#NewZealand vs #WestIndies
#Wellington
21st Mar 2015
New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat first in their quarterfinal clash vs West Indies at Welllington.
#BrendonMcCullum started off in usual fashion bludgeoning boundaries upfront but was short lived.
Trying one too many he spooned a catch
NZ 28 for 1
#MartinGuptill at the other end was dropped by Marlon Samuels. A huge opportunity missed by the Windies to strangle the Kiwis upfront.
#KaneWilliamson, the steady No.3, came in and calmed things down and took control along with #MartinGuptill, who had steadied by then and looking to bat through the innings. Both put on a steady stand before Williamson push one from #Russel towards cover to #ChrisGayle who juggled a bit but held on to the simple chance.
NZ 89 for 2
#RossTaylor, getting back in some form in last two innings, joined Guptill and they brought some urgency in scoring. Both have steadied the ship and looking to unleash at the back end of the innings.
West Indies bowling, looks mediocre, but they are in the game.
Interesting second half of the Kiwi innings in the offing with pinch hitters #CoreyAnderson and #LukeRochi waiting in the wings.
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New Zealand: 155 for 2, 29 overs
#MartinGuptill - 82*
#RossTaylor - 24*
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#NewZealand vs #WestIndies
#Wellington
21st Mar 2015
After three quarterfinals going according to predictions made, and fairly easy wins for South Africa, India and Australia, New Zealand look to seal their berth for a semi final against the Proteas at Eden Park in Auckland on 25th Mar 2015.
The Kiwis have been on a roll, winning all their matches in Pool A and topping it.
Their batsmen are in good shape , fielding as always electric but its their bowling that has undone most teams at this #CWC15 including the mighty Australians. They will look to carry forward their good form into the quarters and win this game easily against a side that can be best described as mercurial.
West Indies have been scratchy, shoddy at times (Ireland beat them), and just about managed to scrape through to the next stage courtesy a good game against UAE and yet had to wait for the outcome of the IRL v Pak match to decide whether they go through?
While Brendon McCullum has been in supreme attacking form for the Kiwis, Chris Gayle has struggled big time for the West Indies. Kiwi bowling has been terrific and all round, WI have been patchy at best.
The other day Windies captain #JasonHolder commented "if we play 25% better cricket than now, we will beat New Zealand". When is that performance coming Jason? and 25% better play isnt good enough against this NZ side. You need to play 200% better to defeat them.
All in all, a one sided affair in the offing, unless Gayle pulls out a rabbit out of the hat or Holder-Taylor bowl out of their skins to destroy the Kiwi batting.
Game starts shortly.
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#Australia vs Pakistan
#Adelaide Oval
20th Mar 2015
Picture this!
Pakistan defending a small total of 213 against the might Aussies.
They have started wonderfully in their defence capturing top three wickets cheaply.
Shane Watson, under serious pressure to perform and stay in this Australian side at the crease
#WahabRiaz in midst of an unbelievable seam bowling spell has him ducking, hopping, poking and doing everything but middling the ball with the bat. A lip service in progress. Everyone in Watson's ears.
Score precariously poised at 83 for 3.
Wahab, having Watson at his mercy, produces a peach of a bouncer that Watson hooks instinctively.
Gone you think as the bowl soars up high in the air towards long leg and the fielder settles under the bowl. And Ouch ... bowl slips through his butter fingers ... Catch Floored! What a dolly!!!
All the pressure built over the past few overs evaporates. The Pakistanis are gutted and devastated. Reactions from players say it all. Wahab is distraught, Pak skipper Misbah cant believe it happened, Rahat Ali the fielder in question is utterly embarrassed. If he would have it, he would have dug a hole and buried himself. What a miss! A game changer event.
The opportunity missed. And Australia probably looking for that one moment to come back. They got it and went on to complete the run chase successfully. Shane Watson, ironically, remained unbeaten to guide his team through. Kudos to his courage fighting it out there and not throwing it away (he almost did)...
Steve Waugh had famously said to Herschelle Gibbs in the 1999 semifinals after spilling his catch at short midwicket, "You just dropped the World cup son...."
Did Rahat drop the World Cup for Pakistan?
Feel sad for him. He's a very good young bowler and must be groomed, not chastised back in Pakistan. Wahab was quick to support his colleague and did not put blame on him. Its just pressure of the situation, occassion and opposition that leads to events like these!
If at all, the onus of this defeat rests with Pakistan batsmen completely.
Not only they missed a huge oppootunity to bat first and pile up a score, the way they got out to some really poor shots should hurt them more.
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#Australia vs Pakistan
#Adelaide Oval
20th Mar 2015
Its was case of two dropped catches as Pakistan tried to defend a low 213 against the mighty Australia at Adelaide.
