The semifinal match between South Africa and New Zealand was a match between two sides that have been extremely unlucky in the previous editions of the World Cup. Both the teams have made it to the semi-finals several times but every time they lost. So today it was clear that one of them was going to brink that jinx.
Both teams are brilliant when it comes to their current performances. NZ has won all the matches they played in this edition of the World Cup. While South Africa had won 6 out of the 7 matches it played. The ground was a small ground for cricket and the kind of cricket that is played today with those big bats it was clear that the match would be a high scoring one.
South Africa did start slowly lost 2 wickets in the first 10 overs then there was a good but slow partnership between Faf du Plessis and Rossau. South Africa had scored a mere 129 runs in the first 30 overs. The first 6 of the innings came in the last ball of the 31st over. After AB de Villiers came to the crease the scoring rate picked up and by the 38 th over SA's score went up to 216/3 when rains came in. The match had to be reduced to 43 overs a side. After the rain break David Miller went after the Kiwi bowling scoring 49 in no time and helping South Africa add another 65 runs to the total.
SA ended up with a score of 281/5. New Zealand had to score 298 runs to win after the Duckworth Lewis adjustment. Macullum took advantage of the powerplay and the small stadium hit lots of sixes within 6 overs NZ reached a score of 76 making the job of other batsmen much easier and then NZ batters batted well and kept their nerve to win the match in the penultimate ball of the match.
The 5 th ball of the last over was hit for a six by Grant Elliot thus ensuring that NZ go to Melbourne to play the winner of the match between India and Australia. The South Africans were in tears the world cup jinx and the chokers tag stay with them. This was definitely the most exiting cricket match of the world cup.
Thus South Africa has to wait for one more world cup to rid of their chokers tag. South Africa surely is the best team in cricket that has never won the World Cup. Since the return of South Africa in cricket the standards of fielding went up . Youngsters started idolizing the likes of Jonty Rhodes . Other cricket teams got a formidible opposition to compete against.
But somehow nature is playing some tricks with this team when it comes to World Cup. The never lacked in terms of talent and hard work. But in the World Cup knock out matches luck has not been on their side.
On the other hand though this is probably the best New Zealand side that we have ever seen. They are ideally suited for one day cricket the team has so many allrounders and big hitters like Ross Taylor, Corey Anderson and Brendon McCullum. They have played some delightful cricket in this World Cup and they have been unbeaten till now. They are deserving finalists of the World Cup.
All eyes are now set on the second semi final between India and Australia . After a lack lustre Test series and one day tri series . India has jumped back to form with the bowlers finding the right spots to bowl and some of the out of form batsmen coming back in form. This is bound to be an evenly faught contest and will be viewed by more than a billion people across the world. Tomorrow even the Australians may find themselves out cheered by Indian fans.
Both teams are brilliant when it comes to their current performances. NZ has won all the matches they played in this edition of the World Cup. While South Africa had won 6 out of the 7 matches it played. The ground was a small ground for cricket and the kind of cricket that is played today with those big bats it was clear that the match would be a high scoring one.
South Africa did start slowly lost 2 wickets in the first 10 overs then there was a good but slow partnership between Faf du Plessis and Rossau. South Africa had scored a mere 129 runs in the first 30 overs. The first 6 of the innings came in the last ball of the 31st over. After AB de Villiers came to the crease the scoring rate picked up and by the 38 th over SA's score went up to 216/3 when rains came in. The match had to be reduced to 43 overs a side. After the rain break David Miller went after the Kiwi bowling scoring 49 in no time and helping South Africa add another 65 runs to the total.
SA ended up with a score of 281/5. New Zealand had to score 298 runs to win after the Duckworth Lewis adjustment. Macullum took advantage of the powerplay and the small stadium hit lots of sixes within 6 overs NZ reached a score of 76 making the job of other batsmen much easier and then NZ batters batted well and kept their nerve to win the match in the penultimate ball of the match.
The 5 th ball of the last over was hit for a six by Grant Elliot thus ensuring that NZ go to Melbourne to play the winner of the match between India and Australia. The South Africans were in tears the world cup jinx and the chokers tag stay with them. This was definitely the most exiting cricket match of the world cup.
Thus South Africa has to wait for one more world cup to rid of their chokers tag. South Africa surely is the best team in cricket that has never won the World Cup. Since the return of South Africa in cricket the standards of fielding went up . Youngsters started idolizing the likes of Jonty Rhodes . Other cricket teams got a formidible opposition to compete against.
But somehow nature is playing some tricks with this team when it comes to World Cup. The never lacked in terms of talent and hard work. But in the World Cup knock out matches luck has not been on their side.
On the other hand though this is probably the best New Zealand side that we have ever seen. They are ideally suited for one day cricket the team has so many allrounders and big hitters like Ross Taylor, Corey Anderson and Brendon McCullum. They have played some delightful cricket in this World Cup and they have been unbeaten till now. They are deserving finalists of the World Cup.
All eyes are now set on the second semi final between India and Australia . After a lack lustre Test series and one day tri series . India has jumped back to form with the bowlers finding the right spots to bowl and some of the out of form batsmen coming back in form. This is bound to be an evenly faught contest and will be viewed by more than a billion people across the world. Tomorrow even the Australians may find themselves out cheered by Indian fans.
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