First Australian story on ICC 2010!

[CyberCricketer]

NOTE: This story is played on Normal difficulty, which I've barely played before.

Cricket Australia have announced the 15-man squad for the 2010 Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies:

The only real surprise in this squad is the inclusion of John Hastings, a 24-year-old RFM all-rounder with bowling averages of below 30 in all formats. Many pundits were expecting young leg-spinner Steven Smith to make the squad, but the selectors apparently felt that he'd be too similar to Cameron White.

Australia will begin their World Cup campaign against Pakistan, with Bangladesh the third team in their group.

[CyberCricketer]

2010 T20WC - Group Match - Australia vs Pakistan

Australia arrived at the ground as favourites, despite their opponents having won the previous year's T20 World Cup.

The weather was set to be fine throughout the evening, with the pitch favouring pace bowling over spin. Therefore, Australia had selected the following XI (in batting order):
1. Phil Hughes
2. David Warner
3. Adam Voges
4. Michael Clarke (c)
5. Cameron White
6. Shane Watson
7. Brad Haddin (wk)
8. Mitchell Johnson
9. Ryan Harris
10. Shaun Tait
11. Dirk Nannes

An unexpected move was for Adam Voges, who had had limited success in four previous T20 matches, to bat at Number 3. It was an experimental move while Australia were in the group stage.

Australia won the toss and unsurprisingly chose to bat first. Hughes and Warner made a cautious start, but Warner was caught behind for 2 in the second over. Voges turned up looking determined to make a big score, so he and Hughes began to accelerate. They amassed 60 from the first 6 overs, before Hughes was bowled in the seventh. The skipper, Clarke, managed just 3. Voges just kept getting better as he and White took the game away from Pakistan, but a mini-collapse after White fell ended hopes of passing 200. Australia finished on 175-5, and Voges not out on 87. It seemed it was a good move to put him at Number 3.

The conditions didn't rule out the possibility of a successful chase, but Australia were determined to complete a resounding victory. Tait opened the bowling, and picked up Khalid Latif on his second ball. Later in the over, Salman Butt was run out. That set the tone for the innings, which ended in the 9th over. Pakistan were blown away by the Australian pacemen, all out for a dismal 61.



I was surprised by the ease of that victory, I had to check that it was actually Normal difficulty.

[Imager36]

Great start mate, big call on leaving Steven Smith out of the squad, but Mr.White can turn his arm over still.

[Yorks]

Just one question, I thought I read Watson had been changed to opener for this version?
Good luck by the way

[Chewie]

Just one question, I thought I read Watson had been changed to opener for this version?
Good luck by the way

No he hasn't you can't have a player be an all-rounder as well as an opener sadly

Good story though kiu

[Chasjs]

They changed him to an opener but apparently it didn't work.

[Chewie]

I think that's because they don't have a icon for a batsman/bowler/opener. Like they don't have one for a batsman/bowler/keeper (i.e. Dilshan. Well really you need to add opener to that as well...)

[aus5892]

We had some problems with part time bowlers, and in the end we thought it was just safer to make Watson an all-rounder with a pace bowling preference.

[Chasjs]

Does a player not being an opener have any effect on how well they do the job?

[Phylos Fett]

Does a player not being an opener have any effect on how well they do the job?

I've often wondered this, as well. I've played non-openers in the opening role and they have done well, but they had averages over 50 to start with, anyway.

On topic, no Mike Hussey for the T20 World Cup? Did you not watch the games? :P

[CyberCricketer]

On topic, no Mike Hussey for the T20 World Cup? Did you not watch the games? :P

Haha, I did, but 60 off 24 is almost impossible for a batsmen with moderate aggression in this game. I also don't like the fact that Mike is a keeper/batsmen now, it just doesn't look right. Does anyone know if he's ever done any keeping?

Game vs Bangladesh will be up soon.

[CyberCricketer]

T20 World Cup - Group Match - Australia vs Bangladesh

The conditions were much the same as in the first match, but with an eye to giving the four other players in the squad a chance before the Super 8s, the team chosen was quite different. Players who had performed really well against Pakistan were given a rest. The XI was, in batting order:
1. David Warner
2. Tim Paine (wk)
3. David Hussey
4. Michael Clarke (c)
5. Cameron White
6. Shane Watson
7. John Hastings
8. Nathan Hauritz
9. Mitchell Johnson
10. Ryan Harris (b1)
11. Dirk Nannes (b2)

Bangladesh won the toss and chose to bat. Despite the early wicket of Iqbal, Bangladesh (and particularly Imrul Kayes) treated spectators to an awesome batting display as the pitch failed to give the Australian attack any freebies. Dirk Nannes was particularly expensive, giving way more than 10 an over for no wicket, whilst John Hastings was impressive on debut, picking up two in his first over and finishing with 3-36. Bangladesh finished on 165-8.

Though it was by all means a gettable total, Australia knew they'd have to bat very well to reach it, and take advantage of the Bangladeshi pacemen. They did exactly that, with Warner and Paine annihilating them right from the start, reaching 71 for no loss at the end of the sixth over. Both openers fell in the tenth over as Hasan, Shuvo and Mahmudullah attempted to slow the run rate. Hussey and Clarke had no problems picking up where Warner and Paine left off, however, and cruised to the target comfortably.



Having dominated the group stage, Australia are placed in a Super 8 group with India, Sri Lanka and the home team, the West Indies. The other group consisted of South Africa, New Zealand, England and Pakistan.

[pete2win]

Doing well. Good luck for the Super 8's

[Chewie]

Personally I found Hussey to be a beast in the T20 WC in my game Had plenty of half centuries with strike rates above 200

Good job so far though

[CyberCricketer]

Thanks for the encouragement, guys, but there's some bad news...

MASSIVE GLITCH TAKES THE REST OF T20 WORLD CUP OUT OF AUTHOR'S CONTROL!!!!

Seriously, I clicked 'Continue' after the Bangladesh game and it skipped straight to the One Day Friendly against Middlesex, despite the fact that we'd qualified for the Super Eights!

Though the Super Eights were out of my control, Australia still managed to reach the semi-finals, being knocked out by South Africa.

Australia finished second in the Super Eights with the following results:
Australia beat India by 1 wicket
Australia beat Sri Lanka by 23 runs
West Indies beat Australia by 2 wickets

And the semi-final:
South Africa beat Australia by 11 runs

South Africa beat the West Indies by 8 wickets in the final.





It's quite disappointing because I was looking forwards to playing the Super Eights, but the computer did a relatively good job anyway.

Australia now look ahead to the ODI series against England as the build-up to the Ashes series at home, not to mention the ODI World Cup, gathers strength.