Australia win ICC Champions Trophy

Posted : October 06 2009

Australia were crowned the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy winner after Shane Watson’s unbeaten century guided the defending champions to a six-wicket victory over a depleted New Zealand in the low-scoring final match on Monday.
Watson hit an unbeaten 129-ball 105 (10X4, 4X6) and starred in a 128-run stand with Cameron White (62) under tremendous pressure as Australia, chasing 201 against New Zealand’s never-say-die pacers, overcame a wobbly start to reach 206/4 in 45.2 overs.
Earlier, a rudderless New Zealand, sans their injured skipper Daniel Vettori, fumbled and faltered their way to 200/9.
The Kiwis had just two decent partnerships in their innings but Martin Guptill (40) and Aaron Redmond (26) took 15.1 overs to raise 61 runs for the second wicket, while Neil Broom (37) and James Franklin (33) added 65 in 14.1 overs, which underlined their struggle in the middle.
For Australia, Nathan Hauritz claimed 3/37.
Considering Australia’s batting might, the match seemed to have all the ingredients of a lop-sided show but Shane Bond and Kyle Mills injected drama by dealing early blows that jolted Australia out of any complacency they had.
Shane Bond’s second delivery removed Tim Paine (1) and Mills then trapped in-form Ricky Ponting (1) in the next over to reduce Australia to six for two wickets inside three overs.
And New Zealand pacers maintained the same pressure as Australia crawled to 34/2 after 15 overs, an austerity they are not accustomed to.
Watson and White did not panic and ran hard between wickets, while helping themselves to the occasional boundary. The duo paced the chase with utmost maturity, first weathering the crisis and then opening up.
Mills eventually returned to remove White but the stand had yielded 128 precious runs by then and even Michael Hussey’s (11) wicket came too late as Australia had pocketed the match by then.
Watson wrapped it up in style, hitting two successive sixes to romp home.
Earlier, Vettori’s last minute pullout with a hamstring injury was just the start of New Zealand’s woes and they never got going after opting to bat first at the SuperSport Park.
As if losing Jacob Oram, Daryl Tuffey and Jesse Ryder at different stages of the tournament was not bad enough, the Kiwis walked out in the middle without their inspirational captain and man-in-form Vettori.
This was a mighty blow for the Kiwis as Vettori was New Zealand’s leading wicket-taker in the tournament with seven scalps under his belt besides leading their batting averages.

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Australia win ICC Champions Trophy

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