Australia show signs of improvement

If there was criticism of the complacent way Australia played against Scotland in their opening game, this was dispelled today as they demonstrated why they are one of the most dominant forces in international cricket.

There was real purpose and determination in the manner that the boys in gold and green went about their business. Led by Western Australia's Adam Gilchrist and Tom Moody, the batting was a selfless display of aggression and boldness aimed at improving their recently poor run quotient. It is true that the talented Australians were playing the modest Bangladesh cricket team, but even still the conviction of their performance will be a major confidence booster going into Sunday's early finale.

Seeing Tom Moody in the starting line-up was a relief for this hometown supporter and he repaid the selection with a superb all round man of the match performance. If Australia do beat the West Indies on Sunday and scrape through to the next round, Moody will be a significant part of the ensuing rounds.

His experience in these English conditions are an invaluable asset to his richly experienced and resolute team who are now fighting for their World Cup lives. The selectors could well rue their decision to leave him out until now.

Studying the group two table this afternoon, everything has to fall into perfect place for Steve Waugh's men to progress. For one, Sunday's match against the blossoming West Indies is going to be far from a walk in the Lancashire park. After thrashing Scotland today, the West Indies will be fired up to keep their Caribbean worshippers happy for another couple of weeks. New Zealand still has two games to play, including one against the hapless Scotland, and the West Indies are ahead of both antipodean nations on run quotient.

This all leads to a Herculean contest on Sunday where both teams will be keeping one eye on the run rates and the other on the crucial two points. With only one game to go for each of the old rivals, both teams will be throwing all punches in a bid to advance to the business end of the competition.

After watching Manchester United achieve the treble last night in Barcelona I can only wonder which side the sports' gods will be smiling upon on the next Sabbath day. It was almost fate that Manchester United won last night, surely it couldn't be fate that will rob either the consistent Australians or the enigmatic West Indians of a place in the super six round of this eventful World Cup. As it looks, one of these nations will miss out and it will be decided in one hundred overs in three days time.

Whatever way, if the showdown between the West Indies and Australia is as entertaining as last night's football, the 1999 World Cup in England could go down as one of the most intriguing in the history of the tournament.

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