Title contenders... Whincup and Lowndes lead the 2011 series.

The 2011 Australian V8 Supercar series is coming to a close, with three more races all that’s left for this year.

But it’s the intense rivalry between the two drivers from the Vodafone team that looks like it will take the limelight.

As current things stand, Jamie Whincup holds a 143 point lead over teammate Craig Lowndes with races as Tasmania, Sandown and Sydney to come.

However, it could well be that final race in the Harbour City that decides another epic title challenge.

If we had to pick a winner, Whincup is certainly the favourite, it’s really in his hands. However, we’ve seen what Lowndes is capable of and if he takes Tassie and beats Whincup at Sandown, we could have a dream final race!

Speaking with Speed, Lowndes noted that if things were closer come Sydney, fireworks could loom.

“It’s going to be interesting if we get to Homebush and we’re 50 points within each other!” Lowndes laughs.”

“It’s going to be quite a tough battle on track throughout the course of that weekend, but we just need to maintain we’re in touch of where Jamie’s at points wise and see where we’re at before Homebush.”

Whincup even flirted with the idea that Shane van Gisbergen and Mark Winterbottom still had a chance (haha)!

“It would be a disaster if both of us had a bad run in these last three rounds and someone like a van Gisbergen or a Winterbottom comes through. They’re by no means out of the battle either.”

Mathematically possible, yes. Will it happen? No.

Either result, it’s shaping up as a thrilling climax to the 2011 V8 season, so get your tickets and get out to the tracks!

Read up more about what could be a cliff-hanger finale at the Telstra Sydney 500 here:

http://www.weekendnotes.com/v8-supercars-sydney-telstra-500/

Mahendra Singh Dhoni put on a masterclass to guide India home by six wickets over Sri Lanka in the 2011 ICC World Cup Final.

Earlier, Mahela Jayawardene hit a majestic hundred to take Sri Lanka to 274.

But Gambhir (97) and Dhoni (91 n.o.) ensured the pre-tournament favourites claimed a historic and memorable win.

The win for India meant they became the first ever team to win the World Cup on home soil.

It all started when Sri Lanka recovered thanks to some late hitting to go from 5-182 to 6-274 after 50 overs.

Jayawardene (103 n.o.), Kulasekara (32 of 30) and Perera (22 of 9) ensured that Sri Lanka, who looked like they would struggle to break 250, got to a competitive total.

The trio added 91 runs in the final ten overs to give their side the momentum.

And they would have been even more over the moon when slinger Malinga first struck Sehwag lbw of the second ball of the Indian innings, then removed talisman Sachin Tendulkar in a wonderful spell.

It left India with a stern test of character, knowing that if they stayed with the run rate they could cruise home.

Virat Kohli (35 of 49) along with the great knocks from Gambhir and Dhoni meant that India took home the coveted trophy, with the captain smashing a huge six to fittingly finish the game.

Yuvraj Singh was named a not-so-shocking player of the tournament, whilst Kumar Sangakkara was chosen as the best captain.

The win sees India move up to second on the ODI rankings, seven points behind Australia. Although, most will regard the side as the best in the world, having beaten the likes of West Indies, Australia and Pakistan on their way to the final.

Pre-Match Thoughts

Gordon: So far, these teams have been impressive. This was our pre-cup final prediction so box ticked for that! As far as the teams go, I’m a tad concerned about Sri Lanka. Unlike India who’ve been able to get through quite a few tough games so far this cup, SL are a little different. New Zealand has been the only real game where they’ve had to fight for a result. They failed against Pakistan, but held on in the semi.
Waqas: A great tournament ends with the two best teams, no one can really disagree with that. Both teams have good batting line ups and great spinners with one great seamer. It could well be that battle between Zaheer and Malinga which decide this one. Which out of the two can grab those vital wickets when the ball is reversing?
Johnno: It’s like it was meant to be. The two (strong) co-hosts, dream batting line ups, Mumbai, Murali, Sachin, Sanga, Sehwag. Thankfully NZ shook up that Sri Lankan middle order that has been in hibernation till then. It’ll be interesting if India stick with the three quickies or go with Ashwin. Nehra’s under an injury cloud though, so it might be a forced change in the end.
The Gaff: Got the feeling during last week that the India v Pakistan game was more like the final! Thank goodness we have Murali’s retirement and probably Sachin’s last ever World Cup match to spice up the final, otherwise what else would we have?! The biggest sadness will be that I no longer can use the excuse of late night cricket as an excuse with the wife.
Tyrone: Sri Lanka revolves around Sanga. He’s playing very well and the openers play freely knowing he’s so solid in the middle, they don’t seem to be afraid of losing a wicket early on. India has played well to get to this point. However, they have had some tough games mentally. SL have seemed to have had a fairly ‘easy’ run through to the finals, haven’t had the emotional rollercoaster which India has. Murali is dangerous, but on one leg India should be okay.
Ricky: This game is about the perfect match-up for a sub-continental World Cup and it should be a fascinating game featuring some of the better cricketers who have ever turned out for either country. Both sides had the advantage of playing the bulk of their games at home, but to be fair, both have played some really good cricket too.

