The first match between India and Australia for CW tri series is set to start today at Gabba Brisbane. The two world champions will face against each other along with Srilanka. Ponting is playing. Matthew Hayden is not fit yet, and Stuart Clark hasn’t joined the side. James Hopes, the Queensland allrounder, will open the innings. Ashley Noffke makes his debut.
This is, in many ways, the end of an era in Australian cricket. The annual tri-nations tournament, which has changed names more times than Britney Spears changed hair-dos, will be played for the last time in its 29-year existence. In 2008-09 the CB Series will be replaced by two head-to-head contests and Australia, India and Sri Lanka are the ideal teams to farewell the once revolutionary concept.
Twenty20 is the shortest form of the game, but the injured Ricky Ponting would have been more confident of getting through an ODI on Friday than the international against India. Ponting missed the nine-wicket win at the MCG with a lower back problem and joins Matthew Hayden (right thigh problem) on the doubtful list for the opening match of the CB Series at the Gabba on Sunday.
It is difficult to escape the fact that the pitch at the Gabba is green. Allied to Brisbane’s predominantly overcast conditions, both Australia and India will have to think twice when they pick their final XI ahead of the curtain-raiser of the CB Series on Sunday.
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