I don't agree. Based on form in this tournament, I would say SA are only 4th best (the table doesn't lie) and they have the biggest weakness of the four in their one-dimensional bowling. It's not like 1999 when Australia and SA were the best two teams and it was only SA's **** up against Zimbabwe that stopped that tournament getting the Final it deserved.
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Semi Finals
- Thread starter James
- Start date
I guess that's where we differ. I think Oz and SA are the two best teams, and it's SA's unlikely loss to Bangladesh that has stopped the tournament having the final it deserves. Although with all the Sri Lankan players in form, I have to say I wont complain if Sri Lanka make the final.
KiWiNiNjA
International Coach
.......and SA's not-so-unlikely loss to New Zealand.
Zinzan
Request Your Custom Title Now!
Big Jake Oram ruled out of the Australia game more as a precaution than any thing else. Apparently he should be alright for the semi-final clash
http://content-nz.cricinfo.com/wc2007/content/current/story/291440.html
http://content-nz.cricinfo.com/wc2007/content/current/story/291440.html
who says that if SA had beaten BAN that they would have finished higher. Particularly due to Smith insistance on ignoring the NRR.
Raghav
International Vice-Captain
What you mean though?You mean Pakistan and SA then.
alihidayat
Cricket Spectator
ABA(Anyone but Australia)
Well it seems so loong journey and finally the reverse countdown begins today.The giants meet i.e. Aust Vs Newz
Predictions
Austr beat today Newz
SemiFinal 1: Srilanka Vs NewZe in which Jaysuria(The Regimnent) blasts away Samad Bond through all parks and setting a huge target but Scottie too hottie comes to the rescue and saves NewZe
SemiFinal 2:Aust Vs SouthA in which Australia set a mammoth target tnks to Ricky Taunting while chasing South Afri run the fastest 100m while getting dismissed on their way back to dressing room
Final:Kiwis Vs Kangaroos in which >.................................(wait for the rest part in a few days )
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Well it seems so loong journey and finally the reverse countdown begins today.The giants meet i.e. Aust Vs Newz Predictions
Austr beat today Newz SemiFinal 1: Srilanka Vs NewZe in which Jaysuria(The Regimnent) blasts away Samad Bond through all parks and setting a huge target but Scottie too hottie comes to the rescue and saves NewZe
SemiFinal 2:Aust Vs SouthA in which Australia set a mammoth target tnks to Ricky Taunting while chasing South Afri run the fastest 100m while getting dismissed on their way back to dressing room
Final:Kiwis Vs Kangaroos in which >.................................(wait for the rest part in a few days )
Need some tips contact me ( Charges $4 per minute )
_Ed_
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Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Haha, best post.
Predictions
SemiFinal 1: Srilanka Vs NewZe in which Jaysuria(The Regimnent) blasts away Samad Bond through all parks and setting a huge target but Scottie too hottie comes to the rescue and saves NewZe
SemiFinal 2:Aust Vs SouthA in which Australia set a mammoth target tnks to Ricky Taunting while chasing South Afri run the fastest 100m while getting dismissed on their way back to dressing room
Final:Kiwis Vs Kangaroos in which >.................................(wait for the rest part in a few days )
Need some tips contact me ( Charges $4 per minute )
If NZ beat Australia tonight, they would be the unbackable favourites to beat SL on Tuesday, IMO. Hope Bond and co put in a great performance and then Fleming/Styris/Ross Taylor/Peter Fulton get among the runs... a good batting performance from NZ is just waiting to happen...IMO.
Langeveldt
Soutie
Worst post for a long time, can't understand most of it, although agree with the predictions
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Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Take the time to sit down and read it properly, it's actually quite humorous.
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Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Today's game means nothing in terms of rankings etc for the semi-finals
However, it was the biggest defeat in NZ's history and, like the decimation of the other semi-finalists, is bound to leave a scar, as even with the inclusion of a couple of players, the games were unlikely to be competitive
IMO, on current form, we've now reached the stage where anything other than an OZ victory in this WC would be seen as the biggest upset in WC history outside of India's triumph in '83
Fortunately for spectators, tomorrow is another day and nothing is guaranteed
Last edited:
Athlai
Not Terrible
It does mean something unfortunately. Sri Lanka now has a big edge against New Zealand after our batting fell apart and our other bowling option was decimated.
Bond and Oram remain our trump cards.
Fleming, Fulton and Styris remain our best hopes for the bat.
And I hope we play Jeetan, he was total class. Best of our bowling by far, none of our other bowlers looked to trouble Australia at all.
Hopefully New Zealand will recover with Bond and Oram back in the team.
Australia were able to pile on the runs which piled on the pressure. A good win by them, great batting but definitely aided by Franklin, Gillespie and Mason. I'll add McMillan to the balance as well so it makes up a nice even 20 (though he isn't as much to blame being just a handy part timer and all)
189 runs from those 20 overs.
Now personally I couldn't imagine Oram Bond and Franklin going for that much, About half of it would be much more likely.
Australia definitely played very well. They went hard against the unproven New Zealand bowling options and decimated them. Bringing New Zealands good spinners into the game in a defensive role and not a wicket taking one. New Zealand was put on the back foot for the majority of the game, and to be fair to Patel Vettori and Styris. They DID gain the upper hand at one stage.
