Final - New Zealand v Australia (29th March)

[weldone]

Right behind the kiwis. Let's go.

This

 

[Tangles]

The only way the ground size is an issue is IF the NZ batters over think it. Bat normally and there's plenty of open spaces to hit. Really only an issue if you change up your hitting because you feel you have to hit 6s.

 

[BeeGee]

Anderson bowls a bigger percentage of his overs at the death than most death bowlers.

The new fielding restrictions have created unintended consequences though. They were brought in to liven up the middle overs period, and I think they've done that to some extent, but they've made bowling at the death way too hard.

So Anderson has great figures because he bowls most of his overs at the death, but bowling at the death is way too hard.

 

[Teja.]

Jeez, If you bowl most of your overs at the death and end up with 3-72, you end up having a great average and a poor economy. It's still hard to bowl at the death.

 

[BeeGee]

Jeez, If you bowl most of your overs at the death and end up with 3-72, you end up having a great average and a poor economy. It's still hard to bowl at the death.

3-72 are outstanding figures for a death bowler. They are NOT typical WC death bowling figures.

If you're successful at something that's difficult then you're a good bowler, ffs. Anderson is not just getting the figures any bowler in that situation would get.

PEWS is giving far too much credit to the role and not enough to the actual bowler.

 

[Jimbo the giant]

If you're successful at something that's difficult then you're a good bowler, ffs. Anderson is not just getting the figures any bowler in that situation would get.

PEWS is giving far too much credit to the role and not enough to the actual bowler.

Very true and some teams will try to see off the likes of Boult, Southee and Vettori to specifically target Anderson which makes his figures even better really.

 

[Raghav]

Go Kiwis!

 

[fishyguy]

NZ is my second fav team but dont think they have a chance. Would love it for them to win though

 

[Furball]

Have these two faced off in the Union World Cup final before? IIRC both of New Zealand's wins have been against France and Aus beat England in 91.

 

[Jimbo the giant]

I have to say I am a pretty proud NZ cricket supporter atm, Win or Lose it has been a great cup for us.

BMAC and Hess have really put together a great team. The Elliott innings is an ATG clutch NZ innings, can't get better he will always be a legend in our country now.

I'm calling it now ROSS "THE BOSS" to hammer 120+ for MOTM effort to take us home.
So happy with the way Henry went in the semi I predict he will get a couple wickets and Trent will get 2/3ish as well


Hopefully we can limit Starc to around 1-2 for 45ish, take Johnson/hazlewood for 100ish combined, smash the other 20 for 160+.

In all honesty I reckon Aussie should be favoured 60/40, but if we score 300 we wont be beaten.

 

[Burgey]

Have these two faced off in the Union World Cup final before? IIRC both of New Zealand's wins have been against France and Aus beat England in 91.

Aus beat England in 99 as well iirc.

Edit: maybe it was France.

 

[viriya]

You confuse blind misplaced optimism for passionate support.

Are you questioning my unwavering support for My Boy Corey?

You know narfin gee eye jooooor

 

[wellAlbidarned]

this is gonna be so so good whatever happens

 

[jonbrooks]

I think this will be an anti-climax. I've posted before that a lot will be working against NZ. I'd have given us a chance if we'd played in Oz conditions regularly to date. We haven't and that makes a massive difference. To just turn up in foreign conditions and win is not easy.

 

[Smudge]

New Zealand don't have any Maori's.

Tim Southee is from Northland. As such, he is Nga Puhi by association.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Have these two faced off in the Union World Cup final before? IIRC both of New Zealand's wins have been against France and Aus beat England in 91.

Australia beat France in 1999 as well.

In answer to your question - the two teams have only played 3 times in Rugby WCs - all semifinals. In 1991 David Campese and Tim Horan were too good for an ageing All Black side (I remember crying at the time as a young kid but thinking it didn't matter too much as we'd lots of WCs!), in 2003 Carlos Spencer had a pass intercepted by Stirling Mortlock and NZ choked against a team they'd beaten by 50 points just a few months earlier, while in 2011 Richie McCaw's team absolutely steamrolled Australia at Eden Park.

I think this is the biggest transtasman sporting clash since NZ beat Australia to win an Olympic gold medal in men's hockey about 40 years ago.

 

[Tangles]

Home ground advantage will be huge in this game. NZ haven't played in Australia in years let alone during the tournament. Think they will need to bat first and then pressure the chase.

 

[hendrix]

Aussie have made some pretty key changes:

1. Hazlewood and Starc sharing the new ball with Johnson first change.

2. Smith to number 3 and Watson to 6.

 

[Tangles]

Expect us to continue to self handicap by playing Finch.

 

[Greenlite]

Interesting how we had newbies Boult and Milne playing AUS for the first time in the last game and now we have another newbie playing them for the first time.