Semi Finals

[JBH001]

Exactly, maybe in the next year or so but I can't see any retirements straight away.

Simon Doull is of like mind to Fiery, thinks it was blatant cheating from Muralitharan.

Lol at Doull's sour grapes (and Fiery's crying).
We dont know as the replays are inconclusive, going either way (I certainly dont know). Murali may even have thought he caught it, endless replays apart. In any case if Oram had any sense he would have stood his ground.

Speculation: Even if Murali did pull off a sneaky one, what does Oram expect? Its a WC SF not a sunday hit out with mates. LOL it may even have been payback for his run-out in NZ.

Anyway, never mind. I dont want this to take the gloss of what has been a comprehensive performance from SL - they really wiped the floor with NZ. Also, some great and gracious comments from Flemo at the post match presentation, as well as some nice comments from Mahela. Two very good captains! _b

My own pov is encapsulated in Perm's:
"I didn't have any problem with Muralitharan's catch. I trust him as a cricketer, he seems like one of the more honest ones going around and I felt that the catch was taken fairly".

Bring on the Final!

 

[meatspx]

Fleming has officially retired from the captaincy of the ODI side.

Martin Crowe on Radio Sport straight out accusing Murali of cheating, questioning how he can "sleep right".

Interesting.....

 

[Perm]

Fleming has officially retired from the captaincy of the ODI side.

Martin Crowe on Radio Sport straight out accusing Murali of cheating, questioning how he can "sleep right".

Interesting.....

Link?

Crowe has always disliked Muralitharan, he makes no secret of the fact he thinks that anyone who "chucks" should be thrown out of the game.

 

[meatspx]

No links, just listening to Radio Sport.

The DJs are now calling it a gutless capitulation, an ANZAC disgrace etc...
Very dissapointing.

 

[_Ed_]

gutless capitulation

That's quite fitting actually.

Although Franklin and Patel shouldn't be included in that.

 

[marc71178]

He would have known it hit the ground imo. In most cases (nearly everytime) you know...in my experience. He had to pick it up off the ground pretty much

How is your experience different to every comment I've read in the past then (ie that the fielder himself has no clue either way?)

 

[Davey]

Why are you talking about Murali cheating, at least you guys get LBW's that hit the bat first..


Oh and Please for next game Maharoof in and quicker finish to the game!!

Also who was it that said Tharanga should be dropped for Atapattu??
Lol...

 

[Matt79]

Wow - well done Sri Lanka - a comprehensive victory. Sounds like Mahela Jayawardene played one of the great WC knocks to lead his side to victory - ably assisted as always by that man Muralitharan.

Disappointing for NZ as they fumble their best chance yet to make it to the final of a major ODI tournament. You'd fancy that on the pitch that is expected for the final, Bond could well have put them right into the game, if they'd made it.

The final should be a really good affair, regardless of whether the expected happens and its versus Australia, or if South Africa pull off a big upset and knock out the champs. Can't wait for tonight's game and for the final - we're finally getting to the good stuff in this WC!

 

[Lostman]

If i was in the SA squad or a fan for that matter i would be really annoyed with the all the commentators at the end of todays game. I think most people were giving Kenya a greater chance against India in the last semi final, compared to how the commentators have been dismissing SA before the game.

 

[Burgey]

Don't think the issue here is Murali's catch anyway. What the hell was Macullum thinking? That was an utterly disgraceful shot.

 

[Trigger_Tiger]

.....

First of all, I don't think Murali himself knew if it touched the ground after or before he caught it. He wasn't looking exactly at the point of conact but rather at the ball popping into his hand.

Secondly, Oram just walked.

Thridly, the umpire did not refer to the third umpire.

So to just blatantly blame Murali alone and accuse him of cheating is absolutly ridiculous.

Why not blame the umpire then for not going upstairs? And why not blame Oram for just walking off the field?

And why point fingers when it made little difference. Very true Oram is a good hitter and a good player but the batting order crumbled at the other end as well. And it was Stephen Fleming who said (during the presentation ceremony) that they would've lost anyways the way Sri Lanka played even if they batted first!

Isn't Murali class enough to not cheat? And from his position it looked like he caught it. So if we could be fooled into believing that it was a clean catch, couldn't he be fooled too?

