Australia has completed an undefeated home summer with victory over the West Indies in the final Twenty20 match at the SCG.
While Australia didn’t win every match – they drew with the Caribbean side in the Adelaide Test and the teams’ ODI at the SCG was abandoned due to rain – they didn’t lose any either and will now fly out to New Zealand looking to continue their unbeaten run.
There’s plenty that could be written about the relative strength of Australia’s opposition over the summer, at least in Test and One-Day International cricket, but both Pakistan and the West Indies outshone the Aussies at the World Twenty20 last year.
That’s why Australia’s wins in their three Twenty20s should have sounded a warning to all competing nations ahead of this year’s World Twenty20 tournament. The West Indies never got close in their two Twenty20s against Australia, with the home side smashing the Windies bowling attack to all corners of the ground in the second match at the SCG to reach the target of 139 in just 11.4 overs.
It could be argued that as Australia had never lost a Twenty20 in Australia, a win against reigning World Twenty20 titlists Pakistan in their sole match in this format and their first Twenty20 win against the West Indies must be seen in the context of a home advantage. However, it could also be argued that Australia is building ahead of the World Twenty20 this year. And that spells danger for prospective opponents.
One reason for opponents to start worrying about Australia in the lead-up to the World Twenty is the blistering form of David Warner. The New South Welshman burst onto the scene back in January 2009 with 89 from 43 balls on debut against South Africa, and his 49 from 32 deliveries in the first Twenty20 against the West Indies, and the second fastest 50 in Twenty20 International cricket (the opener reached his half-century off just 18 balls and was finally dismissed for 67 from 29 balls) against the Windies at the SCG, shows why he’s one of Australia’s most valued Twenty20 sluggers.
But it was the raw pace of slinger Shaun Tait that shone through against Pakistan, and then against the Windies in Hobart. Brett Lee’s future might be in limbo as the speedster recovers from elbow problems, and the latest reports are that he’s expected to announce his retirement from Test cricket, but the home side has been well served in his absence with the South Australian sending warp speed deliveries at opposition batsmen during the Twenty20s.
Tait’s 160.7kmh delivery in Australia’s Twenty20 win over Pakistan on February 5th was the fastest recorded ball bowled in Australia. But we’ve known Tait was fast for a while now. The emergence of Dirk Nannes as a Twenty20 International player has been another fillip for Australia ahead of the world tournament beginning on April 30th.
Nannes, who for a number of years spent more time chasing the snow (he almost made the Australian winter Olympics team in the late 1990s) than cricket balls, has this month proved his value in the Australian squad. The 33-year-old - who made his Twenty20 International debut at the 2009 World Twenty20 playing for the Netherlands - won’t need to use his Dutch passport to get a game at this year’s World Twenty20, after surely sealing a spot in the green and gold.
Shane Watson, who received the Allan Border medal for his last year’s performance in Tests and One-Day International matches, is just as capable in the shortest form of the game. Add Victoria Twenty20 captain Cameron White to a line-up that includes Watson, Warner, David Hussey and wicketkeeper Brad Haddin and Australia’s batting line-up looks formidable.
That’s without making mention of Australia’s Twenty20 captain Michael Clarke. The decision to appoint Clarke as Twenty20 skipper was met with its share of criticism, and not all of it was unjustified. Clarke’s Twenty20 record is well below that of his performances in the longer formats of the game, but his 32 from 26 against Pakistan while batting at No. 3 was encouraging. As is the fact Australia has performed well under his captaincy thus far.
Things will certainly get tougher for Australia when they head to the Caribbean for the 2010 World Twenty20 in a couple of months time. But it would be a surprise if the Aussies failed to progress past the group stage of the competition for the second time running.
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