Australian openers make steady start

Australia v Canada, Group A, World Cup 2011, Bangalore

Australia assert control after rusty start

Brett Lee

When Ashish Bagai chose to bat against Australia in Canada's final World Cup appearance, the probability of an early finish in Bangalore increased significantly. That is still likely to happen, but Australia's inevitable control over the game was delayed by an extraordinary ambush from 19-year-old Hiral Patel, who batted fearlessly to score a rapid half-century off the world's fastest bowlers, and a steady partnership between Bagai and Zubin Surkari.

After the labour against Kenya, Ponting had said he wanted to win this convincingly but it wasn't until the 29th over, by which time Canada had reached 150 for 2, that Australia began to dominate. Their push was led by the wayward Shaun Tait, who had Bagai edging a short and wide ball to Brad Haddin. In his next over, Tait wasted a review on an lbw appeal for the second time, missing a massive inside edge from Surkari. He floored Surkari with his next two balls - a toe-crushing yorker followed by a full toss that struck the batsman painfully on the thigh. Rattled, Surkari attempted a flamboyant drive immediately after getting back on his feet, and inside-edged on to middle stump.

Between those wickets, Jason Krejza dismissed Jimmy Hansra, whose attempted hit down the ground early in his innings landed in long-on's hands. Brett Lee, who bore the brunt of the early onslaught, returned to uproot Rizwan Cheema's middle stump with a slower ball. Canada lost four wickets in four overs, and five for 19, and were dismissed for 211 when they promised so much more. Ponting was unhappy, though, and his frustration showed when he collided with Steve Smith moments before catching Harvir Baidwan. Ponting flung the ball on to the ground after completing the catch.

The match had a slow start as the players were in position before the umpires and idled until the clock ticked over to 14.30. The Wednesday crowd was sparse, the atmosphere sedentary. And then Patel woke everybody up. Using Lee's width and pace, he played two cuts. By the time you blinked, the ball had reached the boundary. He took a third four off Lee's first over with a drive through extra cover. Against Tait, who had focussed on bowling full and fast without success, Patel moved back and slammed a length delivery over the cover boundary. After three overs, Canada were 33 for 0.

Patel's aggression rubbed off on 40-year-old John Davison, playing his final game for Canada. Reprieved at square leg by Michael Hussey, Davison took two boundaries off Lee - a drive through cover and a chip over midwicket. He was gone soon, though, gloving a slower bouncer to Haddin, ending the opening stand on 41, Canada's best of the World Cup.

Davison's dismissal did not deter Patel and he went after Mitchell Johnson as well, his flashing blade sending a full toss to the backward point boundary. He brought up Canada's 50 off 4.4 overs by edging an attempted loft so hard that it cleared third man. Realising Patel was at ease with balls in his half, Lee unleashed several short balls, forcing the batsman to duck and sway. Lee even wanted a chat, but Patel did not bite. And when Lee bowled one short ball too many, Patel hooked, and cleared deep-backward square leg. Patel reached his half-century off 37 deliveries, and after the mandatory Powerplay, Canada were 77 for 1. Patel's innings ended when, in the 12th over, he went hard at Watson and Johnson held the catch on the edge of the third-man boundary.

Normalcy returned to the Chinnaswamy Stadium and Australia slowly brought the run-rate under control. It finally dipped below six in the 19th over. Surkari and Bagai, however, batted steadily during their 68-run association. They steered Canada towards a commendable position before Australia's fast bowlers came back strongly - Lee finished with 4 for 46 - and set the stage for their batsmen to extend their unbeaten run in World Cups to 34 matches.