The Key Players

Gordon: India > Tendulkar, Raina, Zaks /// SL > Dilshan, Sanga, Murali
Raina is my wild card. Assuming he plays, he’s added those vital 20-30 runs at the end of the innings for India. If the middle order fails he’s the guy India will turn to.
Waqas: India > Tendulkar, Dhoni, Zak /// SL > Sanga, Jayawardene, Malinga
It’s Zak vs Malinga for me. Pressure will be on both of them. Jayawardene has fallen under Sanga’s shadow but he’s still class. Dhoni needs a big one.
Johnno: India > Sehwag, Yuvraj, Zaheer /// SL > Dilshan, Jayawardene, Murali
Yuvraj is of huge importance. If he isn’t already player of the tournament, he now offers something with bat and ball. Murali may be on one leg but he loves playing India.
The Gaff: India > Tendulkar, Yuvraj, Harbhajan /// SL > Dilshan, Sangakkara, Malinga
I think Dilshan will play a role with both bat and ball. He’s better than Yuvi with the bat, but not as affective with the ball. I think that could be different in this game.
Tyrone: India > Tendy,Sehwag,Zak /// SL >Dilshan, Sanga, Mendis
None other than Sachin. As if the stage is not perfect for the greatest batsman ever to score his hundredth international hundred!
Ricky: India > Tendulkar, Sehwag, Yuvraj /// SL > Dilshan, Sangakkara, Malinga
The surprise has been Yuvraj Singh. It just seems now that cricket means a bit more to him than it did. I know it is a World Cup, but he has turned it on at the right time.

The Weakness

Gordon: It’s the same thing for both sides; the middle order. Whilst India might argue they’ve had game time in the middle, that middle still looks a bit fragile. Gambhir, Virat and in particular Dhoni, have thrown it away in the last few matches. For Sri Lanka, they rely way too much on Dilshan, Tharanga, Sanga and Jayawardene. After that it’s nothing pretty. We saw against Australia that early wickets halt their progress considerably. Take out Dilshan and Sanga within 20 overs and you’re in dreamland.
Waqas: For India it’s Nehra, Munaf and Sreesanth. Neither of them is really near Zaks in terms of ability right now. They need to step up for the final and really help out, even if it means holding up one end. For SL, I think it’s their reliance on Dilshan, Sanga and Jaya. If those three get out early Sri Lanka will really be tested to their depths.
Johnno: Regarding India, I think it’s their fast bowlers. Zaheer has been amazing right throughout the tournament, but players have bad games. Look what happened to him in the 2003 final. If something goes wrong with him, not sure who will step up for India. Sri Lanka’s weakness lies with the lower order. It’s obvious. They simply need more time on the pitch, they showed this was a weak point during the semi by nearly doing a South Africa.
The Gaff: For me, it’s Harbhajan. He’s been well below his usual best in this WC. If Sri Lanka can get on top of him early, they’ll play him off the ground. But I think this will be an occasion where the Turbinator will unleash. Fielding is a major issue for Sri Lanka. At least India has gotten better with their methods as the cup has gone on. Complete opposite for SL. Some of them just can’t catch and as we saw in the Ind vs Pak semi, you drop catches and you lose matches.
Tyrone: India – Nehra is pretty much out so they will be undecided whether to play another seamer (Sreesanth) or the spinner. The extra paceman from India is the danger – Sree is passionate but costly. Lanka – If Murali has to bowl 10 overs and is severely injured he could be taken to the cleaners by the Indian batsmen provided they get off to a good start. But I think Lanka’s weakness is their middle, they havent really had a bat.
Ricky: It’s that second seamer for India. They need some genuine support for Zaheer Khan who is a great player. They can’t afford for their second or even third pace bowler to be dominated. If I was to criticise Sri Lanka in any way I would suggest that it relies on too few players to get them through. Too much falls on Sangakkara’s shoulders and then how Jaywardene plays through the middle of the innings, but India has a lot more depth on the batting side.

