2015 World Cup - Finals

First topic message reminder :

March

Semi-finals

24 Semi-final 1, South Africa v New Zealand, Auckland (01:00 GMT)

26 Semi-final 2, India v Australia, Sydney (03:30 GMT)

Final

29 Final, New Zealand v Australia, Melbourne (05:30 BST)


* * * * * * * *

Having no clear favourites for the semi's makes for an intriguing couple of games.

Helps that they scored at 7 and 6.5 an over in the semi finals

I don't think India were ever really in that chase to be honest. The openers were scoring at 4-5 an over, which is ok but means one or other has to go on to make a hundred, probably a big hundred.

Once they were out the rate looked more and more daunting. By the time Dhoni came in Aus had a very firm grip on the game.

I fancy Aus to win the final - they will have home advantage and this will also negate a couple of NZ's strengths so far: Excellent targeting of the shortest boundaries on NZ grounds and pronounced swing with the new ball

VTR wrote:I don't think India were ever really in that chase to be honest. The openers were scoring at 4-5 an over, which is ok but means one or other has to go on to make a hundred, probably a big hundred.

Once they were out the rate looked more and more daunting. By the time Dhoni came in Aus had a very firm grip on the game.

I fancy Aus to win the final - they will have home advantage and this will also negate a couple of NZ's strengths so far: Excellent targeting of the shortest boundaries on NZ grounds and pronounced swing with the new ball

I don't think you can criticise the start too much. 329 is very gettable these days, even after a steady start. It was the sudden loss of wickets, and Rahane's innings that made the job almost impossible.

Stella wrote:

VTR wrote:I don't think India were ever really in that chase to be honest. The openers were scoring at 4-5 an over, which is ok but means one or other has to go on to make a hundred, probably a big hundred.

Once they were out the rate looked more and more daunting. By the time Dhoni came in Aus had a very firm grip on the game.

I fancy Aus to win the final - they will have home advantage and this will also negate a couple of NZ's strengths so far: Excellent targeting of the shortest boundaries on NZ grounds and pronounced swing with the new ball

I don't think you can criticise the start too much. 329 is very gettable these days, even after a steady start. It was the sudden loss of wickets, and Rahane's innings that made the job almost impossible.

Like I said, the start was ok - not easy facing up to the bowler of the tournament. But then it was essential for one of them to go on and anchor the chase. As that didn't happen, the slow-ish start was not worth much to the team in the end.

I think that was the start they wanted, and got, against a very good new ball pairing.

I've some sympathy for Rahane and Dhoni. When the 4th wicket fell at the end of the 23rd over with little more than 100 on the board, they were between a rock and a hard place needing to keep the score moving but not get out. Admittedly, they still didn't move it quickly enough and, as Mike said, the final assault should have been attempted a few overs earlier.

Again echoing Mike, thought Clarke skippered well. Really liked the way he alternated his quicks and somehow snuck Maxwell in to bowl 5 cheaply on the reel before you - or rather India! - knew it. Credit as well to him for listening to cover fielder Smith and going for the review to get Rahane's wicket, caught by Haddin when the keeper was unaware of the faint edge. That also says a lot about Smith's standing in this team.

A word as well about Australia's fielding - excellent. Well, at least as a whole. A couple of run outs, both to direct hits. New Zealand always look to run hard but they'll need to be on guard against those dismissals.

I'll stick with my prediction of Australia to win (sorry, Olly!) but both teams have so many potential match changers and winners it's impossible to call with any certainty. Looking forward to the final and hoping it's a close contest.

Well, so it ends in the semis for India. Fair enough, and going by their pre-tournament form, think I'll take it.......
The bowlers for ones, failed to get things under control in the first half of the Australian innings, and after the 30 over point of their innings, the game was going only 1 way....... The bowlers pulled things back a bit there after, but by then it was a bit too late, and Johnson at the end took away from India's reach.
And then there was no explosive start, no big innings from the top 4, so the game was gone by the time Rahane and Dhoni came together. Good enough performance overall, though disappointing it to lose like this in the end.

Australia favorits for the cup, but I am all the way with New Zealand!!

Msp - a very satisfactory World Cup with the ball for your man Ashwin. Rarely spectacular and outstanding but nearly always steady and reliable. Good returns which largely came in under the radar: 77 overs bowled in his 8 games, 13 wickets at 25.4 and an economy rate below 4.3. Figures aside, I like him. A touch of Swann about the way he varies his flight and pace.

KP_fan wrote:[b].and top 4 batters are in super form against new ball...raina at 5 does well only against poor attacks or if the top 4 have given a good platform.
 
