Cricket Update
Gee that blogrest turned into a blog holiday - and a holiday is something I'm looking forward to at the end of the month after the Cricket World Cup. I'm about nine-tenths of the way to official zombie status which means I'm not coherent at the best of times (and an interesting test of betting when your sleep patterns have been fkd for a reasonable length of time; now I know how adventure racers feel) so probably best I don't type too many words for fear of making a right cock of myself (but what's new...)
However the CWC has reached an interesting stage and now that I have seen one match each at the last two venues I've got an idea of how this thing is going to pan out. Firstly the pitches have turned out OK after all and have been reasonably fair, although there has been some advantage at times, but not too biased. So the important remaining matches see:
1. NZ play Sri Lanka play tonight. Actually this may not be that important as I think these two sides will meet in the semi - especially if Sri Lanka win. Malinga out will help NZ's chances as he is a bowler who can at times run through a side, so to me the match hinges on what Murali's figures will be. Sometimes we get the better of him in ODI's, in others he gets on top. And I'm not sure how to assess the Grenada ground - SAF posted a huge score there a couple of days ago while WI got past 250 in reply (which is something given their batting this tournament) so it could be a ground full of runs. Tonight may tell - and if it's a batsmen's benefit then I think NZ have a slight edge. So I think NZ will win this, although there ain't much in it.
2. Two days later at the same venue, NZ play South Africa. I think this will be a much sterner test for the Blackcaps and I'm afraid I can see us suffering a loss here, not that it will affect the big picture too much.
3. In four days time, Australia play Sri Lanka at Grenada. Ho-hum, another convict benefit.
4. The next day, South Africa take on England which should decide the last semifinal spot (even if SAF beat NZ an England win here will mean it will come down to run rate which slightly favours England at the moment). I can't see past a Saffer win, which means the four semifinalists will be found and the remaining Super Eight matches meaningless.
Who plays who will be partly answered tonight - hopefully a NZ win and thus avoiding a semi with Oz and travelling to St Lucia (where NZ played their group matches) rather than Jamaica. If that occurs, I like our chances no matter who out of SL or SAF we play.
So in a couple of weeks trans-tasman phone traffic may spike as we anticipate a NZ Australia final - that's the way I see it and then it'll be time to get out the prayer mats.
However the CWC has reached an interesting stage and now that I have seen one match each at the last two venues I've got an idea of how this thing is going to pan out. Firstly the pitches have turned out OK after all and have been reasonably fair, although there has been some advantage at times, but not too biased. So the important remaining matches see:
1. NZ play Sri Lanka play tonight. Actually this may not be that important as I think these two sides will meet in the semi - especially if Sri Lanka win. Malinga out will help NZ's chances as he is a bowler who can at times run through a side, so to me the match hinges on what Murali's figures will be. Sometimes we get the better of him in ODI's, in others he gets on top. And I'm not sure how to assess the Grenada ground - SAF posted a huge score there a couple of days ago while WI got past 250 in reply (which is something given their batting this tournament) so it could be a ground full of runs. Tonight may tell - and if it's a batsmen's benefit then I think NZ have a slight edge. So I think NZ will win this, although there ain't much in it.
2. Two days later at the same venue, NZ play South Africa. I think this will be a much sterner test for the Blackcaps and I'm afraid I can see us suffering a loss here, not that it will affect the big picture too much.
3. In four days time, Australia play Sri Lanka at Grenada. Ho-hum, another convict benefit.
4. The next day, South Africa take on England which should decide the last semifinal spot (even if SAF beat NZ an England win here will mean it will come down to run rate which slightly favours England at the moment). I can't see past a Saffer win, which means the four semifinalists will be found and the remaining Super Eight matches meaningless.
Who plays who will be partly answered tonight - hopefully a NZ win and thus avoiding a semi with Oz and travelling to St Lucia (where NZ played their group matches) rather than Jamaica. If that occurs, I like our chances no matter who out of SL or SAF we play.
So in a couple of weeks trans-tasman phone traffic may spike as we anticipate a NZ Australia final - that's the way I see it and then it'll be time to get out the prayer mats.
Labels: cricket
posted by Rob Crawford at 2:50 PM
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