Just got back home from the game.
Had a good day out. My first cricket match I've been to at the SCG since 2009 (first ODI since 1997) and it was good to sit in the new MA Noble stand. The view from it is great, and it was good to walk around the old Members Pavillion during the tea break (which you can't normally do unless you have SCG/SFS membership in order to access that area. However, tickets to those members areas went on sale for this tournament and thus ppl could wander anywhere in the ground) and see all the old photos, scorecards and plaques in that area. Feel sorry for all those who do drink, as beer there is expensive and food even moreso ($15-18 for a burger? Nearly $5 for a 600ml water?)
39,951 was the official attendance, of which nearly half of that were Sri Lankan supporters. The Sri Lankans know how to make a lot of noise and like the Windies, brought the musical instruments along. A good atmosphere ensues for their Q/F match (which the Sri Lankans will be in) and also the S/F at the SCG.
Finally, it was about time Maxwell put in an innings like the one today. Always had the talent, but the need to be flamboyant and fancy with the bat has been his downfall in recent times. He is not a test batsman until he learns how to play proper textbook shots and build an innings rather than trying to hit the 4s and 6s every over. Needs to watch more videos of Mark Waugh batting to know that you can still score runs and play a quality test innings without being reckless and taking unnecessary risks.
Australia were very tentative in the beginning and I must admit things weren't looking good early on after Finch got stumped, but in the context of the game, the Smith-Clarke partnership was easily a 100-run difference in the end - the difference between struggling to get to 276 vs scoring 376 with consummate ease. Yes, Maxwell got 102 off 53 balls, but that 3rd wicket Smith-Clarke partnership paved the way for Maxwell and Watson in the middle order to play their natural game.
Sri Lanka - what an over that was when Dilshan hit Johnson for 6 boundaries. Johnson has been out of form in this tournament, and we would be in big trouble if we relied on him like we did in last year's Ashes and tour of South Africa had Mitchell Starc and James Faulkner not stepped up with the ball when it mattered the most. Faulkner has the variation of Ian Harvey that becomes very useful in a close ODI match that is decided in the last 10 overs. Starc is lethal when he bowls yorkers and gets reverse swing. If only he could bowl as well with the red ball as he can with the white ball. Johnson showed glimpses of his stunning form last year with the absolute beauty he bowled to get Thiriamanne caught behind, but so often since the tour of UAE, jaffers like that are interspersed with the loose deliveries Johnson is renown of bowling in an over that batsmen love to feast on. The Sri Lankas were in with a outside chance until Chandimal retired hurt, and then after that they completely lost their way. Sangakkara is an absolute champion, and his 3rd consecutive ODI century only scratches the surface of his true cricketing abilities. I still remember that 190 odd he hit in Hobart in 2007 and singlehandedly brought Sri Lanka to the verge of chasing down Australia's 492 in the 4th innings before he was wrongfully given out caught behind. With over 800 ODIs between the two, the Sri Lankans batting lineup is going to struggle when Dilshan and Sangakkara call it a day. Sri Lankan management desperately need both of those batsmen to play on for as long as they can whilst they try to blood some younger talent to replace them in the top order.
Australia most likely finishing 2nd in pool A means we will probably take on either Ireland, West Indies or Pakistan in a Q/F at Adelaide. Pakistan is the most dangerous of those three teams and although their fielding has been rank amateur in this tournament, they will be hard to overcome if their bowling lineup clicks like it did yesterday in Auckland. Until we become more consistent as a side on a whole with the batting, bowling and fielding (that simple dropped catch from Clarke tonight could've been very costly had we only been defending 267 instead of 367. You've GOT to take opportunities like that when they come alonga), we can ill afford any injuries to Starc or Faulkner. I don't know about you guys, but another cause for concern if Finch. I know he scored a century in the opening game (despite being dropped on 0), but the way he has been getting out in the three matches since then is a concern. Watching a replay of his dismissal today on the big screen....I dunno, he just looked very lazy with that stumping dismissal.
