Final - New Zealand v Australia (29th March)

[biased indian]

Australia favs if they qualify and NZ favs if India qualify.

if we win in semi with a dominating performance at least the betting odds will be in our favor

 

[Contra]

if we win in semi with a dominating performance at least the betting odds will be in our favor

I don't make bets so I don't care much for betting odds lol.

 

[biased indian]

I don't make bets so I don't care much for betting odds lol.

Neither do i ..that why said at least

 

[Furball]

I would change my avatar for this but my avatar's 0/6 in this tournament.

 

[viriya]

I hope NZ can make the adjustment of being the away team and still win this.. Would hate for Aus/Ind to get another.

 

[Gob]

NZ weren't favourites on the betting sites for this game either. Which was weird - SA had lost to both India and Pakistan, both of whom had been thrashed by NZ in relatively recent times.

It's just a stronger team than India or Australia. IMO, of course.

Australia are comfortably better than New Zealand.

 

[viriya]

Ideal scenario is Aus go in to the final ****y and get completely destroyed.

 

[viriya]

Aus comfortable favorites even now even with 2 games left for them to win.

 

[sharu7]

Last ODI New Zealand played at the MCG: 2nd ODI: Australia v New Zealand at Melbourne, Feb 6, 2009 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

Elliot taking them to victory.

 

[Coronis]

In a way there's no possibility that this match could be as tense as tonight's semifinal. Going out at the semis for the 7th time would have been horrendously disappointing, and even if we lose the final I would still see this tournament as the one in which we gave the best account of ourselves.

The Aus vs NZ pool match was pretty tense from where I was watching. If it is an Aus vs NZ final, which is what I hope for and will most likely happen, I could see it being one of the best finals in WC history.

 

[GGG]

Elliot taking them to victory.

And almost took us to victory @ 3rd ODI: Australia v New Zealand at Sydney, Feb 8, 2009 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo B McCullum at 9.

 

[viriya]

The Aus vs NZ pool match was pretty tense from where I was watching. If it is an Aus vs NZ final, which is what I hope for and will most likely happen, I could see it being one of the best finals in WC history.

Actually Aus batting never showed up and NZ partly choked vs Starc. Aus have the mental edge there I think. Starc vs NZ batting will decide it imo.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Will return later with a GIF that suitably summarises my excitement

 

[Spark]

Haha, right in the middle of Michael Clarke's Geoff Boycott phase.

That period seriously makes no sense in hindsight, especially if you consider some of his Test knocks in the years to come.

 

[jonbrooks]

If India can upset Australia, which they have not been able to do all Summer, then NZ might have a chance in the final. If Aus is in the finals then there is really SFA chance of us winning. I don't say that to downplay our chances or anything. I'm just being realistic. Here are the reasons why:
1) The ball will not swing as much at the MCG - we've been dominant in this WC because the ball has swung for Southee and Boult in NZ conditions
2) Aussie pacemen will be more suited to the MCG bounce - no doubt the pitch will be tailored towards the tall bouncy quicks. We don't have similar bowlers.
3) NZ has not played in Australia for ages - that will be the killer blow for us as we haven't had any recent experience playing in Oz conditions.
4) The MCG crowd - 100000 Aussie fans screaming for NZ blood, nuff said.

 

[_Ed_]

Do we stick with Henry? I've recorded the highlights on TV and will have a closer look later, but my impression from the stands was that he was superb early on before falling away a bit towards the end.

 

[hendrix]

If India can upset Australia, which they have not been able to do all Summer, then NZ might have a chance in the final. If Aus is in the finals then there is really SFA chance of us winning. I don't say that to downplay our chances or anything. I'm just being realistic. Here are the reasons why:
1) The ball will not swing as much at the MCG - we've been dominant in this WC because the ball has swung for Southee and Boult in NZ conditions
2) Aussie pacemen will be more suited to the MCG bounce - no doubt the pitch will be tailored towards the tall bouncy quicks. We don't have similar bowlers.
3) NZ has not played in Australia for ages - that will be the killer blow for us as we haven't had any recent experience playing in Oz conditions.
4) The MCG crowd - 100000 Aussie fans screaming for NZ blood, nuff said.

1. Southee and Boult swing the ball everywhere. Maybe not as much as in NZ, but they'll still get swing.

2. NZ batsmen aren't Suresh Raina. There's been pace and bounce on NZ pitches.

3. It's still a cricket pitch.

4. Meh, half the crowd will be Indians anyway, and NZ tends to get the support of the neutrals.

 

[Bahnz]

Yeah, Henry went pretty much exactly as I thought he would. OMR for the final imo.

 

[hendrix]

Stick with Henry.

He was good early on then a bit poor later but he's still the most likely to get us wickets at the end of a Southee-Boult spell.

 

[hendrix]

If NZ play and beat India in the final, they will have beaten every one of the quarterfinalists except Pakistan.

#corneredtigers etc