's worth his weight in gold. If Anwar is Pakistan's most likely run-maker, then Australia can look to Mark Waugh. His 398 World Cup runs in the tournament so far place him second behind his brother, Steve, on the list of leading Australian batsman. And while he's not been in the form he was at the last World Cup, when he became the first man to hit three centuries, he's a player who relishes the big occasion. Finally, there's the captains, with Steve Waugh and Wasim Akram's experience as former World Cup winners, likely to prove vital if and when the going gets tough at Lord's. Akram, who's considering retirement after the final, is the world's leading wicket-taker in one-day cricket, and a man of fierce national pride. Victory, he says, would not just benefit Pakistani cricket but also the country as a whole, in the wake of a period of domestic troubles. For his part, Steve Waugh has led by example. His 398 runs overall have included a match-winning 120 not out against South Africa in the Super-Six second round decider, and a 56 in the semifinal that rescued the Australian innings. Those efforts typical of a man who wears his heart on his sleeve as the most passionate and proud of all Australians. Who will come out on top? Well if the temperamental and often erratic Pakistanis rise to the occasion, they are the best one-day team in the world. Australia meantime possess the one thing Pakistan has lacked, dogged consistency, and if it gets down and dirty, the money would be on them to emerge from the trenches on top. As the drama continues to unfold it is the contrasts and similarities between the two teams that will make for a fascinating final.
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