Around the 40th over when Symonds was sent away I felt that these 3 had really pegged Aussie back from a score that could have looked suspiciously like 400.
A score that should have been 300-320 if it weren't for that dreadful finish. (Gobbled up by an ecstatic Watson).
Australia have been giving a victory that is making them look invincible.
New Zealand have lost and they lost hard. It will definitely be in the back of the players minds when they come into their next game (or two).
South Africa may also be worried as well, unlike New Zealand they don't have handy spinners like Vettori and Patel that can actively pull a rampant running side back. And once Australia starts swinging, they're hard to stop.
Champions.
Bond and Oram remain our trump cards.
Fleming, Fulton and Styris remain our best hopes for the bat.
And I hope we play Jeetan, he was total class. Best of our bowling by far, none of our other bowlers looked to trouble Australia at all.
Hopefully New Zealand will recover with Bond and Oram back in the team.
Australia were able to pile on the runs which piled on the pressure. A good win by them, great batting but definitely aided by Franklin, Gillespie and Mason. I'll add McMillan to the balance as well so it makes up a nice even 20 (though he isn't as much to blame being just a handy part timer and all)
189 runs from those 20 overs.
Now personally I couldn't imagine Oram Bond and Franklin going for that much, About half of it would be much more likely.
Australia definitely played very well. They went hard against the unproven New Zealand bowling options and decimated them. Bringing New Zealands good spinners into the game in a defensive role and not a wicket taking one. New Zealand was put on the back foot for the majority of the game, and to be fair to Patel Vettori and Styris. They DID gain the upper hand at one stage.
Around the 40th over when Symonds was sent away I felt that these 3 had really pegged Aussie back from a score that could have looked suspiciously like 400.
A score that should have been 300-320 if it weren't for that dreadful finish. (Gobbled up by an ecstatic Watson).
Australia have been giving a victory that is making them look invincible.
New Zealand have lost and they lost hard. It will definitely be in the back of the players minds when they come into their next game (or two).
South Africa may also be worried as well, unlike New Zealand they don't have handy spinners like Vettori and Patel that can actively pull a rampant running side back. And once Australia starts swinging, they're hard to stop.
Champions.
Do you reckon Marshall could come into the side over the (currently) struggling Ross Taylor ? Do you reckon Chris Martin could be in the Semi Final line up -given the expected conditions at Sabina Park over Gillespie or Franklin ?
Athlai
Not Terrible
Marshall Taylor is a very hard call to make, Taylor has been struggling but he has a flair which Marshall doesn't. I would definitely think of Taylor as one of our game winners on his day. Marshall is a good player, and he has copped a lot of flak in recent times with some under performances.
I personally would keep Taylor in. Give him a chance or two more try and settle him down and let him bat at his own pace.
As for Chris Martin? Not a chance, very risky to bring him in especially during a semi final situation. Seeing that he is the same kind of bowler as all the others as well and we may just find him to get hit around in the same fashion.
My ideal team would be:
Fulton - He's be doing a good job covering for Vincent, though Vincent was a hard blow to the kiwi's.
Fleming - All class, if he hits something he usually gets a 30 or more. Otherwise he's out for next to nothing but a key asset to our team.
Taylor - Young man has a lot of spark.
Styris - Form of his life.
McMillan - A good striker of the ball, and a good bowler on his day. Yet I think with a strong bowling line up that it might not be out of the question to have Marshall play at 5.
Oram - As good a replacement to Chris Cairns that we could ever find. Both handy bowlers, both great hitters of the ball.
McCullum - Getting better everyday, class act.
Franklin - On his day he can be brilliant with the ball, especially alongside Bond. A quick 20 runs at the end of the innings.
Vettori - One of the worlds finest.
Bond - The worlds finest.
Patel - Gives Vettori a run for his money as the best spinner in our side, this man can be relied on to bowl in the Power Plays and can bowl in any pressure situation. Enthusiastic and definitely a player to watch in the future.
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
Marshall has no hope of playing ahead of Taylor. Taylor's form may be fairly ordinary, but when Marshall played he looked in good form and still threw his wicket away needlessly - a player who doesn't score even when in form is not one you really need in your side.
Martin is an interesting call, but given he's had no cricket at all, I doubt it. He's been a rubbish ODI performer but he had a great domestic season while Gillespie and Franklin have bowled complete rubbish for the most part. But the fact that they haven't played him at all means it'd be a very risky selection. I'd probably select Mason ahead of all of them - he's been playing the games and has bowled well at times, especially with Bond at the other end. I'm not a Mason fan at all, but I reckon he'd be the best pick with Bond in the side - they seem to bowl well in tandem. I'd play Patel too, regardless of the conditions.
GGG
State Captain
I personally would play the extra batsman for the semi, it's a faster wicket and lets face it Gillespie and Mason ain't up to scratch. So my team would be Fulton, Fleming, Taylor, Styris, McMillian, Marshall, Oram, McCullum, Franklin, Vettori and Bond. Tough call leaving Patel out but if the wicket isn't a spinners track there is no point playing him.