**Official** Semi Finals and Final

[Alysum]

Prediction:

Semi-Final 1- India vs Sri Lanka
Semi-Final 2- Pakistan vs Australia
Final: India vs Australia
Winners: Australia

lol 1/4 only

 

[lord_of_darkness]

I figure that while our top order may be a bit shakey against them the teams still really well engineered for a run chase, especially with the likes of Vettori and McCullum who always seem to produce the goods vs the ozzies.

Not to forget bondi

but hope to god the batting clicks.. thats the key to this game!

 

[kanenzl]

new zealands top order has got to fire if they're gonna win

just heard that bond is still doubtful for the game and that mills is having problems with his knee. mills expected to play though. im expecting bond to play too. also taylor wont be playing as styris is being kept in the squad in case nzl make it to the final. marshall and fulton will therefore defintely both be playing

 

[Smudge]

NZ on the other hand have struggled againts Australia in ODI's since that famous 2001 VB series, but you could argue that they didn't have bond much during that period.

We shared the first Chappell-Hadlee series (in Australia), then just went down in the series back here, after losing the second game by two runs, then chasing down a world-record in the third. But sure, think what you like.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Might be putting my foot in my mouth here, but I can't see New Zealand beating Australia tomorrow. Australia comfortably.

Tipping South Africa in the other semi, though it could go either way.

 

[Dick Rockett]

Might be putting my foot in my mouth here, but I can't see New Zealand beating Australia tomorrow. Australia comfortably.

We've got as good a chance as any. We'll just have to play at our best - it remains to be seen whether we will.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

We've got as good a chance as any. We'll just have to play at our best - it remains to be seen whether we will.

Yeah. New Zealand are a good ODI side, but I just have a feeling that Australia will win. Australia are playing very good cricket at the moment, and I don't really think New Zealand are, aside from Fleming.

Losing Styris and potentially Bond are big issues as well.

 

[kanenzl]

We shared the first Chappell-Hadlee series (in Australia), then just went down in the series back here, after losing the second game by two runs, then chasing down a world-record in the third. But sure, think what you like.

good point. i think our best chance of winning is the restrict aussie and then chase a target. i key player in both those aus vs nzl games where we lost by 2 runs chasing down 320 and then successfully chasing 330 was lou vincent. he averaged over 45 in those 2 games scoring at a strike rate of 130. thats the kind of innings we need from him tomorow. if he fails fine but if he gets us off to a fast start then anything can happen. let fleming anchor the innings. also its time for fulton and marshall to perform especially as styris will not be there to save us if our top order fails.

 

[Dick Rockett]

Losing Styris and potentially Bond are big issues as well.

Indeed they are

 

[pasag]

Insane scheduling. Don't know why we have to wait so long to see some more bloody cricket. With regards to the first semi, anyone would be foolish to write off NZ, but Australia should win now that we're fully up and running with a settled team. Hope Hogg gets a game though.

 

[meatspx]

Mills has ankle and knee troubles.

Bond's hamstring is still stiff (as of Oct 31, 3pm NZ time) (a couple of hours ago). Looks like he needs time to recover after each match & the travelling doesn't help him at all.

Hopefully if Styris will be troubled for the rest of the tournament he will be replaced Taylor straight away.

My team:

Fleming
Vincent
Astle
Fulton
Taylor
Oram
McCullum
Vettori
Franklin
Mills
Patel

.......If Bond isn't 100% right then flag it, maybe he can play in the final if we make it. Slowly build him into international cricket and hope he can play most of the VB series.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

That suggested NZ side is really a bowler light. Basically you're relying on having 20 overs of spin, 20 overs from Mills and Franklin and 10 more between Oram and Astle. The pitch was taking a bit of turn the other night, but that's still asking a fair bit of Vettori and Patel, and you'd basically have to bowl Franklin out from the start and hope he doesn't get belted and then bowl a spinner at the death.

 

[meatspx]

That suggested NZ side is really a bowler light. Basically you're relying on having 20 overs of spin, 20 overs from Mills and Franklin and 10 more between Oram and Astle. The pitch was taking a bit of turn the other night, but that's still asking a fair bit of Vettori and Patel, and you'd basically have to bowl Franklin out from the start and hope he doesn't get belted and then bowl a spinner at the death.

I was more thinking along the lines of 20 overs from Oram & Mills, with the last 10 bowled by Franklin & Astle.

Patel was initially picked as a specialist death bowler too, I think the NZ camp & Fleming trust him to bowl at the end.