The Key for India--- top 4 should not crash to the new ball in the first 15-20  overs...... for numbers 5 to 8 can contribute eithr from a set platform or in small increments.

if Ind can avoid the crash of top-4...then it's "game on"

so it all comes down to not losing the top order early.....:

I wrote all this yesterday....i knew It was a ticking time-bomb that Indian top order ie top 4 could fail to deliver 80% runs between them one day....and that weakness caught up with them today.
And hence disappointed as I am.....not surprised. By far the better team won.
And what looked like Ind was holding back for too long the charge......was just lack of competence from no.5 downwards to put away good bowling.
Even Dhoni lacks the same reflexes and was never an exceptional batter outside subcontinent.

The warning signs were like how we struggled chasing vs WI....and that was the day it was evident we would struggle with anything in the realm of 270 against a top side.
So we thrived while our top4 delivered or when we were playing the minnows.....but glad we got so far.

Dhoni wanting to play on....means he will go out in ignominy sooner than later.

Aus will win the final easily...by far the superior side.
NZ although better than India, but like India have been sliding on the surface of a bubble.....one of tailored home conditions.
Will be just as comprehensively exposed as India at MCG I think

LondonTiger wrote:While all the talk has been about the batting - it is the two best bowling sides who have made the final.

NZ is a good bowling side in their "tailored home conditions"

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:Well done LD. Going to need a special NZ performance to undo this Aussie side but I must keep the faith and hope they have one more special performance in them.

Thank you kia, either way there will be a very deserving winner on Sunday. That's not to take anything way from SA or India who can always be dangerous opponents if things had gone their way a little bit more.

The build up to the match was properly hyped up with an overload of irrelevant statistics and meaningless chatter. It was quite annoying really.
I did find it too much at times and there was a hint of the "what if..?" (an unbearable thought - sorry KP_f/msp!) but deep down, I felt as though the Australians would be well prepared and come out firing and set the tone of the match - which is exactly what they did.

At one stage I thought Australia should be aiming for well over 350 such was the way the innings seemed to be building. Credit to the Indian bowlers who made some necessary breakthroughs which slowed the rate. Until MJ played his little cameo I didn't think they would have enough.
By then I thought just over 300 would be the total for India to chase. Those extra 30 odd runs were much needed in the end.

Even with the few missed chances early in India's innings, one just had the feeling that there would be more chances and they would be duly taken.
They could have lost the plot more in the middle overs, but apart from that early Falkner spell which went for too many, India were still behind the rate, however you felt that a big push might be attempted at any time. I thought Maxwell would have been more taken to task but he was switched on with the ball. Starc, MJ and Hazlewood were so dominating or at least had the opposition batsmen well under control.
Those run outs and the early wicket of Kohli were the plays which turned the game Australia's way.

Anyway, I genuinely won't mind it if NZ make some more history on Sunday. They are such an attractive team to watch in full flight.
The change in conditions will obviously need to be addressed but it will be a level playing field at the MCG - basically a road, like the SCG last night.
So NZ should also bat well as they have throughout the tournament. (conditions aren't that foreign however some adjustment is required)
So too will Australia have to bat properly for the most part if they want to win.

The battle of the bowlers will be the key you'd think.
Who can remove the star performers with the bat at crucial times? And who can stem the flow of runs when the innings is being consolidated.
It should be a mouth-watering final. Another sporting clash of theses ultra-competitive Trans Tasman rivals!

Just a note on the Indian fans.
They were mostly crazy!! It's such a daunting feeling being "out-noised" at a home game and even more so during the build up to a WC semi.
They were a major psychological weapon and I can tell you it kind of got everybody stirred up but in a friendly sort of way.
There were some classic characters at the ground... the passion, bravado and the humour was relentless!

Looking at the highlights - seems like it was 70:30 in favour of Indian fans but the cameras tended to focus on the more concentrated blue sections of the Trumper and O'Reilly stands. In the Members, Noble & Bradman (and most of the Churchill) stands it seemed to be 90:10 Australians.
So maybe overall it was something like 60:40 India... or perhaps 65:35?

The funny thing was:
- When Smith hit a single you got that lovely sound of applause - like 10,000 pigeons taking off at once.
- When Dhoni hit a single you got this slightly delayed wave of hysteria coming from across the ground... all full of bells, drums and whistles.
It was incredible support from their fans.

The contrast between the two was yin and yang.
You knew that when you heard more silence and then crackling applause, the Aussies were doing well.
Genuine fear entered the Aussie mindset when we were drowned out by a tidal wave of pure and unadulterated fervour. You just feel so small!

