Cricket: World Twenty20: Did Australia blow expectations in Bangladesh?

The expressions from Bailey & Starc sums up Australia’s campaign (photo: Getty Images)

Australian Twenty20 captain George Bailey had big shoes to fill, after the national side won an astonishing 12 of 13 games against England during the recent summer.

Travelling to Bangladesh red hot on form, things took a turn the moment Pakistan wielded the willow in their first group game in Mirpur.

Cricket: The Ashes: Test 1, Day 1: It’s all England at the Gabba, but Australia fight back

Stuart Broad celebrates the dismissal of David Warner (source: ESPN Cricinfo/Getty Images)

The lead up to the first Ashes test included a lot of media hype from the Australians, trying to throw the English off guard.  Dramatic backfiring ensued on a very sunny first day.

Winning the toss and electing to bat first, signs were looking good.  Then the inevitable happened, and the first two sessions belonged to the England bowlers.

Cricket: More Than The Pitch: George Bailey

George Bailey in action against England, September 2013 (photo: ESPNCricinfo)

He has been an integral part of the Tasmanian Tigers domestic cricket side since being recruited in 2002. Captaincy duties came during the 2009-2010 season, and now George Bailey is beginning to show Australia why he has been touted for so long as a regular for the national side.

Cricket: World Cup Launch

Cricket World Cup (from Online Sports Directory)

Docklands a sea of colour as 2015 Cricket World Cup fixtures announced

(the official launch was held on Tuesday, simultaneously in New Zealand) 

Several hundred people eagerly piled into the Peninsula function centre at Docklands on Tuesday morning, as the International Cricket Council (ICC) prepared to announce the venues, pools and fixtures for the 2015 Cricket World Cup, and officially launch the tournament.

Cricket: ICC World Twenty20: Australian Team Review

 

George Bailey at the ICC Twenty20 World Cup

Australia’s ICC World Twenty20 Tournament came to a close on Friday night on the back of a large 74-run loss to the West Indies.  Chris Gayle led the charge and helped the Windies post 205.  Australia never looked like threatening them, aside from a knock of 63 from captain George Bailey.

After scintillating and crushing form in their first four games, the Aussies seemed to “tone” things down against Pakistan, scraping through to the semi-finals on net run rate.  Against the West Indies, the firepower of Gayle was the key in setting up a monstrous victory.

Having come into the tournament ranked 9th, the Aussies looked the goods until their Super 8 match against Pakistan, where the question was raised: ‘what do Australia care about?’ after their appalling loss to Pakistan.

It will also serve as a reasonable base coming into the Australian summer, which commences next month.

Here is a review of each player that took to the field for Australia:

Cricket: T20 Preview: Australia v Ireland

Australia’s Twenty20 World Cup campaign will kick off against Ireland at 8.00pm AEST Wednesday September 19th (tonight).

Ranked 9th, one spot above their opponents, Australia’s T20 record has of late been disappointing.  Under new captain George Bailey, their record hasn’t been brilliant.  The team doesn’t have enough T20 experience under their belt, most of them missing domestic tournaments because of international duties.

Cricket: ICC World Twenty20 Preview

As the Australian summer draws ever closer, the Aussies must overcome their recent series loss to Pakistan in the UAE (and their subsequent rankings drop) and contest the Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka, starting on September 18.

Well off the top of the ICC T20 rankings, with South Africa and England sitting first and second respectively, Australia must progress into the final if it has any chance of pushing itself up the rankings, currently in tenth position, prior to the 3rd T20 against Pakistan to be played on Monday night.