I'd rather not have Franklin in the side but you can't rush Gillespie in at this stage of the tournament.

 

[Tim]

It's starting to become a real joke now. I mean as of last night we heard out of India that Bond was fit and raring to go, only to find today that he's 50/50???? Bracewell and co haven't helped themselves at all by not giving Gillespie at least 1 game to see how he goes..I mean he hasn't played for 2 weeks now, there is no point throwing him in against Australia and likewise with Ross Taylor imo.

Losing Kyle Mills would be a disaster...dare I say game, set and match before a ball is even bowled.

 

[Perm]

Agreed with you there team, if Bond, Mills and Stryis were all out then there is no way the Black Caps would be able to win. I'm doubtful enough as it is but I'm hopeful, it would be great if we could pull a big one out of the hat. I think Fleming will prefer to chase if he wins the toss because of our deep batting lineup and lower order hitting.

I will be staying up most of the night to watch this, more than likely watch the whole first innings but I'll be very happy if we manage to win this.

 

[Sir Redman]

It's starting to become a real joke now. I mean as of last night we heard out of India that Bond was fit and raring to go, only to find today that he's 50/50???? Bracewell and co haven't helped themselves at all by not giving Gillespie at least 1 game to see how he goes..I mean he hasn't played for 2 weeks now, there is no point throwing him in against Australia and likewise with Ross Taylor imo.

I know, its ridiculous. Bond seems to have the worst attitude with regard to injuries. Whenever he feels something is tight or sore, he seems to think "I've done a hamstring/calf/whatever strain, I can't play", rather than trying to jog it off. I can understand it if its his back, because of all the stress fractures, but he really needs to harden up on the little things.

 

[Nate]

With I guess my last-ever prediction, Symonds to make a big innings and Jonners to clean up.

 

[Dravid]

I really hope Lara can get a good inning in this match. I love watching the man bat and didn't see a lot of his 70 against Australia so would like to see the man score here.

 

[Great Birtannia]

We shared the first Chappell-Hadlee series (in Australia), then just went down in the series back here, after losing the second game by two runs, then chasing down a world-record in the third. But sure, think what you like.

Cricinfo - Australia v. New Zealand

In that last game where you did chase down the runs Australia's attack consisted of Bracken, Lewis, Clark, Johnson (on debut) and Cameron White.

 

[Scaly piscine]

We shared the first Chappell-Hadlee series (in Australia), then just went down in the series back here, after losing the second game by two runs, then chasing down a world-record in the third. But sure, think what you like.

Results against Australia in ODIs since that VB series Aussie mentioned.

L ICC CT 4 v Aus in SL 2002/03 at Colombo (SSC) [1877]
L World Cup Su v Aus in SA 2002/03 at Port Elizabeth [1986]
L TVS (Ind) 3 v Aus in Ind 2003/04 at Faridabad [2053]
L TVS (Ind) 5 v Aus in Ind 2003/04 at Pune [2055]
L TVS (Ind) 7 v Aus in Ind 2003/04 at Guwahati [2058]
L ICC CT 9 v Aus in Eng 2004 at The Oval [2176]
W CH Trophy 1 v Aus in Aus 2004/05 at Melbourne (DS) (d/n) [2196]
L CH Trophy 2 v Aus in Aus 2004/05 at Sydney (d/n) [2198]
L 1st ODI v Aus in NZ 2004/05 at Wellington (WS) (d/n) [2227]
L 2nd ODI v Aus in NZ 2004/05 at Christchurch (d/n) [2228]
L 3rd ODI v Aus in NZ 2004/05 at Auckland (d/n) [2230]
L 4th ODI v Aus in NZ 2004/05 at Wellington [2232]
L 5th ODI v Aus in NZ 2004/05 at Napier [2234]
L CH Trophy 1 v Aus in NZ 2005/06 at Auckland [2301]
L CH Trophy 2 v Aus in NZ 2005/06 at Wellington (WS) [2302]
W CH Trophy 3 v Aus in NZ 2005/06 at Christchurch (d/n) [2303]

won 2, lost 14

One win (the last one) against a woefully under-strength Australian side in a dead rubber, the other is against a slightly weakened (but by no means exceptionally so, expect the odd injury) Australian side, but is fair enough. Aussie is right when he says "NZ on the other hand have struggled againts Australia in ODI's since that famous 2001 VB series, but you could argue that they didn't have bond much during that period."