Tag: ICC

Cricket: IPL Qualifier 1 Preview

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Ricky Ponting and Stephen Fleming enjoyed some epic battles as foes representing Australia and New Zealand.  As players, and as captains the two went head to head in all forms of the game, and they are now set to continue those battles as head coaches of two exciting IPL franchises.

Fleming’s coached Chennai since the IPL’s inception, he knows the format, knows his players and has put together an incredible overall franchise record.

Ponting on the other hand is in his first year of IPL coaching and has pioneered a massive change in fortune for his Mumbai franchise.  After losing their first four games the Indians’ have stormed back into contention and could surprise the slow finishing Super Kings.

The Ponting / Fleming storyline is a great sub-plot to the match which provides direct entry into the IPL final.

The Last Time These Two Met

The teams have split the two meetings in the Pepsi IPL.  In the first encounter of the season in Mumbai, the Super Kings chased down 183 with three overs and six wickets in hand.  However almost a month later Ambati Rayudu helped Mumbai even the ledger and chase down 158.

In terms of form, Mumbai probably enter the contest in the best space having won four of their last five to storm their way into the finals.  They are red-hot.

But, CSK lead the playoff head to head by 4-1.

The Teams

Mumbai Indians (likely): 1 Lendl Simmons 2 Parthiv Patel (wk) 3 Rohit Sharma (capt) 4 Ambati Rayudu 5 Kieron Pollard 6 Hardik Pandya 7 Harbhajan Singh 8 J Suchith 9 Mitchell McClenaghan 10 Vinay Kumar 11 Lasith Malinga

We can’t imagine that Mumbai will change their team that has won four of their last five games.  Although they do have Alex Hales at their disposal after the Englishman arrived on a short term contract.

Chennai Super Kings (likely): 1 Dwayne Smith 2 Michael Hussey 3 Suresh Raina 4 Faf du Plessis 5 MS Dhoni (capt & wk) 6 Pawan Negi  7 Dwayne Bravo 8 Ravindra Jadeja 9 R Ashwin 10 Ashish Nehra 11 Mohit Sharma/Ishwar Pandey

Brendon McCullum has flown to England to be with the Black Caps test team.  He’s likely to be replaced by Michael Hussey who had a run in the Super King’s last game of the season.

The Key Players

Lendl Simmons – Simmons has been immense for the Indians this season and just shades the unexpectedly successful Mitchell McCelenaghan as the key player. Simons has put together 407 runs from 11 knocks this season to back up his stellar 2014 IPL.  He is quickly becoming one of the most consistent batman in the format and another good start from him here could go some way in delivering Mumbai another win.

Dwayne Bravo – Bravo’s twenty wickets in the 2015 edition of the IPL idoesn’t quite match his 32 form the 2013 edition but they have been arguably more important.  Chennai have struggled to put together consistently big scores, yet they have still managed a competition best nine wins, and plenty of those wins have come courtesy of stifling bowling and fielding efforts.  Bravo in particular has been crucial with ball in hand and in the field.  Can he stop teammates Simmons and Pollard?

The Match Odds*

Mumbai Indians – $2.10

Chennai Super Kings – $1.72

*Courtesy of Bet365 Australia.

The Prediction

Chennai have all the big game experience and all the nous to deliver wins when it matters.  Plenty of their performances this season have been below par, yet they keep getting W’s.  That makes this match an interesting battle between stability and spontaneity.  Between consistency and red-hot form.  While we don’t think Chennai will go all the way this year we think they’ll take this one out by 14 runs or 3 wickets.

The Best Bets

Suresh Raina’s form is tough to ignore.  We think he’ll top score for CSK @ $4.50.

For Mumbai, there are safer options but we fancy Pollard to top score @ $7.50.  The money’s just too good to ignore, plus he scored 64 off 30 balls in the first meeting of the teams this year.

Cricket World Cup: Australia v India – SF 2 Preview

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The current Australian stranglehold over the Indians is nothing new, especially in home conditions.  Plenty of touring teams have come to Australia full of expectation only to be humbled by the pace and bounce of the likes of the WACA and the GABBA.  India’s 2014/15 tour has been no different.  They have failed to beat Australia in any format.

However, if there’s one leveller, it’s a Cricket World Cup semifinal.  If there’s another, it’s the Sydney Cricket Ground; traditionally slower than other venues and often taking turn.  Such a pitch would suit India’s game immeasurably more than anywhere else in Australia.  India’s Ravi Ashwin and Jadeja could thrive in the Sydney conditions and help balance a game that is otherwise largely in Australia’s favour.

