Australia sauntered to an easy victory over a resurgent but equally clueless West Indies in Mumbai earlier this month to cap a sensational One-day International trip to Asia that had earlier seen them triumphing in a tri-nation event in Malaysia in September. They followed that overwhelming win in Kuala Lumpur with an equally impressive victory over the same rivals at the ICC Champions Trophy and clinched the title that had so far eluded them till its inception.

The final at the CCI ground in India’s financial hub again pitted the West Indies against Australia, but the latter’s clinical approach ensured the former world and defending Champions Trophy champions had no chance to exact a revenge. After getting off to a flier, the West Indies threw away the advantage once their top-order was removed, and they never recovered. In fact Australia, who remained stuck to their ruthless approach throughout the game and grabbed the chances that came their way with both hands, kept their nerves as the West Indian openers came out with all guns blazing. The pacers did a wonderful job by bowling the right line after initially taking a beating at the hands of the top-order. Once they had removed the openers, the task became easy and they swiftly ran through the batting line-up. The win only further strengthens the belief that Australia are still the best side in the world be it one-day or Test cricket.

Over the last few months, especially after the team’s Ashes defeat in England last year, a lot of people including former Australian players have expressed their reservations regarding the age of some players currently representing Australia and questioned the rationale behind persisting with veterans like Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Damien Martyn, Adam Gilchrist, and Glenn McGrath. What they seem to forget is that experience comes with age. And as long as a player is performing and has not become a burden on his team-mates, he should be allowed to carry on regardless of how old or young he is getting. In any case performance should be the one and only criterion, and other issues are secondary.

West Indies are a young team with a fair amount of talent. But apart from skipper Brian Lara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, and Chris Gayle they have little experience in the team. However, despite this drawback they did a wonderful job and must be appreciated for reaching the finals in Malaysia and India ahead of some more fancied rivals. Yet they stumbled at the final hurdles just because they did not have enough experience of delivering on big occasions. Gayle is the only man who made all the difference at the Champions Trophy. It was his belligerent style of batting and incisive bowling that boosted his team-mates’ confidence in their abilities and covered some of their bowling limitations. Lara and Sarwan were not in the greatest of form, and it was left to Gayle and Chanderpaul to stand up and deliver and that’s what they did.

Had the West Indies been able to put a decent total on the board it might have made some difference in the final. But they succumbed to the Aussies pressure – as usually do the other teams. And Australia frequently succeed in doing it just because they have the experience to support their less-experienced yet talented youngsters.

What is to be noted with interest is the fact that on their way to the final, the West Indies successfully negotiated the tough challenges thrown up by India and South Africa and earlier by Australia only to fail in the final. For a team like West Indies even to qualify for the final is a huge achievement. The appointments of former captain Clive Lloyd as a consultant and of Australian Bennett King as a coach have caused a big turn-around. The team are heading in the right direction, and if everything works well and Lloyd is there to guide them they would make a great side come the World Cup.

The World Cup is four months away and the West Indies will be hosting the event for the first time. Bowling should be the main cause of worry for the captain and the coach. They have got some very impressive blokes who’re knocking at the door, and with little encouragement and guidance they can blossom into pretty exciting prospects who will be ready to serve their country for a long time.
The growing popularity of basketball and baseball in the Caribbean and the money that is involved have meant that more and more West Indian youngsters are attracted to these games, and cricket finds itself at the receiving end. Bowlers over 6 feet high used to be the main feature of West Indian cricket two decades ago. Today there are hardly any pacemen who fit the bill. Among all the Test-playing nations, the West Indians are perhaps the lowest paid in term of money.

A World Cup win for the West Indies can not only produce financial rewards for the team and their nations, but can also help them popularize the game that is fast losing its charm.

On the other hand the Aussies are having a golden time. Barring the last year’s Ashes they have won everything that is there to be won. What makes them a great side is their untiring pursuit of supremacy and their back-up support. McGrath, Martyn, Hayden, Langer, Gilchrist, and Warne may be fast approaching their end, but Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, Simon Katich, Shane Watson, Nathan Bracken, and others are all capable of replacing the outgoing elite. That speaks a lot about the structure that Australia have in place for nurturing their raw talent.

Australia have just six first-class outfits, but the standard of competition is so high that it’s very difficult even for a very good player to get noticed. Only the best get a chance to stake a claim, and once he’s picked he remains under pressure for the rest of his career to optimize his performance. The fringe players keep pushing the selected ones all the time. And this creates an atmosphere where there is no room for complacency and rejoicing over previous performances. Each and every player is under constant scrutiny, and any lapse in concentration or form can have grave consequences. It’s by playing in such demanding conditions that the Aussies have become what they are – an almost invincible bunch of disciplined cricketers.

Apart from the structure, the other thing that makes the Aussies different from others is their mental toughness. Most of the teams panic when they lose too many wickets quickly. The Aussies normally relish such challenges and turn the tables on their opponents with ease.

Pakistan, too, needs to follow that example. We have several hugely talented players who find themselves in wilderness today because they are not well-equipped to handle the pressure that comes with representing your country at the highest level.

The series against the West Indies has started, and on paper there’s not too much difference between the two sides. If the West Indians carry their form of the Champions Trophy into this series they will be tough to beat. If their senior players fire Pakistan will have their work cut out because in the absence of Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif one can’t hope to see lively tracks. As is the case in home conditions, Pakistan will be relying heavily on leggie Danish Kaneria to give them the edge. If he found the pitches to his liking he will certainly have a big and decisive role to play in the three-Test rubber. The series promises an exhilarating contest between him and Lara, Gayle, and Chanderpaul.