If you didn't catch the end of the T20 World Cup semi-final last night between Australia and Pakistan, you should be kicking yourself. Pakistan batted brilliantly, tearing the Aussie bowling apart to score 6/191. The Aussies were always under the pump, losing Warner in the first over, Watson soon after, then Clarke, Haddin and D.Hussey for not a lot. Cue a fightback from Cameron White, but then he was out with 19 balls left, the team 53 runs short. Even I'd given up - it couldn't be done, Pakistan were bowling too tightly and the Aussies were struggling to find the boundaries. Then up stepped Michael Hussey with an inspired finish. 60 not off 24 balls....
Mike Hussey's last five balls faced... 4 6 6 4 6. Here's a summary of his innings from Cricinfo
Some cricket traders copped a hiding, with over £380k matched on Pakistan at 1.01. The crowd, the commentators, the Australian team on the bench and the Pakistani players and entourage were simply gobsmacked by the performance.
They say never underestimate a champion team. Wow!
Mike Hussey's last five balls faced... 4 6 6 4 6. Here's a summary of his innings from Cricinfo
Some cricket traders copped a hiding, with over £380k matched on Pakistan at 1.01. The crowd, the commentators, the Australian team on the bench and the Pakistani players and entourage were simply gobsmacked by the performance.
They say never underestimate a champion team. Wow!
And now we know why they lost :)
ReplyDeleteGlad you put a smiley face at the end of that Shane, because anyone with half a brain can work out it's a pile of crap.
ReplyDeleteI've made similar arguments here before, and this is what I posted on a PuntingAce discussion during the week (http://www.puntingace.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9652):
don't know why this has been dragged out again, it was suggested in January. The whole reason sport in Pakistan is screwed at the moment is because every time something goes wrong, fingers are pointed. All the administrators are more interested in personal agendas and the politics of it all rather than dragging their once-proud nation out of the slump. And the most convenient excuse these days for them is to accuse players of match-fixing, because it can't be proven, it can't be disproven and the Pakistani justice system is farcical.....
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There are other posts on there with more detail. Akmal is a terrible wicketkeeper, Yousuf is a very average captain - that doesn't make them match-fixers. And one player cannot fix a game - that's why spot-fixing is far more likely to occur.