Sammy hopes to silence chirpy Australians in crucial game

Friday, 28 March 2014 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

REUTERS: West Indies captain Darren Sammy wants his team to silence the chirpy Australians in Friday’s World Twenty20 match, the outcome of which will likely determine the fate of both teams in the tournament. India top Group Two having won the first two matches and hope to consolidate their position with a victory against struggling

hosts Bangladesh on Friday that would virtually secure them one of the two semi-final spots from the group. West Indies are second, having beaten Bangladesh to bounce back after their loss against India, while Australia are fourth having lost their first match to Pakistan. Australian all-rounder James Faulkner has already added spice to the important contest after Australian media quoted him as saying he does not particularly like the West Indies team. “The Australians normally have a lot to say,” Sammy told reporters when asked for a reaction. “We (are) just here to play cricket. I think James is the only cricketer who does not love West Indies. I could safely say that West Indies are the second favourite team for the fans (after their home team). “It doesn’t bother us. Talk is talk. We just got to walk the talk out there on the field. He can say all he wants. We’re not bothered by it,” said the all-rounder. Eventual champions West Indies thumped Australia by 74 runs in the semi-final of the 2012 tournament in Sri Lanka and Sammy said his team was getting close their best. “So far in the tournament we’ve not played to our full potential. Once we do that, we’d be very destructive and we were destructive in that semi-final (in the) last World Cup.”

South Africa survives Dutch scare to win by six runs

Reuters: South Africa held their nerve to stave off a major scare against Netherlands and win their Group One super 10 match by six runs in the World Twenty20 in Chittagong on Thursday. The Dutch, who posted the lowest Twenty20 international score of 39 in Monday’s rout by Sri Lanka, looked set to pull off the biggest upset of the tournament but imploded when set for victory. Chasing 146 to win, opener Steven Myburgh (51) gave the Dutch a flying start, thumping eight fours and two sixes during his 28-ball knock. But after he played JP Duminy on to his stumps the Netherlands, with a series of rash shots, lost wickets at regular intervals. Leg-spinner Imran Tahir claimed four wickets for 21 runs and pace spearhead Dale Steyn picked up two for 19. Earlier, Ahsan Malik’s five for 19 restricted South Africa to 145 for nine after they were put in to bat. Hashim Amla gave South Africa a brisk start with a 43 off 22 balls, his knock studded with seven fours and a six. But they lost wickets in clusters against Malik’s medium pace bowling and struggled for momentum towards the end of their innings.

The importance of Friday’s contest was not lost on Australia wicketkeeper Brad Haddin either. “You know exactly where you stand now. There is no second chance for us,” said Haddin, hoping Australia would continue the momentum from their recent Ashes and South Africa test series victory. “We got to make sure we bring our A game and play under the pressure. We have done that well over the last four months and I see no reason why we can’t do that.”