At 89 for 3 and the match hanging in balance, Wahab was midst of a breathtaking bowling spell that would be the talking point for years to come. He had #Watson hopping, ducking and all over the place. Then he produced a superb bouncer forcing Watson to pull and the ball lobbed to long leg for an easy catch. And ... #Rahat Ali spilled a sitter! This was the moment ... had they grabbed it, the story could have been just a bit different.
Then again at 160 for 4, with #GlennMaxwell just in #Wahab again got him to play one of his inventive shots. The ballooned catch towards third man was dropped by another seamer #SohailKhan this time... a wicket there and Pak could have another crack at the Aussie lower order.
Game set match! No more chances after that. Maxwell and Watson then took the attack to Pak bowlers and crossed the line in style in 33.4 overs.
Australia stumbled for sure but their clinical execution came to fore yet again.
For Pakistan, it was a case of "Ifs and buts", another day four years from now maybe!
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Pak: 213 all out
Aus: 216 for 4 (33.5 overs)
Man of the Match: #JoshHazlewood
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#Australia vs Pakistan
#Adelaide Oval
20th Mar 2015
#WahabRiaz has stung the Aussies big time.
He is all over them .. with the ball and a few words too!
Brought one change into bowl, he's changed complexion through incisive pace bowling - speed, bounce, length .. all in one.
First he bounced Warner to hit down third man's throat
Then he bounced the skipper Michael Clarke to pop a simple catch at short leg.
Shane Watson was peppered with bouncers and some lip service, perhaps a taste of his own medicine.
Intensity at the Adelaide Oval has just gone up by 2 levels in the last 3-4 overs.
GAME ON....
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Aus: 67 for 3, 13 overs
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#Australia vs Pakistan
#Adelaide Oval
20th Mar 2015
Australia have started confidently in their run chase of 213 vs Pakistan.
These smallish totals can be nervy since it brings out indecision in approach scoring them.
But, the professional Aussies are masters at this.
#AaronFinch had yet another failure, trapped leg-before to #SohailKhan.
Aus 15 for 1
#StevenSmith walked in to join #DavidWarner and they started opening up scoring boundaries.
A bowling change brought about the fall of Warner. #WahabRiaz pitched one short that Warner tried to steer over third man but hit it straight down his throat. #RahatAli taking a very good catch.
#MichaelClarke and #StevenSmith at the crease now.
Can Pakistan turn it around? or Australia will walk away with the game?
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Pak: 213 all out
Aus: 52 for 2, 9 overs
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#Australia vs Pakistan
#Adelaide Oval
20th Mar 2015
Pakistan batsmen have dug themselves a hole alright!
But, the clinical efficiency shown by the Australian bowlers and fielders ensured Pak never came back in the game. Everytime a partnership developed, #MichaelClarke found a bowler to snuff it out.
#JoshHazlewood led the attack with 4 wickets followed by #MitchellStarc and #GlennMaxwell with 2 each. #JamesFaulkner and #MitchellJohnson took a wicket each. Wickets shared around, fielding was superb and overall a thoroughly professional performance.
For Pakistan, it was again a case of unknown entity syndrome.
Today they just came into the game trying to belt everything out of the ground and dug a hole for themselves. Eerily similar to how Sri Lanka imploded against South Africa.
Now its on the Pak bowlers to defend 213.
Can they do it? or Australia will just finish this off in a hurry..
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Pak: 213 all out, 49.5 overs
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#Australia vs Pakistan
#Adelaide Oval
20th Mar 2015
A good consolidation period by #Misbah and #Sohail where they steadied things and put Pak on track to a good score. Then suddenly things changed.
In search of wickets, #Clarke brought in #Maxwell for another over to lure #Misbah to go over midwicket (he had already deposited two sixes off Maxwell earlier). He fell to the bait and could not contain his urge to go for another one and holed out to mid-wicket. Surprising shot considering his experience, stage of the match and considering all hard work was done already to steady the ship.
After this dismissal, it was #HarisSohail who had to take responsibility to bat through having settled down. What does he do? He wafts at a harmless delivery outside off to be caught behind.
The poor shot display didn't stop here. #UmarAkmal came in, played some fabulous shots and then .... pulled a rank long hop from Maxwell down mid-wicket's throat. O dear!
From 97 for 2, they were reduced to 124 for 5 through poor batting.
Australia wont mind this one bit. They haven't looked incisive but theie gambles have paid off thus far.
Boom Boom Afridi at the crease, made a statement through some lusty hitting. But with him you can always hope he stays there for the next ball. And he didnt. He too pulled one straight to mid-wicket.
158 for 6 now.
#SohaibMaqsood has #WahabRiaz for company.
Can they take Pak to 250? They need that minimum to give their
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Pak: 158 for 6, 34 overs
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