Martyn, Symonds guide Australia to semi-finals

Andrew Symonds hammered 71 off just 47 balls as Australia booked their place in the semi-finals. Score

So the (so called) quarter-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy are underway. And of course, nothing's changed: even without the minnows, the minnow-bashing continues. Australia are through to the semi-finals after whipping New Zealand. Doing it pretty much as if they were playing USA once again.

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Perhaps that's a little unkind. But from the way he played, you could have sworn that Andrew Symonds was kept in the dark about the fact that they were playing neighbours New Zealand, rather than the assortment of has-been - or never-was-been - West Indians and subcontinental types who Australia played in their previous game against the USA. Today's result: Symonds 71 off 47 balls; Australia home in the 38th over. Come to think of it, they were home pretty much after Glenn McGrath's first spell (3 for 29 off 8).

Symonds' partner, Damien Martyn used the adjective 'embarrassing' for the way Andrew batted. Having come in at the fall of Hayden's wicket, he took two balls to get his eye in. The third, short and slow (what else?) sailed over the leg side field for a six.

What at 99 for 3 (Ponting just out) may have turned into the tournament's first competitive match, went the way everything else has so far in very little time. Picture a sumo wrestler and marathon runner repeatedly trying to get a see-saw started and you'll get a fair idea. This competition has been blighted (so far) by the worst possible thing: a lack of competition.

At least the weather was good today. Astle and Fleming walked out at the Oval this morning in bright sunshine. Astle in particular brightened things up even more with flurry of early strokes - driving and pulling Mcgrath. But it wasn't to last. Having just been hit to the boundary, McGrath came back with an off-cutter that Astle was in no position to play. He couldn't get his pads out of the way. Umpire Bucknor waited for a while and then asked him to go.

The New Zealanders battled on gamely but lost wickets too regularly to pose a serious threat.

But there was a surprise to begin with: Gilchrist, let one go, and it hit his stumps. But at the other end, Hayden kept walking down the wicket to bludgeon whatever came his way.

Without Shane Bond, the Kiwi attack just didn't have the ammo to trouble the Aussies. Bond, incidentally, picks up a wicket every 15 balls against them. It's the kind of strike rate you need against the Australians. Otherwise, they will make you think about migrating to the USA every time.