Cricket World Cup 2015

[QF WP]

Afghanistan off to a slow start - but no wickets fallen yet: 0/12 after 4.2 overs

Afg 12/0 (4.1 ov, Nawroz Mangal 4*, Javed Ahmadi 3*, JM Anderson 0/3) | Live Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[TheBOSman]

Bangladesh finishing up a very solid total against New Zealand in Hamilton. Also a strong likelihood with four wickets left in two overs that Bangladesh will be the first team NZ doesn't bowl out in this CWC. Hope the Black Caps didn't peak too early...

 

[QF WP]

Pity that England found a win - but it was against a minnow. 38th Match, Pool A: Afghanistan v England at Sydney, Mar 13, 2015 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[QF WP]

Bangladesh finishing up a very solid total against New Zealand in Hamilton. Also a strong likelihood with four wickets left in two overs that Bangladesh will be the first team NZ doesn't bowl out in this CWC. Hope the Black Caps didn't peak too early...

What an innings from Mahmudulllah!! 37th Match, Pool A: New Zealand v Bangladesh at Hamilton, Mar 13, 2015 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[Warks]

Wasn't the best game last night with all the rain delays - England we lucky they won the toss, otherwise they could have had some trouble early. Not terminal though. One good thing was that during the rain delays they put the NZ - Bangers game up on the big screen so we managed to see the finish. A big cheer when Anderson got bowled. The Afghanis supporting their continental brethren and Aussies supporting anyone against NZ (except England of course). The crowd was small but the Afghanis made a real event of it - a few sixes landed in their section in front of the O'Reilly stand and they cheered every run scored by their boys. Also booed Chris Jordan when he fielded in front of them. Then cheered their heroes in the same position later on. It simply amazes me that Afghanistan can not only have a cricket team but one which doesn't look five levels below the opposition at this event. Their bowlers look first class (meaning the standard not the superlative) and their fielding (with a few exceptions) looks professional. I can't even begin to imagine where they play in AFG and what sort of league they have.

It was also good to get cheap seats in the new Bradman stand with plenty of elbow room. I'm used to sitting in the outer but at $40 you couldn't go wrong. Also good tha public transport was included in the ticket price.

 

[Warks]

So the phony war is over and now we're down to the business end. The quarter finals. No quarter given. No real surprises unless you count England being knocked out. Ireland probably deserved to make it but didn't.

The games:
18 March SA vs SL at the SCG - hardest game to pick - SL have very strong batsmen but maybe not so strong a bowling line-up. Could go either way. Whoever bats first has a pretty good chance. SL I think.

19 March India vs Bangladesh at the MCG - easiest to pick - I wouldn't be sticking my neck out to say India are almost dead-certs.

20 March Aus vs Pakistan at Adelaide - tricky - Aus should win but Pakistan are always the wild card. They will either be thrashed or win a close one. Will say Aus.

21 March NZ vs Windies at Wellington - you'd have to say NZ - they have been in great form and the Windies have been very ordinary - lucky to make the QF. NZ.

Semis based on my winners: Aus vs India in Sydney; NZ vs SL in Auckland.

Final: India vs SL... or Aus vs NZ or the other versions.

 

[QF WP]

Steyn & Abbott knocked over the openers cheaply and Tahir currently cleaning up the middle order. Looks like it could be an early night for SA.
SL 115/6 (33.4 ov, KC Sangakkara 34*, Imran Tahir 3/25) | Live Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

Sangakkara 34 off 87 balls. Wow, he knows he needs to bat through the innnings to give them any chance. Only 3.4 runs/over at present. Very unlike Sri Lanka.

 

[TheBOSman]

Steyn & Abbott knocked over the openers cheaply and Tahir currently cleaning up the middle order. Looks like it could be an early night for SA.
SL 115/6 (33.4 ov, KC Sangakkara 34*, Imran Tahir 3/25) | Live Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

Sangakkara 34 off 87 balls. Wow, he knows he needs to bat through the innnings to give them any chance. Only 3.4 runs/over at present. Very unlike Sri Lanka.

Duminy with effectively a hat trick, three in a row going back to his prior over. 116/8! Sangakkara risks being left at the non-strikers end, he will have to pull out a near heroic performance in the remaining 15 overs, assuming the other two Sri Lankan batters don't get themselves out before then. Unbelievable to say but Sangakkara really needs to get a fifth straight century to put up a decent total!

 

[TomVexille]

That actually qualifies as a hat trick

 

[TheBOSman]

That actually qualifies as a hat trick

Figured, but since the man himself wasn't sure, I figure he knows much more about cricket than I do .

Sangakkara out, SL pick a terrible, terrible time to have a not good game.

 

[QF WP]

Called by the cricinfo commentary team:

34.2 86.5 kph, two in two, make that three in three! It's a hat-trick! JP is mobbed! This was a good length ball but doesn't turn as much. Kaushal was camped deep in his crease and was playing all around it. Plumb in front 116/8

 

[QF WP]

Dismal effort by SL. 3 batsmen scored double figures (if you include extras, make it 4), top score Sangakara on 45. Pathetic.

Will SA win by 10 wickets??

 

[QF WP]

Then this happens:

5.10 pm And it's pouring down! Boy, that was sudden. It doesn't look like it will last with the sun still out so is a rainbow. But hey... South Africa and knockouts! There is a reserve day from the quarter-final onwards thoughAwoon: "Duminy is SA's Shahid Afridi. Batsman forced to play at no.7, explosive hitter, and now a handy and attacking spin bowler!" --- that's looking at things loosely.
ananth: "Why god why? As a miracle this SA performing well and u r jinxing them. What next,SA need 21 runs in 1 ball. Oh.. no pls" --- If there is no play possible today or on the reserve day, the team that finished with more points - South Africa on net run-rate - in the group stages go through. But it seemed to be a passing shower

 

[QF WP]

All of South Africa happy again (because most of them wouldn't know the rules about who would progress to semis):

5.30 pm The covers are off, the rain is gone, play to resume any moment The players are already out there, the umpires join them now. All's fine

 

[TheBOSman]

All of South Africa happy again (because most of them wouldn't know the rules about who would progress to semis):

And they're really happy, as Sri Lanka is out for a shockingly low total of 133.

 

[TheBOSman]

And South Africa wins by 9 wickets, not even close.

 

[QF WP]

Now we wait until tomorrow with the game that will stop the nation.

 

[TomVexille]

The game today will stop Melbourne

 

[Warks]

Today's game isn't likely to be anything too exciting with India likely to flog Bangladesh. Hope the Bangers give it a red hot go though.

Shocked that SL caved in so easily. With only a couple of very strong batsmen and not the greatest bowling attack I guess all it took was the batsmen to fail and it was all over. Some bizarre selections though - change the openers and put in a debutant spinner?

The current betting would have SA vs NZ and India vs Aus for the semis. I wonder...

 

[TomVexille]

Anything that gets 80-90k to the G is a big deal