To take their first Champions Trophy, Australia must win four games in a row, a situation reminiscent of the one which saw them crowned champions at the 1999 World Cup. “There is going to be a few fireworks, a bit of a haze, some smoke but hopefully not too much so we can still see the ball.”Both sides could mathematically still progress even in defeat but Ponting believes the equation suits his team. “I have sent the boys out this morning to buy gas masks to field in,” Ponting joked. That plan may be scuppered, however, as Johnson missed the Australians’ sole net session ahead of today’s day-nighter with stomach cramps.The conditions will be made more tricky by the release of fireworks all around the city in celebration of Diwali, the Indian festival of lights. On the day anything can happen.”England have been here for 11 days and should have a better understanding of the conditions. Australia are contemplating dropping Brad Hogg and calling up Mitchell Johnson, their left-arm fast bowler, as the dew on the ball could hamper the spinners.
“They played some very good cricket there and it was a very entertaining series. They probably haven’t played as well as they would have liked, but that doesn’t matter when you have a contest like this that both teams are pumped for. He looked tentative against the West Indies in Australia’s opening Champions Trophy game, especially when Chris Gayle tried to get after him. This was unusual for McGrath, who normally has total faith in himself. He did not open the bowling, which suggests he is not at full tilt.
He only reached 75-80mph and did not bowl his full allocation He will need to find a bit more in the Ashes. But while he is there to be attacked, are England’s batsmen in form to carry it off?. Like his England counterpart Andrew Flintoff, the Australia captain Ricky Ponting has been keen to isolate today’s game from the Ashes, maintaining that the result at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium here will have little bearing when the series starts in Brisbane next month. But whenever the two sides play, under whatever circumstances, there is a buzz of anticipation.