The Pitch

Gordon: There’s only been two games at Mumbai this World Cup and they’ve been thrashings. NZ wacked Canada by 97 runs and SL defeated NZ by 112 runs. Both teams obviously batted first and from what we’re hearing, it’s a track. However, from the four innings so far, the average score is only 259.
Waqas: Win the toss and bat. Quite simple. Both teams have good openers so those opening ten overs will be crucial on this wicket. India has got off to barnstorming starts but fall away as the innings go on. Much of the same could be said about SL, but either way perhaps the best way to combat the track is to try and score at around five-per-over early and consolidate wickets for the end.
Johnno: If we’ve learned anything from these wickets in the Cup, what seems like a great or bad total can be the opposite. The wicket looks good and firm, with a bit in it for the spinners. Seamers might struggle, but like we saw with India against Pakistan, the wicket doesn’t always mean you can produce something special.
The Gaff: Toss will be crucial. Since 2000, there pace has picked up more wickets overall at Wankhede, 57 to spin’s 39. However, the average for seamers is 30, whilst for spinners its 26 and again spinners have a better average economy, going for 4.59 to pace’s 5.12. So it seems as though spin will come into play as the match goes on, whilst if you can play pace, it’s there to whack.
Tyrone: I think it will be flat as a tack. Doubt India would risk playing three seamers again because of Lanka’s spinners. It’ll be batsman’s paradise, if it wasn’t a final I would say need to score 320, but I reckon the extra pressure means you should score at least 280.
Ricky: Quite a good wicket. The toss has been a big thing for many games and I suspect it will be the same here. I have little doubt that whoever wins the toss will bat.

The Impact

Gordon: Will be a huge thing for both. For India it will mean they are probably the best team in tests and ODI’s, it’s something they’ve been working hard for and with the talent they have now it will be a deserved status. For SL, they will prove their worth as the best limited overs side. They tend to win everywhere these days when it comes to ODI’s and a win will prove it. It will also give confidence for them to push on in the test format.
Waqas: Hard to judge the impact till it actually happens. It will be a bit of a body blow for India if they lose considering their team. But if they win, it could be the start of a nice period considering the amount of youngsters in the team. If Sri Lanka gets up I think it will really give them a boost in all forms of cricket. They lost the 2007 final and since then have continued their mixed form in tests. If they win I think they’ll be confident of mixing it with any team in any format.
Johnno: I’m afraid that if India wins, it will start world domination for them in all forms. They might well become the new 80’s Windies or the 00’s Aussies. Will really stamp their arrival. If Sri Lanka wins, I think a lot of emotion will be tied with Murali’s retirement and rightly so. You can see the headlines, ‘Murali’s last hurrah’ all over the papers. I think Sri Lanka have been a great limited overs side for quite a while, so I’m not sure it will do a whole lot for them in the long run.
The Gaff: It’s simple. India wins and they official take over from Australia as the best team in the world. If Sri Lanka win they confirm something everyone already knew – they’re the best at limited overs cricket.
Tyrone: India, it will set off a dominating era for them. They did well in tests in South Africa to draw the series and have been good in tests for a while. The WC will give them confidence to build a dominating era. A win for Sri Lanka will propel them into the top echelon of cricket. I believe India and SA are ahead of the rest right now because they have gone well in tests and ODI’s everywhere. Whereas Sri Lanka always gets thrashed in tests in Australia.
Ricky: Obviously India have been favourites from the start so a win would prove that they can handle the pressure of a nation. Similar could be said for Sri Lanka, although one feels that there is less pressure on them to win this one.

The Verdict

Gordon: India by 1 wicket / 5 runs – That’s really how much I don’t know which way this one will go! You look at the teams and they’re really blow for blow even. But I think (and hope) it comes down to the last over, SL need 15 to win, 6 off the last ball but only get a single.  No confidence in that!
Waqas: Sri Lanka by 3 wickets / 70 runs – Hope it doesn’t pan out this way, but got a little feeling that Sri Lanka will really let lose for Murali. If they bat first I reckon they’ll dominate and win easily, but if they bat second I think it’ll be much closer.
Johnno: India by 3 wickets / 25 runs – Two very even teams, but I think India’s firepower all round will get them home. Dhoni enjoys playing SL so hopefully he fires. India in a tight one.
The Gaff: Sri Lanka by 4 wickets / 50 runs – Dilshan loves playing India and if SL bats first I think he’ll go mad. SL will also have emotional factor to combat the crowd with Murali’s last game and I think they’ll rally around him and get home.
Tyrone: India by 4 wickets / 30 runs – A lot rides on who bats first. In saying that though, it’s a complete lottery. If India bats first with that home crowd in a final I can see them getting well over 300, perhaps 320.
Ricky: India to win – I have said all the way through this tournament that India was the team we had to beat and I think it is the favourite tonight. I think it has a bit more class, a bit more zest on its side.

