25th Match - New Zealand v South Africa

[Jezroy]

Well done to the Black Caps. Williamson was either going to be Kane vs Aus at Eden Park or Kane vs Eng at Wgtn - the cold and calculated thing was going to pay off or not. CDG played a superb, match changing innings. Would have been very interesting to see how it would have gone if they’d referred the Tahir nick.

But good on them for having the match awareness to see that SAs least effective bowler today was going to have one more over at some point. And it ended up being the last one. That four edged through 3rd man with 7 balls to go was where it went from difficult to possible.

And Williamson averaging around 50 as ODI captain and around 45 not as captain. I would have thought it was the other way around. But I guess he’s been more consistent in the second half of his career, even though unable to consistently make those big scores. Feel like he’s made a lot of 80s and 90s since becoming captain.

 

[Jezroy]

Also really losing patience with Latham. He’s not done a lot in ODIs for a while. Seemed to have that one year sort of golden period batting at 5, but that seems a while ago now. Still wonder what difference to the team it would make to chuck him in as opener with Gup and bring in Blundell at five.

Still feels like they haven’t gotten out of 2nd gear yet in a number of ways. Still think there’s a monster from Taylor to come. A lot of boxes getting ticked, but some vital pieces of the puzzle to be looked at over the next 4 games hopefully.

 

[Moss]

Also really losing patience with Latham. He’s not done a lot in ODIs for a while. Seemed to have that one year sort of golden period batting at 5, but that seems a while ago now. Still wonder what difference to the team it would make to chuck him in as opener with Gup and bring in Blundell at five.

Still feels like they haven’t gotten out of 2nd gear yet in a number of ways. Still think there’s a monster from Taylor to come. A lot of boxes getting ticked, but some vital pieces of the puzzle to be looked at over the next 4 games hopefully.

Yeah despite the hard-earned win, lots of issues to be sorted out, mainly on the batting front. Also quite exasperating how Neesham gives it away after a start.

The bowlers though have been excellent, even Boult who's been a bit off colour made a huge contribution by taking out de Kock. They'll probably find it harder going once they run into bonafide batting surfaces but for now, well done.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

**** yeah

 

[Dissector]

In terms of the big picture, it's looking increasingly clear who the top four will be . BD has possibly the last shot tomorrow at making this stage just a little bit interesting.

 

[Flem274*]

good score to wake up to. did taylor get strangled down leg again? and how did guppy hit wicket?

colin you god. im going to take objection to the hackfraud stereotype being applied to him. the guy is a ridiculous talent with zero brains and a fatal allergy to a hint of leg spin.

big daddy kane yes boy

 

[Bahnz]

Phew, Kane! Gutted I couldn't watch this. Thoughts:

Time to drop Munro, seriously this **** has gone on for long enough, and with all of the remaining bowling attacks featuring quality pacemen, there's no way he's going to make runs.
SO frustrating that Guptill keeps findings ways to not contribute in big games. He'd done all the hard work here to set himself up for a match winning performance, and then ****ed it up with his stupid, pointless double-pirouette.
South Africa messed up by just letting Henry bowl at them in the first 15. Yeah, he was bowling a great line and Faf might've knicked off if he'd attacked, but this tactic ignored the fact that NZ have genuine wicket takers in the middle overs with Ferguson and Santner, and allowed NZ a massive head start in the match.
Is Ferguson now our best ODI bowler?
90% of the time, CDG would've spoon one of those hacky pull shots straight up in the air, but god it makes for great watching when it comes off.
While I'm glad we won, this World Cup round robin is now basically finished with half the games to go :/

 

[trundler]

If he grew a brain he wouldn't be nearly as fun. Leave him as he is. Every now and then you need a cricketer who makes you question every thing you take for certain.

That Ross wicket was unlucky but since the Pak Vs NZ game in 2011 I relish every bit of bad luck that happens to him.

 

[trundler]

Munro needs to go. Can't carry around 3 inconsistent bats who rely a tad extra on luck. Neesh and CdG need to be there for bowling and finishing.

 

[Burgey]

As almost exclusively predicted by moi, going into the second dig the Kiwis were favourites but only narrowly as this was a harder deck than the “every game is a sunny 350 plus game to me” brigade were saying.

The thrilling, low-scoring game the tourney needed. Bad luck to the Saffers and WD to the Kiwis. Williamson in particular, who made up for a couple of lapses in the field by getting it done in the chase.

 

[Singh767]

Just came back from the game ... wow! Best ODI i have ever seen live! Incredible. Hats off to CDG and Williamson.
Cannot believe Tahir and De Kock did not review that edge.

Tomorrow I am attending Aus v Bangladesh, then Saturday I am attending India v Afghanistan ... if they are half as good as this match it will be great!

 

[Burgey]

Singho setting some CW attendance records here. Lucky fella.

 

[Flem274*]

trent boults form is quickly becoming a problem. he just can't get his areas right.

sneaking past sa and bangers is also a problem. i feel like india would have absolutely thumped us had we played.

munro can **** off.

 

[Groundking]

Awesome knock from KW to get NZ over the line on a difficult wicket.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

any ferguson deniers still out there? "he's quick but not much else"

glad he didn't waste his best at the ipl

 

[Bahnz]

trent boults form is quickly becoming a problem. he just can't get his areas right.

sneaking past sa and bangers is also a problem. i feel like india would have absolutely thumped us had we played.

munro can **** off.

Boult will come right. Also, yeah not winning those two games comfortably is a little worrying, but it's not like we're straining to the limits of our ability to do so. This was another pretty scrappy performance both in terms of fielding and in terms of a couple of strange dismissals and yet we still found a way to win. I continue to think that if the whole team clicks like it can, then they'll be very hard to beat.

 

[Bahnz]

any ferguson deniers still out there? "he's quick but not much else"

glad he didn't waste his best at the ipl

He's having a massive World Cup no doubt. With him as a genuine wicket taking option at first change, this bowling attack is now arguably better than the one we had in 2015.

 

[Flem274*]

any ferguson deniers still out there? "he's quick but not much else"

glad he didn't waste his best at the ipl

i've always been a believer but i wish he could swing it

 

[Flem274*]

He's having a massive World Cup no doubt. With him as a genuine wicket taking option at first change, this bowling attack is now arguably better than the one we had in 2015.

ferguson is a lot better than milne but 2015 was better and it's not close. boult was on fire, so was southee and we had daniel vettori. corey anderson was always great for some jammy wickets in a way that cdg/neesh just aren't when the sun is out.

 

[Pothas]

Was there today, kind of a weird match but a really good one in the end. Same kind of goes for Williamson's innings.