CWC 1st Semi Final - New Zealand V Sri Lanka

KevIRL

Sri Lanka will be the favourites here, but I'm sticking with my pre-tournament pick and going with the black caps for this one.

Thoughts?

Updates here later.

pwd

I think sri lanka will win by a large margin. They will unleash their secret super bowlers who were rested/injured when they played australia.

Rjd2

I want New Zealand to win but I have grave reservations about the team. I like Fulton and while he has done ok this tournament as an opener I just dont fancy him as a match winner. Taylor a fine player is scrathing about for runs which is understandable after injury but at this stage you need players in form. Marshell instead?

sportaholic

Not too bothered as I like both sides but I think Sri Lanka will have a little bit too much for NZ.

Really hope these semi-finals are good games as the tournament needs it badly.

Roll on 3.30

Rjd2

jayasuryia gone and it was Franklin who got him. Bond though still has not going though.

county

67-1(13)

pwd

62-1 after 12 overs. Run rate picking up a bit

county

wicket
67-2

Rjd2

sangakara gone

pwd

83-2 (19)

county

111-3(25.1)

pwd

152-3 (34)

DMC

Sri Lanka 154/4 after 35 overs

Shocker from Koertzen. Silva lbw b Bond.

Rjd2

well sri lanka have just passed 250 and that I am afraid is that for the black caps. I know people will say they may chase it down but lets face a few facts
1 Sri Lanka have the most varied bowling attack in the competion.No side not even Australia will fancy their chances of smashing them out of the ground.
2 Fleming has a terrible record against Sri Lanka
2 Taylor has being rubbish since he came back, I like him a lot but its hard to come straight back from injury and start hitting big scores. I will be stunned if he gets more than 20 runs. His fielding today as well has being poor.
3 The loss of Vincent is huge he can acclerate unlike Fulton.
4 Murali will rip this lower order apart on the pitch its tailor made for him.
I'm going to put on them getting less than 200 and the second Taylor enters Im phoning through a bet.
I really hope this post backfires though:D

Rjd2

289 for five and that is that I am afraid is that bar a miracle for the black caps.:(

KevIRL

New Zealands outright odds to win the World Cup are now back out to where they started the tournament at 9/1

DMC

The one dead cert for this innings is for Vass to dimiss Fleming. Nailed on.

KevIRL

DMC wrote:

The one dead cert for this innings is for Vass to dimiss Fleming. Nailed on.

Malinga took him

Placebo

malinga seems like he chucks the ball, only all time fav these days due to the SA achievement, lets see how he performs today, i hope newzealnd do well. but i want SRILANKA to win cause they have a better chance against AUS

DMC

Sri Lanka won't have the better chance on a Barbados wicket, though, I feel.

32/2 in the 11th.

KevIRL

Taylor gone

NZ 32-2

Placebo

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/other_international/new_zealand/latest_scorecard/default.stm

KevIRL

NZ 100-2 (20ovs)

KevIRL

111-3 (23ovs)

Royale with Cheese

114/5. Game over. Great catch

KevIRL

114-4 (24ovs)

KevIRL

114-5 now

Murali on a hat-trick

Placebo

they will only get 200 tbh
Muralitharan's only bowled 3 overs ! 7 more to come

Royale with Cheese

Another goes down. 115/6. Fulton goes.

Mushy

Speaking of jumping on the bandwagon at this stage...sorry but anyway:

Looks like I wont be getting to see Scott Styris on Saturday:( Have been watching as much of this World Cup as I could, and he is brilliant. Facial expressins: 10/10

Royale with Cheese

116/7. The end is nigh. Vettori goes for a duck. Murali as predicted is destroying the middle to lower order here

Marshy

Vettori gone lbw to murali, NZ down and out surely after this collapse.

116-7 now.

ninebeanrows

God what a collapse!

Placebo

SHOWS OVER folks.

dissapointing match, i was hoping for a BETTER challenge.