And what proof is there that it wasn't a clean catch.

It is best not to cry over spilt milk and just let the bygones be bygones.

It was a good win by the Lankans and a thoroughly commanding one too!

Can't wait for tomorrow's game !!!!!

 

[Matt79]

Hmmm, sad to read the last couple of pages and see that rather than talking about how well SL did, the conversation has turned into a debate on Murali's action again. I've participated in plenty of those debates before, and haven't been shy about letting my views be known, but it smacks of a bad case of sour-grapes when its suddenly brought up in this context, after that result.

It'd be better to concentrate on the fact that SL played to their potential and thus have deservedly won through to the final, IMO.

 

[silentstriker]

Martin Crowe on Radio Sport straight out accusing Murali of cheating, questioning how he can "sleep right".

Crowe had also said previously how he wanted Murali to be tested after every series. I don't really pay attention to him.

Complete sour grapes, everyone is quiet when they manage to get on top of him, but if they lose, its 'Well we just lost to a cheater, so its not our fault.'

Ah well, enough on the subject for one day.

 

[Perm]

Really I could come up with a few excuses as to why New Zealand lost and some of them would be fair enough, but I don't want to come across as having sour grapes. Sri Lanka played better, they deserved to win. I'm just disappointed our guys didn't put up more of a fight.

 

[Trigger_Tiger]

.....

I was really disappointed with the NZ top order. Actually throughout the tournament they've been pretty inconsistent.

And the last two innings of Styris', the moment he got out, the expression on his face showed how much depends on him. When you come to look at NZs wins in this WC, Styris has almost been to the Kiwis what Klusener was to the Proteas back in the 1999 WC.

Some serious thinking to do from here on for the NZ IMO to solve the top-order problem ASAP !

 

[Flem274*]

hey new here, read this site for a while though

just been listening to radiosport, the fleming bashers are at it again. never mind that a No.4 batsman has to cover as opener because we have so few in NZ

i think hes a great batsman when he bats in his position of 3 or 4. (yes as my name suggests im a big fan)

disappointed in todays game but we were simply outplayed, well done to Sri Lanka. good game.

wish patel had scored a century though

 

[Matt79]

I was really disappointed with the NZ top order. Actually throughout the tournament they've been pretty inconsistent.

And the last two innings of Styris', the moment he got out, the expression on his face showed how much depends on him. When you come to look at NZs wins in this WC, Styris has almost been to the Kiwis what Klusener was to the Proteas back in the 1999 WC.

Some serious thinking to do from here on for the NZ IMO to solve the top-order problem ASAP !

Offer Brad Hodge citizenship IMO...

 

[_Ed_]

Offer Brad Hodge citizenship IMO...

Could we have Phil Jaques while we're at it? It's not like you're using him. Oh and David Hussey might be handy.

Actually, how about Jason Gillespie? Harder to get out than some of our lot.

 

[Fiery]

First of all, I don't think Murali himself knew if it touched the ground after or before he caught it. He wasn't looking exactly at the point of conact but rather at the ball popping into his hand.

Secondly, Oram just walked.

Thridly, the umpire did not refer to the third umpire.

So to just blatantly blame Murali alone and accuse him of cheating is absolutly ridiculous.

Why not blame the umpire then for not going upstairs? And why not blame Oram for just walking off the field?

And why point fingers when it made little difference. Very true Oram is a good hitter and a good player but the batting order crumbled at the other end as well. And it was Stephen Fleming who said (during the presentation ceremony) that they would've lost anyways the way Sri Lanka played even if they batted first!

Isn't Murali class enough to not cheat? And from his position it looked like he caught it. So if we could be fooled into believing that it was a clean catch, couldn't he be fooled too?

And what proof is there that it wasn't a clean catch.

It is best not to cry over spilt milk and just let the bygones be bygones.

It was a good win by the Lankans and a thoroughly commanding one too!

Can't wait for tomorrow's game !!!!!

The problem I have is the fact he didn't bother to appeal or even look back at the umpire. He just claimed it as if it was obvious that he caught it. Oram obviously took his word for it. Murali should be fined for bringing the game into disrepute over this

 

[Athlai]

Well if anyone had to beat the kiwi's im glad it was the Sri Lankans. Great side.

Patel is officially my hero, great knock from him.