2023 ICC Cricket World Cup (50 over version)

Looked like a decent total by Bangladesh yesterday but the 306-8 was easily knocked off by Australia, 2 down with 32 balls to spare. The big hitting Marsh scoring an unbeaten 177.

India 410-4 Iyer 128 no Rahul 102
Netherlands 250 (47.5)

A step too far for NZ! They won't be making two appearances in a row in the WC Final. A valiant effort though to get to within 70 runs, particularly after being given the runaround in the field, and having to chase in the more difficult conditions against a world class attack ( I am still in doubt about whether day/night cricket should be scheduled in the most important tournament of them all?? two totally different sets of match conditions). Quality again from Mitchell, who posted a quality ton - following on from V Kohli earlier in the day. If only D Conway could have his innings again, I pretty much guarantee he wouldn't chase that wide one, and bide his time! On the other hand, M Shami cemented his place among the elite. Made the ball talk (albeit in more conducive conditions)

^^ Either a day game, or a night game. The Kiwi's got shafted today, as the ball did nothing first up, India had the luxury of new ball movement and increased spin.

South Africa 44-4 (14 overs) Starc 2-18 Hazlewood 2-12
Rain delay

South Africa were 24 -4 after 11.5 overs.

But they have had rallied and are currently 160-6 after 41 overs.

They will be aiming to reach 250 (10 an over) to give them a slight chance of victory.

South Africa 212 (49.4 overs) Miller 101 Klaasen 47 Starc 3-34 Cummins 3-51 Hazlewood 2-12 Head 2-21

Yet again - like NZ - SA the bridesmaids once more! First off, a mention for the pitch - as a cricket contest should be, SA underperformed on it, but it was a fair - contest driven track among what have been far too many run laden surfaces. Given how tight the match became, as well as Miller played - and he did - I am sure he is almost inconsolable, after leaving 16 deliveries out there from his knock by giving it away at exactly the wrong time. Yes - without his 101 - they would never have been in the contest, but given the track, which was not going to get easier to bat on, even if he had to farm the strike and accept a few more dot balls, his ability to power hit would surely have meant (easy in hindsight) that he could have have helped to post maybe 230 - 235?? - just before he gave it away, I was screaming at the box 'just play the inns out' (expletives removed) Ok, Australia got across the line with three wickets in hand, but with the tight ending we got, not inconceivable that SA could have snared the last three wickets in time, with the extra runs per ball pressure the Aussies would/could have been under!

Congrats all the same to Australia. Quality final coming up, provided the ICC do not allow India to dictate the pitch played on again. How they got away with it in any event, without the ICC flatly rejecting their intentions, beats me! I was always under the impression the ICC oversee WC pitches?? Time for India to have some power taken away (same for Aus/Eng)

Australia have again started a competition slowly and have improved during every match.

It could be an interesting final, let's hope that it's a close match, and if India do end up winning then Australia is the team that I'd like them to beat.

(16-11-2023 18:13 )hornball Wrote:  Yet again - like NZ - SA the bridesmaids once more! First off, a mention for the pitch - as a cricket contest should be, SA underperformed on it, but it was a fair - contest driven track among what have been far too many run laden surfaces. Given how tight the match became, as well as Miller played - and he did - I am sure he is almost inconsolable, after leaving 16 deliveries out there from his knock by giving it away at exactly the wrong time. Yes - without his 101 - they would never have been in the contest, but given the track, which was not going to get easier to bat on, even if he had to farm the strike and accept a few more dot balls, his ability to power hit would surely have meant (easy in hindsight) that he could have have helped to post maybe 230 - 235?? - just before he gave it away, I was screaming at the box 'just play the inns out' (expletives removed) Ok, Australia got across the line with three wickets in hand, but with the tight ending we got, not inconceivable that SA could have snared the last three wickets in time, with the extra runs per ball pressure the Aussies would/could have been under!

Congrats all the same to Australia. Quality final coming up, provided the ICC do not allow India to dictate the pitch played on again. How they got away with it in any event, without the ICC flatly rejecting their intentions, beats me! I was always under the impression the ICC oversee WC pitches?? Time for India to have some power taken away (same for Aus/Eng)

Although there are many twists and turns in a 50 over contest, how you start your innings with bat/ball and in the field sets the tone and the course of the game. Powerplay 1 (1-10) showed the gulf in class execution and intent. South Africa elected to bowl, so you would assume they got the conditions they believed would give them the best chance of winning. Australia where disciplined with their line and length and at 18-2 they had control. By contrast when Australia started their innings they threw some punches, seizing on anything remotely wayward. At 74-2 the game was over. Travis Head was an easy choice for MOTM, he broke the Miller Klassen partnership which had the potential to propel the score beyond 250 and he batted with abandon. The turn that South Africa found was the reason the batted first, I don't think they needed the 300 that many pundits were predicting. The contest wasn't as close as it looked. Australia had the benefit of playing low risk cricket against tight spin bowling and the pace of the impressive Coetzee. From 141-5 at the mid innings mark the middle/lower order only needed singles to comlete the task.