We genuinely thought New Zealand’s third pool game against England could be a nervy one. Then we started watching and 55 minutes later (including 40 for a ridiculous tea break) it was over. It wasn’t nervy. The confidence of the English batsman was shot, even before this game, we just didn’t realise. Hopefully you disregarded our advice to back England (or at the least also backed Joe Root to top score and came out even). See a quick review of the action below – and it has to be quick because the game didn’t even last 50 overs.
Day 7 Result
A day night match finished before the lights came on.
An England bowler who went for 0-49 from two overs (including half of his balls going for six). Compare that with New Zealand’s man of the match who took 7-33. Those points highlight the gulf between the two sides in what was arguably one of the most one sided World Cup contests of all time. The scorers were kept unbelievably busy filling in wickets and recording sixes, mainly in the columns of Tim Southee and Brendon McCullum.
After winning the toss on a nice looking Wellington surface England’s under fire captain, Eoin Morgan, opted to set New Zealand a total. What he didn’t account for was Southee and the late movement he was able to generate that perplexed the England batsman and eventually saw them shot out for just 123. Southee was a marvel, especially in his second spell of 5-10, where he used the crease to excellent effect to take regular wickets. His 7-33 was the third best bowling figures at a Cricket World cup and he was on track for becoming the first man to take 8 World Cup wickets in an innings before Adam Milne joined the party and took the wicket of Joe Root, for 46, to finish things off.
For the second game in a row New Zealand had to come out and bat before the tea break. Brendon McCullum was clearly fine with that and even threatened to finish the entire match before the 40-minute break, despite only having time for 9 overs. McCullum smashed it to all parts and scored his 77 off just 25 balls. He cut, slashed and ramped his way to the fastest World Cup fifty (breaking his own record in the process). McCullum dented pride, sponsors cars that were on display and the plans for hundreds of fans that hadn’t even left work to get down to the game.
We mentioned that the English media have a story angle in Eoin Morgan’s poor form – they have a new one now.
New Zealand 125 for 2 (McCullum 77) beat England 123 (Root 46, Southee 7-33) by eight wickets
Betfair:
Bet on Henrik Stenson to become the BMW PGA Championship Winner.
Paddypower:
Back Australia to take the Ashes home with them.
Betway:
Back Rafael Nadal to become the Mens French Open Winner.
Coral:
Back One For Arthur to win the Grand National.
Bet365:
Back Mexico to win the Confederations Cup.
