Mckay Stars For Australia

Australia managed to win the final that on many occasions looked impossible. With the middle order failing yet again it was on the shoulders of the bowlers to win the game.  The bowlers stepped up to the mark, but with Brett Lee giving the Sri Lankans plenty of opportunity to win the game.  If not for the great bowling by McKay, Watson and Christian, Australia would have been drowning their sorrows.  Even though Lee took early wickets and a wicket in his last spell, it was his economy that should have selectors seriously considering telling Lee his services are no longer required.  But Lee cannot be solely blamed for the poor performance and the efforts of McKay, Watson and Christian with the ball should not be forgotten.  Between them they bowled 24.5 overs conceding only 62 runs and taking 7 wickets, 5 of which were taken by McKay.  McKay was the deserved man-of-the-match but it was the combined efforts of the three that ensured victory for Australia.

Early on Australia were looking like posting a very competitive score and after 20 overs were 1/112.  Even when losing Watson a score over 250 should have always been the minimum, but as is the recent form of the Australian batting, the middle order wasted a good platform and the innings was saved by the lower order.  At the end though a score of 231 just looked too small after Sri Lanka easily accounted for Australia in the last game.

You never know though how it will pan out but after four over from Lee and Doherty it looked like yet another loss for Australia.  Lee might have taken 2 early wickets but his control is a deep concern for a team that is trying to attest to the advantage they are giving the opposition in the first fifteen overs.  If not for McKay it would have been a different story.  Even having taken the key wickets of the top order, Sri Lanka were coasting along and keeping the runs ticking along, not needing to do anything rash.  McKay in combination with Watson and Christian had worked the run rate required to over six an over and the pressure was mounting on Sri Lanka.  All that pressure was relieved though when Watson inexplicably gave the ball to Lee. 6 balls later, twelve runs of the over and the run rate is back in the favour of Sri Lanka.  Brett Lee is on his way to giving the game away. In his next over Lee has taken a crucial wicket but at the cost of another 11 runs.

Now Sri Lanka need under 5 1/2 and over and were in a position to win the game.  Thankfully Lee was taken out of the attack and with the cool and calm finishing of Watson and McKay, Australia were able to go on and win a very tight game that at most stages they never looked like they were going to win.  Finally Australia have showed the nerve and ability to win a good close game with the ball and this should give them plenty of confidence.  It is time though for the selectors to reassess where they are going with this team and it's make-up. Is the chopping and changing of players affecting the team? And are the batsmen batting in the correct position?  Should we be looking to bring in new players, rather than sticking with the old brigade?