They and the Bangladeshi fans should get the prize for most raucous fans. That said, it's been incredible the crowd reaction in NZ and I think the team owe a small but significant part of their success to the crowds.

It's funny, given NZ have won all their games and beat Australia in pool play, but they are deserved underdogs in Australia. Much has been made of the bigger grounds but more should be made of the bigger occasions and this is where Australia have the noticeable advantage as opposed to playing on a bigger ground.

I wouldn't say they are a far superior side KP fan otherwise they wouldn't be in the final. But I do concede NZ are going into the final with the odds stacked against them. Can't wait for it and hope we have more shades of the first semi final than the second in terms of a contest.

Definitely not far superior.
The odds shouldn't be stacked really... I feel the teams could blow each other away on their day. They are closely matched.

Yeah, there are plenty of big hitters on both sides. They'll all know how to clear the boundary when the ball is coming on true. It'll be sort of like the Napier track I'd say. A well maintained road with not much influence from overhead conditions (sunny 10-23) or dew in the evening.
It will be almost boringly "level-playing field" it seems as required by the ICC ground controllers... and that is fine by me. No doctoring necessary!

The other thing I would like to add...

Ever since that fateful day on Feb 1, 1981... and that ball (it still seems like yesterday!) I have always felt that was such a blight on the history of the Australian game.

We, the people didn't expect it and we didn't deserve all the flak we have received for over 34 years. The Kiwis are always perfectly well within their right to have a say about that dreadful day when Greg turned to brother Trevor and asked him to do the unthinkable. What makes it worse is that in a recent interview, GS tried to make light of it and blame "total confusion" and that "my head wasn't in the right space at the time... I was struggling with the captaincy...". That all may be so - but nonetheless it was a cowardly act and showed great disrespect to both the players and the public.

That's why if NZ can achieve the win, I will see it as going some way to reaching a new level of prosperity for NZ cricket.
Although the underarm incident will never be forgotten, this win (if it happens) would stick out like Mt Everest.... or at least like Aoraki! (Mt Cook)

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:

I wouldn't say they are a far superior side KP fan otherwise they wouldn't be in the final. But I do concede NZ are going into the final with the odds stacked against them. Can't wait for it and hope we have more shades of the first semi final than the second in terms of a contest.

Far superior or marginally so could be anything from Semantical to Subjective.
Yes you put it right.....odds are against NZ....but then there is motivation on their side too...to snatch a piece from history and freeze it for time immemorial. The class of 2015 that did it.

And this sense of history that this NZ team in playing with...is their biggest strength over material odds

It's a interesting final isnt it? The best team in the tournament vs the best team in the world. One of things which might play a part, more than boundary sizes, is conditions. New Zealand and Australia aren't exactly day and night, but they are definitely distinct, and there's every chance NZ walk into this final having basically played in a different tournament. The cricketing equivalent of Nadal winning six in a row at Roland Garros to play Federer in the Wimbledon final.

Still, Aus are favourites because of their pedigree, and home conditions, but much like the South African game prediction - NZ have enough match winners in their squad to take it no problem

http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/856297.html

A great read this. Apologies Loaded Dog and fellow Aussies, but as a neutral I can't help but root for the Kiwis in this one.

As an Aussie fan strangely I wouldn't even mind that much losing this one. Well, I would mind obviously, but compared to previous WC finals... a lot less. New-Zealand are a terrific side.

Still think Aus have the edge, but NZ have so many match winners you can't really make any prediction with great confidence.

Australia at home probably ought to win. Think lack of swing for the bowlers might be more significant than boundary sizes. But if NZ were to get a "good" score (270 ?) then perhaps the variety supplied by Vettori might enable them to defend it ?
Can't see them skittling Australia here or chasing a big total.

Just hope we get a good final.

Whilst I hope for a good final these occasions do often disappoint. Not just in cricket.

Struggling to remember the last close cricket WC final, 1987 perhaps?

Its been a decent world cup anyway with some good matches along the way

I see Michael Clarke is retiring after this world cup. Been a class performer and captain for Australia, and I'm hoping he gets his swansong.

Olly wrote:http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/856297.html

A great read this. Apologies Loaded Dog and fellow Aussies, but as a neutral I can't help but root for the Kiwis in this one.

Yes good alright.mand in 24 hours we will gave a new champion.

I thought oz won both cups in 99 though?

"My precarious life ahead may not afford
me the luxury of many more games to
watch and enjoy. So this is likely to be it. The last, maybe, and I can happily live
with that"

Brought a tear to my eye.

If I wasn't already an honorary Kiwi I am now

Taylor and Guptill, the honorary sons of Martin Crowe, to prove the difference for NZ.

