Aussies have an upper hand

Australia has an upper hand in the semifinals against West Indies.

Those who have better English speaking skills have an upper hand not just at the time of getting a job but at all times thereafter. They are the ones getting the better promotions, raises, responsibilities and in general, have more successful careers.

Having an upper hand means being in a relatively advantageous position. When two parties are competing, the one which is stronger at the moment is said to have the upper hand. It could also mean having more power and control over the situation.

Let’s take some examples:

1. After the first innings, Australia seemed to have the upper hand with a huge score on board. However, the South Africans proved their mettle by giving a spirited chase and eventually managed a thrilling win.
2. Arvind Kejriwal’s idealism is fine but in the current political scenario, moneybags will always have the upper hand. To add to it, the caste and communal politics which still holds sway and the journey is not going to be easy for Team Anna.
3. In water, crocodile will always have an upper hand against a land animal no matter how huge or strong he might be. Even mighty lions have been felled by crocodiles near the rivers and swamps.

Use this phrase to describe someone having the advantageous position in a competitive scenario. Let’s take some more examples:

1. In Kargil war, Pakistanis had the upper hand initially because they had stealthily occupied the heights. However, fierce action by Indian soldiers dislodged them from the posts they had occupied.
2. India has an upper hand in the spin department but Australia has much better fast bowling options. As per the batsmen, both the teams seem to be on an equal footing. Ultimately, the team which plays well on the given day would win
3. In the state elections, the ruling party will have the upper hand because people seem to really like the chief minister and would want to give him a second term.