Perth has gotten busy — and happily crowded. For the moment, it is housing three top World Cup teams that will most probably be reaching the quarter-finals of this edition — India, Australia and West Indies — and a rising minnow in Afghanistan. While India, so far with the best show in the tournament, much like New Zealand, have kept themselves busy winning soundly against a hapless UAE, training off and on at the WACA, and awaiting their next clash at this venue on March 6 against the West Indies, the mighty Australians arrived in this “hot” city on March 1 with their share of news and woes.
Their comeback skipper Michael Clarke was still scowling over the “horrendous” batting by himself and his men which cost the Aussies their crucial match against the Kiwis at Auckland. And, his candid criticism had led to a talk of possible fallout with active coach Darren lehmann and his training capsules. Not just that, Aussie quick Pat Cummins has become a topic of discussion too, thanks to his injury which will keep him out of the game against Afghanistan and maybe even Sri lanka even though he has not officially been ruled out either. In his absence, James Faulkner would be looking to be counted and making his presence felt.
Australia’s poor show against the Kiwis and the cyclone at Brisbane which washed out their match restricting them only to one point, has created somewhat of a permutation convulsion in Group A. All heartbeats and anxieties are now focussed on the position decider in Group A when Australia meet a much revived Sri lanka next at Sydney on Sunday (hopefully after winning against Afghanistan). A loss against lanka would push them to a third position in their group and to a more worrying prospect of meeting the AB de Villiers-led and fired South Africa in the quarters. That’s a situation both the sides would want to avoid, more so Australia who have memories of the 1992 dumping early in the tournament.
The Australians, known for their professionalism of the game, had started off with a bang when they all but annihilated England in their opening match at the MCG as 90,000 Aussie fans chanted in their support. But the scenario has changed since. At Brisbane, they could not record the two points after the match was washed out and then at Auckland they lost poorly to their trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand.
The change in standings in Group A would also reflect on Group B, though MS Dhoni has his figures sorted out with three straight wins, a robust run rate and a virtually irreversible top position in his group, which means that South Africa would be B2 and if Australia are A3, the two titans would meet sooner than desired by both sides.
According to the format, the top position holder of one group plays the fourth position holder of the other Group and so on – so it will be B1 vs A4, B2 vs A3, B3 vs A2 and B4 vs A1. If India stays atop, it will meet A4, which could mean either England or Bangladesh, now that lanka has soared and the Kiwis are seated on the top.
Of course, it might be another story altogether if the Aussies lose both their matches and turn up as A4 and have the Indian skipper worrying sick in Adelaide! However, that remains a remote possibility and almost ridiculous to suggest despite the glorious uncertainties cricket is known for. If India does not meet Sri lanka, Australia or New Zealand, it will be playing its quarterfinal match in Melbourne, where if nothing else, the sell-out Indian crowd in the stands will spur them forward on their journey.
And, by the way, with the MCG slashing their food and beverages charges by 40 per cent on Monday in their bid to boost family presence in cricket and football games at the iconic stadium, the Indian fans would have a field day, what with a bottle of water selling for not $5 as earlier but at $3 and chips going for even less! So what if this move has cost the MCG a $14 million loss according to one report!