That's Hollywood stuff kingraf!

Taylorman wrote:

Olly wrote:http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/856297.html

A great read this. Apologies Loaded Dog and fellow Aussies, but as a neutral I can't help but root for the Kiwis in this one.

Yes good alright.mand in 24 hours we will gave a new champion.

I thought oz won both cups in 99 though?

We are humble about that, Taylor... or it seems such a long time ago!

No need to apologise for anything, Olly, I completely understand your sympathies, mate. I almost feel the same!

Even though we have loads of psychological sporting scars from rugby, lately RL and even from cricket from the Kiwis; it would be a great outcome for the game itself as well as being a major boost for Kiwi cricket players and fans in general. I really would love to see Martin Crowe witness such an event. It would be such a special occasion. Also, I'd like to see current and ex-NZ players share the spoils of such a landmark win.

On the cricinfo poll - I voted I'd "like" to see NZ win. That's really coming from the heart. (must be the Kiwi half in me; although I feel 100% Aussie)
However, for sanity purposes and for my innate following of the fortunes of our team over all these years, I'd "want" to see Australia win.

Although I respect Clarke for his team contributions and captaincy of the current side, I don't really have that "connection" with him for some reason, like I might have had with past Australian captains - even though some of those captains had certain idiosyncrasies in their character and performances; on and off the field as well.

So in that respect, I we lose today, I wouldn't be overly disappointed. The cup needs to be shared around (that would be my egalitarian way of seeing it) and I am ready to accept some humble pie and fall just short of a record 5th WC.
I'm not sure our players will find it easy to see it that way though!

However, the prospect of winning the tournament on 5 different continents is an enticing one... like the last dangling fruit (of yet another kind would you believe?) presenting itself for the full fruit salad combination. I'm trying not to think too far ahead..... but I don't think I can lose.  

The Loaded Dog wrote:The other thing I would like to add...

Ever since that fateful day on Feb 1, 1981... and that ball (it still seems like yesterday!) I have always felt that was such a blight on the history of the Australian game.

We, the people didn't expect it and we didn't deserve all the flak we have received for over 34 years. The Kiwis are always perfectly well within their right to have a say about that dreadful day when Greg turned to brother Trevor and asked him to do the unthinkable. What makes it worse is that in a recent interview, GS tried to make light of it and blame "total confusion" and that "my head wasn't in the right space at the time... I was struggling with the captaincy...". That all may be so - but nonetheless it was a cowardly act and showed great disrespect to both the players and the public.

That's why if NZ can achieve the win, I will see it as going some way to reaching a new level of prosperity for NZ cricket.
Although the underarm incident will never be forgotten, this win (if it happens) would stick out like Mt Everest.... or at least like Aoraki! (Mt Cook)

Hi LD - Quite a while ago on the Hall of Fame thread here we debated Greg Chappell and this was a major, major talking point. I'm not going into all that again as every inch of the floor was covered then as we did that particular dance. However, interesting although not surprising to me that the events of that day continue to have such a hold for those who were around at the time.

The Loaded Dog wrote:

Taylorman wrote:

Olly wrote:http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/856297.html

A great read this. Apologies Loaded Dog and fellow Aussies, but as a neutral I can't help but root for the Kiwis in this one.

Yes good alright.mand in 24 hours we will gave a new champion.

I thought oz won both cups in 99 though?

We are humble about that, Taylor... or it seems such a long time ago!

No need to apologise for anything, Olly, I completely understand your sympathies, mate. I almost feel the same!

Even though we have loads of psychological sporting scars from rugby, lately RL and even from cricket from the Kiwis; it would be a great outcome for the game itself as well as being a major boost for Kiwi cricket players and fans in general. I really would love to see Martin Crowe witness such an event. It would be such a special occasion. Also, I'd like to see current and ex-NZ players share the spoils of such a landmark win.

...

Hi again LD - for me too, an incredibly moving article from Martin Crowe.

I did wonder if there would be more of a ''Let's win it for Phil'' attitude in Australia. Perhaps that is the case and I just haven't picked up on it.

Sorry if that sounds mawkish and in bad taste. I've actually been very impressed by how the Australian team appear to have reacted from a professional playing point of view to their team mate's tragic death. Rather than going into their shells (as happened with several Surrey players when Tom Maynard was killed), they seem keen to be in the middle of the action and express themselves to the very best of their abilities.

Ah well, bed for me now. Hope to catch up again in our morning before the first innings is done. As I and others have said earlier, I fancy Australia with such strength in depth but New Zealand also have enough potential match winners to mean nothing is certain. Just hoping for a good game.