Australia do not possess a quality spin bowler and have given Xavier Doherty just a solitary game.  Therein lies the only shortcoming for Australia and the only opportunity for India.

The Last Time These Two Met

Australia have got the better of India all summer.  The Aussies enjoyed dominance in a 2-0 test match series win, before lifting the Carlton Mid Tri Series trophy without dropping a game.  India failed to win in the ODI series, and it took a match against Afghanistan to finally win a game on the tour.

In total the teams have player 117 times.  Australia winning 67 of them, and India 40.

The Teams

Australia (likely): 1 Aaron Finch, 2 David Warner, 3 Steven Smith, 4 Michael Clarke (capt), 5 Shane Watson, 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 James Faulkner, 9 Mitchell Johnson, 10 Mitchell Starc, 11 Josh Hazlewood

No changes expected to the Australian side.  Josh Hazlewood should player after his four wickets against Pakistan.

India (likely): 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Ajinkya Rahane, 5 Suresh Raina, 6 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Mohit Sharma, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Umesh Yadav

India won’t change their winning formula either.

The Key Players

Mitchell Starc – Starc is one of a handful of dangerous left arm quicks still lurking in the competition.  However, Starc is undeniably the most accurate of them; making him the biggest threat in today’s semi.  His ability to mix between toe-crushingly accurate yorkers and bumpers has seen him consistently among the tournaments leading wicket-takers (currently 2nd behind Trent Boult), and he’ll be more than a handful against opponents that traditionally dislike searing speed.

MS Dhoni – The Indian captain has had a quiet time of it in New Zealand and Australia of late.  Rarely being asked to win matches with the bat, Dhoni has made just one significant contribution in the entire event – an unbeaten 85 against Zimbabwe.  Nevertheless, he has led his side with distinction, enterprise and calmness.  Traits that have helped his side win 11 World Cup games in a row, and traits that will be crucial here today.  He’s also a known finisher having led India to their 2011 World Cup win with 91 not out.  He’ll play a part and could end up doing something similar against Australia.

The Match Odds*

Australia – $1.40

India – $3.00

*Courtesy of Sportsbet Australia.

The Prediction

Australia have the best side in the competition, hands down.  They are understandably the favourites after bouncing back powerfully after a slight Pool game hiccup at Eden Park.  They also have a significant mental advantage over the Indians, and there is no better team in the World to leverage off the mind games.  Australia to win, by 60 runs or 6 wickets.

The Best Bets

Michael Clarke is without runs in the tournament, but Sydney is well suited to his game.  He’s a big chance to Top Score and if he does and Australia win you’ll get @ $7.50

Ravi Ashwin has been one of the few spin bowlers to take wickets at the tournament.  He’ll enjoy Sydney too and is @ $4.25

Cricket World Cup: NZ v South Africa – SF 1 Review

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Grant Elliot held his nerve on the penultimate ball to swat Dale Steyn over the long on boundary, sending a 45,000 strong Eden Park into a frenzy, and New Zealand to the World Cup final.  South African born Elliot played the innings of his life to help New Zealand find 29 from the final 17 balls and 12 from the final over in a pulsating finish the World Cup richly deserved.

After four one-sided quarterfinals the tournament was screaming out for a close and memorable encounter.  Auckland duly delivered with a day’s play that constantly saw momentum ebb and flow, as two teams desperate to book their first ever World Cup final appearance traded blows under intense duress.

New Zealand fired the first shot; Trent Boult matching his deadly late swing with unparalleled accuracy, at one stage bowling to a 7-2 offside field with five slips, and taking two early wickets.  Hashim Amla chopped on when he through the hands loosely at a widish drivable length, and when Quinton de Kock gave his wicket away after surviving an earlier storm for 14, South Africa were reeling at 31/2.

While the electric Eden Park crowd bayed for more blood, Faf du Plessis personified the fight and heart of his South African side with a brilliantly composed 82.  He withstood the early pressure along with Rilee Rossouw to help build an AB de Villers shaped platform from which the aggressive captain could launch from.

Launch they did too as the 10 overs between 30 and 40 brought 110 runs.  The de Villiers led impetus had South Africa perfectly set-up to press on to 350+ before a one and a half hour rain delay curtailed the possibility.  The rain delay reduced the contest to 43 hours and meant South Africa had just five more overs to add to their total.  The post break hero for South Africa was David Miller who thrashed 49 from just 18 balls to set up the daunting total.  Remarkably, de Villiers faced just 7 balls in the final five overs.