Champions!!! Brisbane Roar lift a very deserved 2010/11 A-League Trophy.

After arguably the best A-League season to date, the Brisbane Roar defined their remarkable streak of now 28 games undefeated by coming from two goals down in extra time to defeat Central Coast Mariners on penalties in the best A-League Grand Final ever.

Suncorp Stadium was packed to the rafters, with over 50,000 excited fans turning the stadium into a cauldron. Whilst many of those supporters were wearing orange, the Mariners also brought with them a very healthy legion of fans.

The result also marked the first time two consecutive A-League Grand Finals were decided beyond normal time.

It was a deserved win for the Roar, after all the emotion with the floods and it showed in the players’ performance throughout the season.

However, Central Coast will be struggling to find reasons as to how they lost the game, leading 2-0 with barely minutes to play in extra time.

In regular time, the Mariners were rock solid in defence with keeper and Joe Marston medallist, Matt Ryan, producing an array of stunning saves to keep the premiers at bay.

The 18-year old became the youngest ever keeper to play an Australian Football final and a fully deserved winner of the prestigious player of the Grand Final medal.

With eight shots on goal to two by full time, one wondered if Brisbane’s surprising inability to finish their chances would come back to bite them.

It so nearly did.

First Adam Kwasnik and then Oliver Bozanic struck to put the Mariners in the unbelievable position of leading 2-0 against the premiers in extra time with 15 minutes left.

That stat lasted til the 117^th minute when Henrique hit back to give a spark of hope to Brisbane.

And in the final minute of play, midfielder Eric Paartalu headed home the equalizer to send the home fans into raptures.

It was then former Melbourne Victory stopper, Michael Theoklitos who pulled of two amazing saves to allow Henrique to step in and seal the game at 4-2 in the shootout.

Roar skipper Matt McKay paid tribute to his team’s character, but the keeper praised his captain’s belief even at 2-0 down.

“Matty McKay pulled us together and said ‘there’s 15 minutes to go, how many times have we scored two goals in the last 15 minutes?’,” Theoklitos said.

It brought to an end a fantastic final and season.

We certainly cannot wait til the next one.

See you in August!

Class... Djokovic claimed his second Australian crown.

The Scot, clearly struggling from the growing weight on his shoulders, was never really in the match besides the first set. But even that he lost.

His form coming into this game was impressive and he would (and should) have taken mountains of confidence after his win over Ferrer in the semi final.

However, his second straight Australian Open final loss makes for bad reading.

It leaves Murray with the unwanted stat of three grand slam finals, three losses, zero sets won.

After losing to Roger Federer in his previous two Grand Slam final encounters, many thought this would be the best chance Murray had to claim his first major title.

It led to no avail though and perhaps the most notable characteristic about his performance was his lack of composure on the big points.

After and including small parts of the first set, Murray looked to be tense and emotional when missing his usually bread and butter shots, constantly looking with frustration to his entourage in the stands.

To add to his woes, Murray’s serve was way below par, lacking any type of bite, variation or placement. Whilst he occasionally mustered up some power, his second serve was just as bad.

When you’re serving in and around the 50 percent margin, you’re not going to win many games, let alone a Grand Slam Final.

Djokovic however, continues to impress in what is slowly becoming one of the Serbian’s favourite tournaments.

His power and ability to force Murray into making that one more shot was very classy and conveys the lengths at which Djokovic has improved over the past year.

The Nadal-esque way that the ‘Nole’ kept on running and returning every shot was brilliant and ensured that he didn’t throw away any cheap points.

Again, the serve came into play, and whilst many thought Murray would be the one who’s serve would provide an advantage, it was more vice versa.

Djokovic pounded Murray with kicking serves that often left the Brit flat footed and frustrated.

The popular Serb, who threw rackets, shirts, towels, wristbands and shoes (yes the very shoes he played with!) into the crowd after his win, now has two Australian Championships to his name and continues to push Roger Federer for his number two world ranking.

Unfortunately, it seems that most of the post-match attention will fall on Murray’s poor showing rather than Djokovic’s dominance.