I may be English but I love those Aussies

Twenty20 World Cup / Editor / 10 September 2007 / Leave a Comment

Pablo Luna spells out why the Australian's are head and shoulders above the rest

Next week the magnificent Australians will attempt to win the Twenty20 World Cup after already winning the sorry one-day version in the Caribbean earlier this year. Once again, they are best equipped to win it (2.82 with Betfair).

Despite murmurs coming from Australia about this being a Mickey Mouse Competition let me make one thing quite clear - they will be completely prepared and focused on how to win. They will bring a gameplan, which will be easy to adapt and change and they will seek to dominate anyone who stands in their way. Aussies always do the basics well!

Most of their batsmen are able to hit the ball out of the park (boundaries are everything and some of the grounds will be small). The fielding will be sharp, there will be no passengers and whilst spinners normally do best in this form of cricket I believe Brett Lee with his searing pace may come out top wicket taker. Brad Hogg bowling his left arm chinamen will bemuse most batsmen and he will star for sure. They also have the best cricket captain in the world - the tenacious Ricky Ponting.

Australians in general are winners in sport. It is in their genes. From the time the first settlers migrated down under they had to struggle for a piece of the pie. This is in sharp contrast to our pampered lazy lifestyle where we blame everything and everyone else for our own shortcomings.

Australians genuinely love and understand sport. They do not easily accept losers or sportsmen who do not give everything - excuses are treated with disdain. If they fail they are their own worst critics and they have the courage to put things right. No remedies are spared.

I lived there for many years and witnessed first hand the way youngsters are introduced to sport. They simply do not tolerate the 'hard luck old chap - good effort' mentality. There is only WIN. They are an outward nation similar to Americans and will shout themselves to victory while we apologise and whimper in defeat.

It is no coincidence that at every Olympics, Australia (population 20 million) win double the gold medals than Great Britain (population 60 million).

There are fools out there who think that is because of the better weather! It is because of determination, passion, resolve and a will to succeed.

At the 20/20 World Cup they will be in the opponents' faces taking the opposition head on and they will not budge. To beat them you have to step outside your comfort zone and engage. If it gets tough the Aussies produce that extra fight to see it off. They will step close to the line regarding racism, abuse and bullying, they will get under the opponent's skin, so deal with it or pay the consequences. They will be the most positive side in the tournament.

To wear the Green and Gold is a true honour to an Aussie, there is an enormous pride in their colours that is not evident to our lot. Of all the management teams and squads of players, they will be the best motivated.

Looking at the opposition the main rivals to Australia are Sri Lanka (9.2 with Betfair) and South Africa (6.4 with Betfair). Sri Lanka knows how to win limited over cricket matches and can play under pressure. They are the sporting bet. South Africa with home advantage will probably go close but lack the class of the favourites and the Sri Lankans.

England's trimmed squad (9 with Betfair) looks better now we have got rid of the excess baggage like Strauss, Cook, Bell, Vaughan and Plunkett, none of whom can be considered Twenty20 players. We have missed a trick in not selecting Blackwell of Somerset, one of our best Twenty20 cricketers and it is a pity we cannot take one of the best ODI players in the world - Marcus Trescothick (sadly missed international cricket - come back soon)!

Pakistan (17 with Betfair) with players hitting each other with cricket bats are the eternal self-destructors and India (16 with Betfair) lack the power needed.

New Zealand (11 with Betfair) and West Indies (13 with Betfair) will produce a shock or two but they also cannot win the tournament.