Duckworth-Lewis entered the fray at the innings break and adjusted New Zealand’s target t0 298.  In the process, asking the Black Caps to successfully complete the largest run chase in World Cup knockout history.  History looked entirely plausible when Brendon McCullum launched a familiar attack in the first five overs.  He dispatched everything that came his way, including reducing some of the World’s best fast bowlers to club cricket cannon fodder.  McCullum’s 26-ball 59 was crucial to his side’s chances and set the perfect tone for the stiff target as well as denting the confidence of Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander – confidence that did not return when they both needed it in the crunch overs.

Despite the fall of McCullum, and a collection of others through the middle overs, Grant Elliot remained calm, found support from Corey Anderson and expertly controlled the asking rate under unimaginable stress.  Elliot and Anderson’s 103 run partnership was the determinative contribution of the innings.  The pair survived multiple run out chances, and dropped catch collisions to put together their match-winning effort.  It shouldn’t go down as a choke, as South Africa left everything out on the park, but there were some interesting options taken by the eventual losers.

In particular, JP Duminy’s early introduction and subsequent choice to bowl round the wicket was head scratching.  He can bowl better, as the quarterfinal hat-trick outline, but he picked a poor day to bowl some of his worst stuff.  That forced de Villiers himself to make up some of the overs, and he did an okay job until trying a bouncer every over that resulted in boundaries.  Rossouw’s decision to throw the ball flat and hard while trying to run out Corey Anderson will be questioned as will Steyn’s final delivery length option.

New Zealand’s win did get a little closer than perhaps it should have.  Tight Imran Tahir and Morne Morkel overs asked the South African faithful to believe, but with ten needed from four balls, Daniel Vettori squeezed and important boundary and then Elliot connected perfectly to book New Zealand a spot in Melbourne’s tournament decider.

Dream big New Zealand.

New Zealand 299 for 6 in 42.5 overs (Elliott 84*, McCullum 59, Anderson 58, Morkel 3-59) beat South Africa 281 for 5 in 43 overs (Du Plessis 82, De Villiers 65*, Miller 49) by 4 wickets (D/L method)

Cricket World Cup: NZ v South Africa – SF 1 Preview

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[Tweet “Cricket World Cup Madness!”]As predicted, the four best teams in the Cricket World Cup have made it through to the semi-finals, and for the two of them competing in the tournament’s first semi-final, it could mean a first ever World Cup final.

New Zealand and South Africa head to a wet Eden Park in a bid to book a place in Melbourne’s World Cup showpiece against either Australia or India.  They’ll have a bleak day of unpredictable weather to contend with, as well as the significant expectation of success that both countries have placed on their players.  For New Zealand, that pressure has come about through a wealth of good form and an attractive brand of cricket.  The Black Caps have lost once in their last 13 matches and are riding a public wave of admiration only ever seen before at the Rugby World Cup in 2011.

South Africa on the other hand have always had that expectation.  They have simply never delivered.  So much so, that their World Cups are more synonymous with choking than they are with success.  They may have turned around their knockout fortune with an imperious win over Sri Lanka, but doubts will remain about their mettle if this one gets close.

Questions will also be asked of New Zealand’s fifth bowling option.  Corey Anderson and Grant Elliot are expected to perform the role with little tournament experience, while some might point to Ross Taylor’s strike rate and running between the wickets as trouble zones too.

Either way, the cauldron of Eden Park will get that much hotter in the final quarter of the game as pressure and expectation weigh heavily on the players minds.

The Last Time These Two Met

In a full series in early October (the earliest cricket has ever been played in a New Zealand summer), South Africa comfortably got the better of an experimental New Zealand side (Jimmy Neesham was opening).  They won the series 2-0 and were tracking well in the washed out Hamilton finale.  The teams have met once since then in a World Cup warm up match in Christchurch.  The Black Caps were at their devastating best in that match piling on 331 and bowling their opponents

The Teams

New Zealand (likely): 1 Brendon McCullum (capt), 2 Martin Gupill, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Grant Elliott, 6 Corey Anderson, 7 Luke Ronchi (wk), 8 Daniel Vettori, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Matt Henry

Adam Milne has been withdrawn from the World Cup because of a heel injury.  The ICC have okayed Matt Henry as a replacement and he is expected to make a shock first appearance in a straight replacement.

