2023 ICC Cricket World Cup (50 over version)

(17-11-2023 08:50 )Charlemagne Wrote:  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.

This was the final that I didn't want, but it started to look inevitable after Australia found form.

^ I think, in fairness, the assumption that SA would need 300 - or north thereof - was eventually accepted by one or two in the comm box - as being wide of the mark! Hopefully (not optimistic) pitch conveners (and governing/facilitating bodies) will see from this match, that - for the sake of the sporting contest - 300 plus scores should be in short supply from here on in - unless achieved by batting of the highest skill despite being faced with similar conditions to yesterday (yes overhead conditions cannot be guaranteed)

^ I have just read that the ICC will determine which pitch the final is to be played on! Good news on that front, assuming they do not give the green light to a 'flat road'

Almost Final day! hope the weather (and track) play ball, and we get a final worthy of the name! With the final being a day/night contest, the toss may prove pivotal (I hope not) Too close to call, as both teams so equally well matched! Does India's bowling attack though just give them the edge??

It's the finals today.

It can be viewed on Sky Sports and also on Sky Max.
It's also available on Channel 5 from 8am.

Australia won the toss and asked India to bat first.

It looks like Australia are going to canter in for a win. Mostly thanks to the performance by Travis Head. He's scored a ton and took a superb catch to get out an on form Rohit Sharma. So he's a certainty to win the man of the match.

Trust Australia to ruin a party

Sixth win for Australia! Congrats to them! I was surprised (given his pre match comments so was P Cummins) that India found it such tough going - the pitch, and I can count on one hand the number of tracks like this over the last 6 weeks, was ideal I thought. Yes, australia bowled and fielded close to the best they have shown in the competition as a whole, but India seemed strangely confused about how to build a score on that track, and although in the chase, australia went 3 down early doors, they controlled it almost perfectly!

To come through unbeaten from losing their first two matches takes some doing, so due credit! Similar to England '99 having to go pretty much unbeaten thereafter!

India were way off, got the tempo of the innings completely wrong, first up Rohit performed his role, but trying to take Maxwell down in the 10th cost him and his team. Kohli had set off like a train but the rebuild was too slow, Rahul or Virat needed to target a bowler at some point. Outside the 1st Powerplay only the 39th reached double figures. Sky was left with a long tail, the innings completely lost it's way. 300+ was par. All over at half way, a closed lbw call was the nearest India came to breaking the 4th wicket partnership until it was all too late. Yes the wicket got better to bat on but India knew this would be the case, 70 runs short of what was required, not one of India's top 7 pressed the gamble button to try to get to a defendable target.