Its Summer! - the Fever Cricket Thread. (Part 2)

Australia haven't played in a semi or a final when the world cup was last played in their back yard.  Were there quarter finals in 1992?

No way India can win this.  Really impressed with Zimbabwe's fielding (bar the dropped catch) and bowling in this.  Outstanding.

India are walking it mate.

catch woulda made it interesting. Zimbabwe needed wickets a while back....

This comment is beginning to look a bit silly. India cruising.

Very silly of me.  When I saw 90 off 60 I thought no way.  But there you go.  Dug in deep. 

Dhoni and Raina have an outstanding record. And Zimbabwe's back-up bowling isn't that threatening.

I don't really want to start a Leggy bash fest but it's funny how a guy who lives in Aussie of all places pins arrogance on everyone. Even the Dutch are arrogant, apparently FFS

I don't really want to start a Leggy bash fest but it's funny how a guy who lives in Aussie of all places pins arrogance on everyone. Even the Dutch are arrogant, apparently FFS

Not from memory. Top four qualifiers went into semis. Pakistan beat us in the last pool match and then again in the semi.

the Dutch are fairly arrogant though. Robben? Van Bommel? Van Persie? Eric Szwarczynski ?

Not entirely sure they are all that arrogant but four blokes makes all Dutch arrogant? It's pro sport ffs

How many contestants are there now in for the catch competition?

the last bloke is a Dutch cricketer, that was my hint of not entirely serious...

Oh of course, my apologies. Too tired when i read that

I think it's 6 and the prize money is at $250,000 ($42,666 each). If NZ win on Saturday I think it goes up to $500,000.
There's only two NZ (Tui Catch a Million) games remaining so worst case for the 6 winners would be having to share $250k with two more people if NZ lose to West Indies on Saturday and a catch is taken at both that game and the Eden Park Semi final ($31,250 each).
Obviously best case is if no more catches are taken and NZ win the final and 6 people share the million ($166,666)

QF picks? Thinking there will be an upset somewhere. Maybe either Aussie or SA to bow out early. Pakistan's left arm quicks are looking more and more threatening each game, and Sri Lanka are masters of the chase with players like Sangakkara and Jayawardene who thrive under pressure. I'm not expecting too many hassles for either us or India, but you never know. As someone on here said, one Gayle innings could make the difference.

Sri Lanka over South Africa would be the biggest chance for an upset IMO

I'm not sure it would be... if SA bat first and SL get de Cock out early (cos he's due for some action) and HA and AB buckle under the pressure (they have previous) I'd back the Lankans to chase anything under 320.

Is it Saturday yet?

I'm slightly nervous how much everyone is talking us up (and writing the Windies off) for this game. Maybe that's just because its completely uncharted territory for a Black Caps team? The last time I remember us being this heavily backed in a World Cup was 92 vs Pakistan...

Once this CWC, Premier League season, Wellington Club Cricket season and A-League season are over I'm off to sleep for several weeks and sit in a room with no TV, no sport, nothing. Anyone else exhausted?

Yes

Massive anus to replace Bond as bowling coach. What's he done again?

He is head coach at Otago + bowling coach in IPL, Big Bash and County Cricket. Not a bad appointment especially with our next tour being England and next big tourney the T20 World Cup. I have no reason not to trust the Blackcaps Management on this appointment given recent form.

How do you know he isn't an excellent coach? 

Managed to score myself a ticket for $20 (Face value $50) off of a work mate who can't go....bring on Saturday!!!

U20WC.

Screw that. I'll wait until they've grown up and watch them then. Pick for today? Hard to go past Sri Lanka - they are a great knockout round team & Sanga is in the form of his life.

Have to say, this makes me like the Africans a lot more. A bit of PR mush, but still pretty awesome for the kid.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10153063370529524

Depends on who bats first. South Africa couldn't chase a tortoise.

ABdV has said SA will definitely not choke. So that's just more potentially choke-causing pressure he's put on his team then...

Shaky start for SL. Pressure on Sangakarra now!

Well there goes the upset. 

I doubt even the yarpies can lose this from here.

How was Malinga's first wicket not a no ball? When his front foot was planted there was nothing behind the line - but the frame by frame they showed never had the foot planted. Weird umpiring 

Yeah I thought it was a no ball, was shocked when it was still out.  What a disappointing way for Sangakarra and Jayawardene to go out.  Most one sided contest, Sri Lanka were never in it.  

I laughed at last nights commentary "Sri Lanka have had such a good world cup"

Um.... They are ranked 5th so suggests they should not make the semis, which they did not. The beat everyone in their group ranked below them (ENG, BANG, SCO, AFG) and lost to those ranked higher (AU, NZ). How does this equate to a good world cup? They did exactly as they should have done. You could say Sangakkara had a good world cup...

If it was Warne that said that don't bother thinking about it. He was talking complete bollocks about the pitch too

To add to their WC woes, they could go out due to weather.

If NZ beat WI, they play RSA at Eden Park. Long range weather is not good and if both days are rained out, the team with the higher pool play seeding moves onto the final. I'm not wishing it on them but knowing their WC luck, it wouldn't be a surprise if it happened...