South Africa (likely): 1 Hashim Amla, 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Faf du Plessis, 4 AB de Villiers (capt), 5 Rilee Rossouw, 6 David Miller, 7 JP Duminy, 8 Dale Steyn, 9 Vernon Philander/Kyle Abbott, 10 Morne Morkel, 11 Imran Tahir

AB de Villiers has confirmed his entire squad is fit and available.  That means the selectors must only ponder over the third seam option.  Vernon Philander adds more with the bat (he was the second highest South African scorer in the World Cup warm up match between the two sides), whereas Kyle Abbot’s aggressiveness helped create the early pressure that Sri Lanka found it impossible to come back from.

The Key Players

Daniel Vettori – Eden Park is not an easy place for spin bowlers.  The two tiny straight boundaries are only an enticing strike away for most World Class batsman.  But as he proved against Australia earlier in the tournament, Vettori has the guile to do well at Kingsland’s concrete jungle.  In that game he successfully stalled the charge of David Warner and Shane Watson and essentially turned the game in New Zealand’s favour.  The challenge will be to do it again against AB de Villiers and co.

Hashim Amla – Just as Vettori likes Eden Park, Amla likes playing New Zealand in New Zealand.  In six games against the Black Caps on their own turf the elegant right-hander has managed 345 runs at 57.50.  He’s also had a relative quiet World Cup, save for his 159 versus Ireland, so he’s well and truly due to bag big runs.  His technique is arguably the best in his team’s lineup to counteract swing too; he plays the ball so late and can manoeuvre it anywhere with his freakishly supple wrists.  His role will be to ensure South Africa don’t lose early wickets and retain them for a late onslaught.

The Match Odds*

New Zealand – $2.00

South Africa – $1.82

*Courtesy of Ladbrokes Australia.

The Prediction

Before the tournament, we would have given this match to South Africa comfortably.  However, so good is New Zealand’s form it makes it awfully hard to bet against them.  When one player fails, another will stand up, and to man, the team believes.  That said, the 11 South African players are marginally better than the 11 Black Caps, and that will be decisive.  South Africa to get home by 2 wickets or 25 runs.

The Best Bets

Guptill answered his critics, why can’t Taylor do so as well.  Ross Taylor to Top Score @ $6.00

Guptil likes an over or so to get going.  Back South Africa to Have Highest Score After Over 1 @ $2.25

AB de Villers Top Batsman / Dale Steyn Top Bowler Comb0 @ $16.00

Cricket World Cup: New Zealand v West Indies – QF 4 Review

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The Black Caps were handsomely rewarded for their selection loyalty to opener Martin Guptill when the much maligned right-hander plundered a New Zealand best 237*, to guide his side to  victory over the West Indies and into the Cricket World Cup semi-finals.

Guptill was constantly under fire prior to the tournament; criticised for his slow starts and inconsistent form, he was fortunate that his team were winning games, buying him more time, and affording him the luxury of an extended time in the side to work on his game.  It paid off in spectacular fashion tonight at Wellington’s Cake Tin stadium.  Guptill’s double is the first by a New Zealand batsman, and comfortably tops Chris Gayle’e earlier tournament effort as the highest ever World Cup score.

It was breathtaking viewing.  Straight drives, powerful leg side flicks and exceptional square cuts personified the impressive control Nuptial had on proceedings, and set the tone for New Zealand’s 393 for 6,  Facing the first and last ball of the innings, Guptill got his runs in conventional fashion.  No reverse sweeps, switch hits, paddles or scoops, just excellent cricket shots perfectly placed and timed well.  The 237 featured over 160 runs in boundaries with 24 fours and 11 sixes to Guptill’s name.

To an extent the fabulous innings masked another bizarre Ross Taylor innings – his tournament strike rate is now languishing at just 60.88 – and papered over some Brendon McCullum form cracks too.  Mccallum departure early again, this time for just 12, but it should have been Guptill departing early.  Third ball of the game Marlon Samuels put down a catchable chance, that would go on to cost them some 233 runs.  (Not quite the most expensive drop in ODI history as Rohit Sharma was also put down on 4 when he amassed 264).  Williamson solidified for a moment but then fell to an Andre Russell slower ball for 33.  That brought Taylor to the crease, who is now a major worry ahead of their South African semi-final showdown at Eden Park on Tuesday.  He scratched his way to a useful 40 in the circumstances, but looked afraid of getting out, afraid of trying to up the ante, and was part of a host of running between the wicket mishaps.  The running was eventually his downfall as a misunderstanding led to his run out, but also allows the Black Caps to insert Corey Anderson, Grant Elliot, Luke Ronchi and Dan Vettori who all pitched in.

