41st Match - England v New Zealand

[Larwood's_boots]

Yeah its a huge ask for the weakest of the four semi finalists to win a world cup no matter how gun their elite players are.

Genuinely can't remember a world cup in soccer/rugby/sport where what would like the weakest side in the last 4 somehow won it.

Not a World Cup but Greece at Euro 2004 is probably the last time

 

[thundaboult]

Don't quite know what to say here. I'm sure the other lads will say what we all already know anyways. I hope we spring up an absolute surprise in the semis. Play with no fear. We are down anyways, lets go out with respect. #alwaysbackingtheblackcaps

 

[thundaboult]

Also, might sound corny but on behalf of NZC, apologies to Brendon Mccullum. We've pissed away everything you did to help us.

 

[wrongun]

I can recall Greece winning the Euros in 2004 vs Portugal and they were really weak but I totally get your point. I don't see NZ winning it from here. To be honest the batsmen's technique leaves much to be desired. I don't see how all this could change for one game. Too many holes.

 

[wrongun]

Not a World Cup but Greece at Euro 2004 is probably the last time

Ahh you beat me to it....watching tears in Ronaldo's eyes that night was great fun.

 

[rythy]

England need Buttler to get some runs in semis or final to strengthen their middle order. Bit underwhelming from him in last few matches. Yeah he didn't got chance in some of them but when he got he haven't been able to play big/important innings (for example in SL, Australia and NZ matches).

 

[wrongun]

looks like it will be aus vs eng in the finals...maybe this is the year england finally do it!

You wish this, but it wont happen. You think the Aussie's have forgotten what happened last year??? Oh Sir E Bob NO!!!! This is a revenge game for Aus no matter what virtue signalling the world indulges in. Yes, Smith and Warner were caught cheating and yes they served a harsh penalty, but dont think for one second that Warner has forgotten the slights towards his wife etc. And neither have some of the other players. I hope Aus go all guns blazing and humiliate Saffers. Would be good for South Africa too as they can completely blow up the current set up and rebuild.

 

[ImpatientLime]

You wish this, but it wont happen. You think the Aussie's have forgotten what happened last year??? Oh Sir E Bob NO!!!! This is a revenge game for Aus no matter what virtue signalling the world indulges in. Yes, Smith and Warner were caught cheating and yes they served a harsh penalty, but dont think for one second that Warner has forgotten the slights towards his wife etc. And neither have some of the other players. I hope Aus go all guns blazing and humiliate Saffers. Would be good for South Africa too as they can completely blow up the current set up and rebuild.

****ing hell

this post made me want to rip my eye balls out and throw them at you

 

[wrongun]

****ing hell

this post made me want to rip my eye balls out and throw them at you

Lol please dont. And why? Is it just frustrations towards Australia? To be honest, I get it....the most successful team always gets the most hate. To be honest, the only real threat for me as a fan is India, since they would narrow the gap on the 5 World Cups. Personally, I would not be heartbroken if the kiwis won but I doubt that.

 

[Jezroy]

And the weather looking a bit average next week for both semis. Hopefully it isn’t just rain that puts Australia and India into the final.

As far as last night goes, disappointing for New Zealand again. But I guess overall they’re ending up about where I expected. Scraping into the semi finals (probably). It’s just such a strange feeling that we haven’t really fired a shot. We’re very lucky that we had a rain out vs India (I’m guessing).

All we can really hope for is that they do wake up a little. What they’ve been doing hasn’t worked. They just need to go hard at Australia. They aren’t going to be able to compete the way they’re playing.

I know Latham just got a score batting at 5, but I would still like him to open with Guptill.

Bring in Blundell or put Nicholls at 5. Having Nicholls open hasn’t worked.

Whatever the line up, just go for it guys. Nothing to lose now. They’re quite clearly the 4th best semi finalist.

And I think the Southee vs Henry argument is over.

 

[Flem274*]

lol what a hammering

ive never heard mccullum so frustrated in commentary. he was fuming when nz were in the field. his blind southee love excepted i think his comments were fair too.

 

[hendrix]

Also, might sound corny but on behalf of NZC, apologies to Brendon Mccullum. We've pissed away everything you did to help us.

I mean he was one of the chorus of people calling for Southee's inclusion

 

[SteveNZ]

lol what a hammering

ive never heard mccullum so frustrated in commentary. he was fuming when nz were in the field. his blind southee love excepted i think his comments were fair too.

Ha, yeah. He does irrationally love and talk up Tim. Although to be fair, Brendon was there during all the high points.

 

[Zinzan]

How would Morgan have liked it at the start of the day if he was told the following....

1) Ferguson, their only express and most in-form bowler is out injured
2) You'll win the toss on the perfect wicket to bat first on, one which will slow up after about 30 overs (for both sides)
3) You'll dismiss their best batsman via the freakish hand-onto-ball run-out at the non-strikers end
4) You'll dismiss their 2nd best batsman via a suicidal run-out
5) The replacement for Ferguson will be a washed-out Tim Southee who will go for over 7 an over.

Fair to say that as well as they played, the stars were certainly aligned for England today.

For NZ, in spite of some bad luck, gawd they're playing poorly. It's hard to see them turning it around with the bat at this point to trouble any of those other 3 sides.

 

[Zinzan]

Ha, yeah. He does irrationally love and talk up Tim. Although to be fair, Brendon was there during all the high points.

There's no 'to be fair' about it, he should be rightfully criticised.

 

[Grasshopper]

Such a depressingly predictable result. We must be the least deserving semi-finalists ever. The lowliest of underdogs. There's now daylight between the other 3 teams and us. How have we fallen so far since 2015? Pathetic.

 

[Pup Clarke]

It's just lolbad that Southee's in the squad at all. Wasn't there some crazy stat that he averages 99 with the ball since the 2015 WC?

 

[Burgey]

Such a depressingly predictable result. We must be the least deserving semi-finalists ever. The lowliest of underdogs. There's now daylight between the other 3 teams and us. How have we fallen so far since 2015? Pathetic.

Don’t think you’re far behind ability-wise, they just aren’t playing well. Guptill stinking it up makes a huge difference and Taylor hasn’t done much either. Bowling is fine when Ferguson plays imo.

 

[Zinzan]

It's just lolbad that Southee's in the squad at all. Wasn't there some crazy stat that he averages 99 with the ball since the 2015 WC?

Embarrassing selection. I'm just pleased we'll never see him in white-ball internationals again. There's no way even our selectors can rationalise picking him again, is there?

 

[ankitj]

NZ not showing themselves to be good enough is what it is. Which sucks because I want Australia to be challenged in semi. Hope NZ can find some inspiration to turn it around.