Marshy

Placebo wrote:

malinga seems like he chucks the ball

Well I dont think thats the case. The SL coach Tom Moody was asked about that and he said it'd be almost impossible to bend his arm with an action like that. Its just a highly unusual action, thats all.

Placebo

well shohaib akhtar was suspected of doing so also but he got away with it cause his arm bends backwards at an angle most dont and he uses it to his "advantage"

cgf

Looks like the Black caps have the same sports psychologist as their Rugger team

Marshy

Placebo wrote:

well shohaib akhtar was suspected of doing so also but he got away with it cause his arm bends backwards at an angle most dont and he uses it to his "advantage"

Gee youre some sceptic arent ya. Innocent until proven guilty in my book.

NZ innings drifting inevitably towards a huge defeat. SL will give the aussies a good game if their nerve holds up for the final.

pwd

176-9 (37)

pwd

195-9 (40).

Marshy

NZ 208. SL win by 81

That was a bit of a joke towards the end but a very comfortable win. NZ will be very disappointed, they played poorly from what I saw.

DMC

Sri Lanka 289/5 after 50 overs
New Zealand 208 after 41.4 overs

Sri Lanka win by 81 runs.

I'd fancy Stephen Fleming to resign after this match... if they kept wickets in hand, run rate wasn't an issue.

pwd

208ao (42 overs)

Marshy

DMC wrote:

I'd fancy Stephen Fleming to resign after this match... if they kept wickets in hand, run rate wasn't an issue.

Pressure of a WC semi final run chase though. I'd blame their bowlers more.

The truth is that there are frailties in the NZ line up, especially in the bowling line up. As we saw, when bond doesnt show up they are pretty toothless.

DMC

Marshy wrote:

I'd blame their bowlers more.

True. The bowlers lost that game, but I can't help but feel that Fleming won't like the manner of the defeat. The end of a World Cup, as we have seen around the cricketing world, ensures a changing of the guard, and I would fancy that Fleming will ponder it too.

Placebo

bowlers blew it big time, 80 runs in last 10 overs. But thats cause batsman had settled in well. NZ always reach semi's and blow it

Rjd2

Rjd2 wrote:

well sri lanka have just passed 250 and that I am afraid is that for the black caps. I know people will say they may chase it down but lets face a few facts
1 Sri Lanka have the most varied bowling attack in the competion.No side not even Australia will fancy their chances of smashing them out of the ground.
2 Fleming has a terrible record against Sri Lanka
2 Taylor has being rubbish since he came back, I like him a lot but its hard to come straight back from injury and start hitting big scores. I will be stunned if he gets more than 20 runs. His fielding today as well has being poor.
3 The loss of Vincent is huge he can acclerate unlike Fulton.
4 Murali will rip this lower order apart on the pitch its tailor made for him.
I'm going to put on them getting less than 200 and the second Taylor enters Im phoning through a bet.
I really hope this post backfires though:D

Erm...

Rjd2

Placebo wrote:

bowlers blew it big time, 80 runs in last 10 overs. But thats cause batsman had settled in well. NZ always reach semi's and blow it

Their batting line up collapsed again as they did in their last game agaisnt Sri Lanka. Mc Cullum and of all people Fulton threw away his wicket. Bond picked the best game to have a stinker though:rolleyes:

county

waves bye bye to my bet:(

Rjd2

county wrote:

waves bye bye to my bet:(

Well I put money on India to win it! Again you have to give credit to Murali in the India game Sehwag was looking class and it was an unplayable ball what got him which lead to a collapse, and you watched the game last night?
i would have loved to seen Fleming win the cup though as he strikes me as a really good bloke unlike some captains left I could name:D

DMC

Rjd2 wrote:

Erm...

Yes, can I have a lend of your crystal ball sometime??

Fleming has stood down as ODI captain, wants to remain as Test captain. Vettori would be my preference as captain.