Guptill’s effort was only marginally short of the entire West Indies team effort as they came out swinging in an aggressive pursuit of the ominous total. Perhaps thinking it was still a Pool game and net run rate was important the Windies went at better than 8 runs an over throughout.  Despite regular wickets the West Indies to a man swung wildly at anything loose in a tactic that unsettled New Zealand and saw them concede far too many boundaries.  Even the ever reliable Vettori took some tap.  Gayle’s 61 was a highlight, as were Trent Boult’s four wickets and Vettori’s spectacular boundary rope catch to dismiss Marlon Samuels.

None of those players could overshadow man of the match Martin Guptill though.  New Zealand make another World Cup semi-final but for the first time enter it with a real belief that they could win it.  They head to Auckland for Tuesday’s encounter along with the three other strongest teams in the tournament.  Cricket fans desperately hoping for semi-finals that are closer than the quarters were.

New Zealand 393 for 6 (Guptill 237*, Taylor 3-71) beat West Indies 250 (Gayle 61, Boult 4-44) by 143 runs

Cricket World Cup: New Zealand v West Indies – QF 4 Preview

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A semifinal spot against South Africa in Auckland awaits the winner of the final World Cup quarterfinal.  It would be cruel to not see New Zealand there, at Eden Park, in front of a huge home crowd.  But that’s exactly what the West Indies will be looking to achieve when they bring their enigmatic game to Wellington for the first time in the tournament.

Betcirca brings you all the key information for the New Zealand v West Indies quarterfinal.

The Last Time These Two Met

In late 2013, early 2014 New Zealand and the West Indies faced off in a series that became famous for one person rather than one match.  It was Corey Anderson, and his record breaking hundred in Queenstown.  That was the last time the sides have met in one day internationals.  The series was split 2-2, with the final game decided in West Indies favour by a whopping 203 runs.

The Teams

New Zealand (likely): 1 Brendon McCullum (capt), 2 Martin Gupill, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Grant Elliott, 6 Corey Anderson, 7 Luke Ronchi (wk), 8 Daniel Vettori, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Adam Milne.

Adam Milne is fit and will replace big Mitchell McClenaghan in the only change for the Black Caps from the team that beat Bangladesh.

West Indies (likely): 1 Chris Gayle , 2 Johnson Charles, 3 Marlon Samuels, 4 Jonathan Carter, 5 Lendl Simmons, 6 Denesh Ramdin 7 Darren Sammy, 8 Andre Russell, 9 Jason Holder, 10 Jerome Taylor, 11 Sulieman Benn

Chris Gayle will play even if he’s 15% fit, he’s that important to their chances.  He’s been in and out of training all week but we believe he’ll be available to open with Johnson Charles.  Sulieman Benn will probably be included instead of Kemar Roach as a slow bowling option alongside all the seam bowlers.

The Key Players

Kane Williamson – Last time at bat, Kane Williamson scored a solitary run. It was his first single figure score in 24 innings.  It was the first time since Boxing Day 2013 (ironically it was against the West Indies).  We predict it won’t happen again at this World Cup.  This incredibly humble, intelligent and unflappable batting talent will bounce back with big runs today.  It’s in his nature, it’s in his mind.

Jason Holder – Twenty-three year olds are generally only found in the crowds of Cricket World Cup quarterfinals.  Not leading their side amongst selection wrangles, pay wrangles and Twenty20 franchise distractions.  However, Holder has excelled in his role and is one of the genuine finds of the 2015 World Cup.  He’s has wickets to his name, runs beside it and has garnered the respect of the cricket world.  He’s the key for the West Indies today.  How will his game and captaincy compare to Brendon McCullum.

The Match Odds*

New Zealand – $1.28

West Indies – $3.70

*Courtesy of Ladbrokes Australia.

The Prediction

New Zealand should be able to continue their tournament momentum with a win in Wellington.  While the conditions won’t suit their bowlers as well as they did when they played England at the Cake Tin, they’ll still have the class to take top order wickets and restrict the West Indies batsman.  New Zealand by 60 runs or 4 wickets.

The Best Bets

Williamson doesn’t fail twice in a row.  Get on him to Top Score @ $4.25.

Jerome Taylor loves playing New Zealand (would you believe he has a Test match century to his name against them?).  He can bowl too.  He’s paying $3.75 to be the leading wicket-taker for the West Indies.