Nation of domination

Key matches often lead to one team having a vice-like grip on the other, maybe for days, months or even generations. Here is a look at some of them.

India vs Pakistan – Australasia Cup Final, 1986

Indian cricket had been on the ascent ever since the World Cup win in 1983. India followed it up with the World Championship of Cricket victory in 1985 down under and also dominated the tournaments in Sharjah. All this changed in April, 1986 with the Australasia Cup final. India had a great start thanks to Srikanth and Gavaskar, and notwithstanding a late collapse, they still managed to put 245 on the board – great total those days. In reply, Pakistan kept losing wickets at regular intervals but the foxy Javid Miandad held one end up with a feisty century. As the equation boiled down to 4 needed off the final ball, he thwacked a full toss from Chetan Sharma over mid-wicket for six. The shot was to be heard for generations to come, as Pakistan had India in its grip for more than 17 years after that. It took a monumental effort from Sachin Tendulkar in 2003 to finally break the shackles.

Australia vs England – World Cup Final, 1987

England’s cant bat, cant bowl, cant field bunch had won the Ashes, the World series cup and the Perth challenge in 1986-87, down under. Australia was a side in transition after some high profile retirements and were just shaping up under Border. Both teams had dominated the group stages and had upset each of the host nations in the semi-finals. It was a contest among equals, with England enjoying an edge. Batting first, David Boon made a dogged 75 and some late order hitting by Valetta and Border lead Australia to 253. But the strong English batting line up were progressing smoothly when Border brought himself on to bowl. Mike Gatting pompously tried to reverse sweep one over cover. The ball took the leading edge and keeper Dyer did the rest. England were never the same after that. They lost by 7 runs and Australia completely dominated them for the next 18 years, until the Ashes of 2005.

Australia vs West Indies – World Cup Semi-final, 1996

West Indies, until their tragic decline in the last half of the 1990s had always been the team to beat. In May 1995, Steve Waugh’s heroics had toppled the Windies and helped Australia win the Frank Worrell trophy after 18 years. But, although they were not powerhouses of the 1980s, the Windies proved that they could still hold their own and beat Australia in the group match in Jaipur. In the semi-finals, they were to meet again at Mohali. Australia were reduced to 15 for 4 at one  stage but rear guard action by Bevan, Law and Healy ensured that they crossed 200. In reply, Chanderpaul was anchoring the chase and had vital partnerships with Lara and Richardson. Waugh had Lara bowled off a beauty and when Chanders was out to a tired slog with forty more to get, no one would have imagined the carnage to follow. Windies collapsed to fall short by 5 runs, with Richardson was painstakingly left stranded on 49. Although Australia lost the final against Sri Lanka, their domination of West Indies started after that. The Frank Worrell trophy has remained with them till date although West Indies have started getting the better of Australia only in T20 in recent times.

India vs Sri Lanka, World Cup Group match, 1996

India were one of the favourites to win the World Cup and their campaign was off in style with victories over Kenya and West Indies. A loss to Australia followed and they were expected to bounce back against Sri Lanka. Tendulkar made a run-a-ball 137 as India posted 271 on a Kotla turner. Victory seemed a formality. But all this turned on its head when Jayasuriya started belting the bowlers all over the ground as he and Kaluwitharana raced Sri Lanka to 50 in less than 5 overs. India’s strike bowler Manoj Prabhakar was forced to bowl off spinners after he vanished for 33 off his first two overs. Although, Jayasuriya slowed down after that and Sri Lanka strolled to victory only by the 49^th over, this match ensured that Sri Lanka dominated their big brother for quite some time. India made a mess of their subsequent semi-final match in Eden Gardens against Sri Lanka, despite being in a position of strength. Jayasuriya helped himself to a triple century in 1997 along with many centuries against India, who feared him like no other, until his retirement in 2009.

Australia vs South Africa, World Cup, 1999

The Aussies had lead the one day resurgence of the 1980s. Although they did not win the World Cups of 1992 and 1996, they were the team to beat. With the gradual decline of the Windies, the South Africans, after spending years in wilderness, were emerging overwhelming favourites in the 1990s, with their clinical performances, although they kept coming short in tournament finals. They were strong contenders for the title and breezed through the group games while Australia just managed to get a toe hold in the knock outs. The semi finals featured a dog fight with Australia clawing back every time South Africa took a wicket, to post a below par 213. Shane Warne, who had a quiet World Cup until then, finally turned up and set the cat among the pigeons. What should have been a straight forward victory boiled down to 9 off the last over with one wicket to go. Klusener blazed two boundaries off the first ball but with one run to get, a brain and leg freeze lead to  a run out.  Choke was to become synonymous with South Africa after that. Australia leapt ahead by miles and went on to dominate all their matches, until the test series of 2008-09.