Following the controversies leading up to the World Cup Australia's campaign began badly when it was revealed that Shane Warne had returned a positive test for a banned drug in the one-day series held in the Australian domestic season leading up to the World Cup. Fronting his teammates an emotional Warne revealed he was leaving them. According to Adam Gilchrist in True Colours: My Life only Warne's A sample had been tested at this stage. With the result of the B sample unlikely to be available for another six weeks Warne was under no legal compulsion to reveal his positive test until after the confirmation of that second test and could have played in the World Cup.
Shane Warne Drug Suspension 2003 World Cup:
Warne made the correct decision, put his hand up to a mistake and subsequently, during the progress of the tournament, was handed a one-year ban from cricket competition. In the aftermath it was revealed Warne had taken two diuretics, hydrochlorothiazide and amiloride. According to Warne the drugs were obtained from his mother because of concerns about his physical appearance. An absence from competitive cricket due to injury had left him bloated and he wanted to lose weight.
This may be so but there is a good reason that these drugs are banned for sportsmen and women and can be considered performance enhancing. They can disguise the use of other drugs such as steroids which Warne could potentially have benefitted from in a speedy recovery from injury.
Australia began its tournament with a game against Pakistan and was in trouble at 4-86. It recovered to score 310 thanks to a career defining innings of 143 from 125 balls by Andrew Symonds. After doubts about his position in the team and indiscretions at various stages of his career, Symonds stamped his authority on the competition and became a vital cog in the Australian success story.
Adam Gilchrist was involved in a confrontation with Pakistan 'keeper Rashid Latif when Pakistan replied. It started after Gilchrist was convinced Latif had snicked a regulation catch through to the 'keeper and culminated in Gilchrist reporting his opponent for racial abuse. In the aftermath the appointed tribunal could not find enough corroborating evidence to back Gilchrist's claim with Latif mentioning the possibility of suing for defamation in comments to the press. The issue of walking was to come back to Gilchrist at an important stage later in the tournament.
Australia proceeded through the preliminary rounds of the tournament undefeated but coming into its final pool game it still had a major incentive to win. It was up against England and after the English forfeit against Zimbabwe an Australian win would put them out of the tournament.
Andy Bichel Saves Australia 2003 World Cup:
Port Elizabeth provided a lively wicket and Andy Bichel capitalised with 7-20 as England was bundled out for a low score. However, in reply Bichel still had more work to do as Australia slumped to be 8-135. He joined Michael Bevan at the crease and high on confidence scored vital boundaries that guided Australia to a victory with two balls remaining.
Mystery remains over why Andy Caddick, England's most potent bowler in this game with 4-35 was not brought back in the final two overs. Nasser Hussain elected to give the ball to Jimmy Anderson and Andrew Flintoff with Caddick still having one over to spare. England joined Pakistan, South Africa and the West Indies in missing out on the Super Sixes stage of the tournament.
Australia continued in the Super Sixes with wins over Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Kenya. Despite its loss to Australia Kenya proceeded to the semifinals. In the game against New Zealand Andy Bichel was again a hero with the bat. After Australia had reached a precarious 7-84 Bichel compiled a match winning 64.
The semi-finals saw Australia play Sri Lanka and India take on Kenya. As predicted India was an easy winner scoring 4-270 with skipper Ganguly leading the way with 111. Sachin Tendulkar continued his ominous form leading into the final with 83. In reply Kenya limped to 179 all out with Steve Tikolo providing the only resistance with 56. Zaheer Khan returned the best figures for India's bowling attack with 3-14.
Adam Gilchrist Walks:
In the other semi-final Gilchrist got Australia off to a flier with 34 runs scored in the first five overs. However, when Sri Lanka introduced spin to the attack in a desperation move he edged the ball onto his pad to provide 'keeper Kumar Sangakkara a simple catch. Controversy followed when umpire Rudi Koertzen ruled that Gilchrist had not made contact with the ball. Gilchrist ignored his reprieve and walked from the field. When his replacement, Ponting, was out shortly after and Hayden was dismissed to leave Australia at 3-51 Gilchrist was an isolated figure in the Australian changerooms. This intensified when Michael Bevan was given out to a decision the Australians believed was clearly wrong. In Gilchrist's words in True Colours, "I could read the minds of the other guys: 'This is why you shouldn't walk.'"
Contributions from Lehmann and Symonds gave Australia a moderate total of 212 before superb bowling from the Australians contained Sri Lanka. Andy Bichel began proceedings by running out Aravinda de Silva, then was miserly in bowling ten overs for just 18 runs including four consecutive maidens. When rain forced players from the field Sri Lanka was 7-123 and Duckworth Lewis decided another winner; Australia was through to the final against India.
Ricky Ponting Man of the Match Final World Cup:
Concerned by a Wanderers pitch with added spice from recent rain and overnight dew but also influenced by trepidation about Australia's potent pace attack led by Brett Lee, Indian captain, Sourav Ganguly, chose to send Australia in to bat after winning the toss in the final. He was let down by his opening bowlers, in particular Zaheer Khan who lacked control as Australia got off to a lightning start. According to Gilchrist in True Colours, "Zaheer Khan spent more time mouthing off at us than landing the ball on the wicket in the first over, conceding 15 runs, most of them wides and byes."
Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden took just 14 overs to bring up 105 before Gilchrist departed for 57 from just 48 balls, caught in the deep from the bowling of Harbhajan Singh. India had a brief resurgence with Hayden being dismissed for 37 and Australia was 2-125. That was the end of their good fortune for the Australian innings.
Ricky Ponting and Damien Martyn combined in an unbroken partnership of 234 for the third wicket to give Australia a massive total of 2-359. Incredibly Martyn (88 from 84 balls) shone despite the inconvenience of a broken finger while Ponting's innings of 140 from 121 balls rightly won him the title of Man of the Match. With wickets in hand coming into the last ten overs but not needing them, Ponting and Martyn launched a ferocious attack, taking 109 runs from those 60 balls. Ponting's acceleration was so extreme that he took 90 runs from his last 47 balls including eight sixes.
Sachin Tendulkar had been promoted to open the batting for this tournament, a move that would earn him the Man of the Series title. His tally of 673 runs exceeded all other batsmen in the competition by at least 200 runs with his own captain, Ganguly and Ponting coming closest. India's hopes took a nosedive when Tendulkar departed in the opening over of its reply. Attempting a pull shot from the bowling of Glenn McGrath he could only get a top edge back to the bowler with the veteran taking a safe return catch.
Tendulkar's opening partner, Virender Sehwag gave India some hope with 82 from 81 balls but for most of the innings rain, which had been crucial at other times in the tournament, looked to be India's only hope. With Sehwag hitting ten fours and three sixes at one stage India was ahead on a Duckworth-Lewis comparison and after the 18th over rain did force the players from the field. It was only a brief pause in the progress of the game and India's last hope was snuffed out when Sehwag was run-out by a throw from veteran, Darren Lehmann and India limped to be all out for 234.
References:
Adam Gilchrist, True Colours: My Life, Pan MacMillan Australia Pty Ltd, 2008.
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