Great start for Australia ...NZ in deep trouble at 41/3. Firt three bats didn't fire a shot really. Aussies have bowled and fielded well as you'd expect ; but the nerves seem to have shackled the Kiwis .
Losing B Mc in the first over didn't help.

Not sure the remaining NZ bats can get back in the game from here. Hope they can somehow post a vaguely competitive total ; but I think their odds are getting pretty long...

Powerplay times, NZ should just play it sensible here.......

Faulkner strikes first ball, and a terrible start to the powerplay for New Zealand, Taylor goes.......

A 2 ball duck for Anderson, New Zealand slipping big after that recovery........

The European based posters will be waking to see what is looking like a mismatch.

NZ bats (apart from Elliott) just didn't turn up. Australia bowled really well and the fielding was excellent ; but that was a disappointing effort ...and losing the last seven wickets for thirty odd seems to have destroyed even the chance of mounting a defence with the ball.

Not going to hex Australia by congratulating them on winning the Cup yet. But I think Mike has one hand on the Prediction competition

Either this is a bowling pitch or Australia are walking it.

A messy batting performance from New Zealand, coupled with some fine bowling and outstanding from Australia means NZ just have 183 in the bank.
Looks like a very on-sided final.......

I hope the post-competition narrative doesn't become that New-Zealand were overwhelmed by the pressure, because I don't think that's what happened.

Aus got off to a great start, McCullum played as he always does but undone by some late swing from Starc, then the 3 main men for Aus bowled really well. Guptill understandably relaxed a bit and that proved fatal (good captaincy by Clarke who had another excellent day).

Really good partnership between Elliott (who played beautifully) and Taylor (more scratchy, but gutsed it out really well).

At 150-3 it was actually set up quite nicely for New-Zealand - you would usually back the batting side to get to 280+ from there in today's game - but then Taylor got out (somewhat fortuitously in that it was a bit of a nothing ball, but a great catch by Haddin) and from then on Aus bowled and fielded brilliantly.

My one criticism of NZ would be that Elliott and then Southee should have given themselves a bit more a chance in the latter overs. Knocked it around and then gone hard in the last 2 or 3 aiming for 220/230. But then NZ have thrived so far on playing aggressive, almost "no fear" cricket and I guess they will just say they were carrying on with that. Harder of course to play "no fear" cricket when setting the game up in a final, but in reality I didn't really see any dismissals due to players being in two minds.

Aus were just collectively better. Sometimes it's that simple.

Game not over of course, but NZ are going to need a special bowling and fielding performance.

Well a decent start with Finch falling quickly...but NZ will need a few more break to make a game of it yet.

Good point of Mike's about the Guptill dismissal ; the over from Maxwell was certainly inspired captaincy from Clarke. Or lucky ; but it amounts to the same thing

I am sure BMc will be similarly proactive here. But he needs something special from his bowlers...

Well McCullum needs to use mainly Southee, Boult and Vettori - no point getting to 35/40 overs and they have overs left - need the wickets

Vettori appears to be walking wounded -Warner now edges one through second slip which had just moved out

Just not NZ's day it seems

Sadly not looking like a classic final. Quite reminiscent of the 99 final where Aus had a low chase to complete

Olly wrote:Well McCullum needs to use mainly Southee, Boult and Vettori - no point getting to 35/40 overs and they have overs left - need the wickets

Unlikely to get to 35 overs , the way Warner is going. Vettori apparently handicapped by injury isn't going to help either.

You need a miracle or two , Olly Kiwi

Not quite falling for NZ - looks like they'll knock it off without much bother

Australia walking this at the moment....... Like their batting, the NZ bowling too not showing up on the big day.......

Will someone step up and do a Wahab Riaz to make this a contest?

Even when NZ hit the stumps , the bails won't fall off ! You could say not much has gone their way today.

But that would be a bit unfair to Australia , who have earned their overwhelming position with some fine cricket all round.

NZ not giving up ; but I can't see any way Australia will be stopped from here. They have been known to implode chasing small totals in Tests quite often ; but I don't recall that spreading into ODIs . Certainly not in World Cups.

I personally do think the pressure has told on NZ. Four ducks in their innings, a collapse of 7 wickets for 30ish runs, some fairly poor bowling at times.

But I don't blame them, its the biggest cricket match in their history, away from home in front of 92,000 people. A tough assignment to say the least!

Australia just way to relentlessly good for NZ. Disappointed with the way we batted, but when you look at the Eden Park match, it's two games now where we've been destroyed by Starc and co. They're just too good. Sad we didn't put up much fight with the bat but still proud overall from the nadir of a couple of years ago. 1 from 2 so far LD, let's just leave it there eh