Tag: ICC

Cricket World Cup: Day 21 Recap

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Saturday’s cricketing action saw Betcirca come good on a number of bets.  We successfully predicted runs for Brendon Taylor and Seam Williams despite Zimbabwe falling a few runs short against Ireland.  In the other match, Pakistan caused a major shock by beating World Cup frontrunners South Africa.

Day 21 Results

1. Pakistan v South Africa

Pakistan’s bowlers delivered an unexpected win in their rain shortened World Cup match against South Africa overnight.  The win sees Pakistan move to third in Pool B and level with South Africa and Ireland on 6 points.

It came courtesy of their bowlers.  Seamers, Rahat Ali; Wahab Riaz; and Mohammed Irfan all took three wickets each in an excellent display of disciplined yet aggressive short pitched bowling.  South Africa’s batsman were reckless with their wickets, and gifted nine catches out of the ten wickets to fall.

Batting first, Pakistan made it to 222, largely thanks to another half century by Misbah ul-Haq (56) and a mature first World Cup knock form reinstated keeper Sarfraz Ahmed (49).  Useful contributions also came from Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi in difficult conditions of wind and rain.  The total was unusually small for Eden Park but was more than Australia almost managed to defend against New Zealand a week earlier.

It proved to be enough.  South Africa imploding to be all out for 202.  A spate of rash strokes gave them little chance of handling the total.  No one taking the requisite responsibility to see them through to their total or providing AB de Villers with support.

AB de Villiers commented after the match that “he had nothing good to say about his team”, but he probably had a few kind words for himself.  He was the South African side’s only hope as he smashed his way to 77 off 58 balls – in the process enjoying the small square boundaries at Eden Park.

Certainly a boil-over, one that was terrific for Pool B.  But not one that will affect the semi-finalists in our view.

Pakistan 222 (Misbah 56, Steyn 3-30) beat South Africa 202 (de Villiers 77, Rahat 3-40, Wahab 3-45, Irfan 3-52) by 29 runs (D/L method)

2. Zimbabwe v Ireland

The second Pool B match of the day featured too similar sides.  Ireland and Zimbabwe are not within the top echelon of world cricket teams, but they have both handled themselves nicely in this World Cup.  Competitive in most of their matches, just lacking a little bit of death bowling nous or luck to stop the huge totals against them.

Today’s game again featured huge totals.  Ireland made 331 for 8 form their allotment.  Ed Joyce and Andre Balbirnie were the mainstays of the innings – Joyce getting to a hundred, and Balbirnie narrowly missing out.

In response Zimbabwe looked on course for much of the game led by World Cup standouts Brendon Taylor and Sean Williams.  Taylor had 121 from just 91 balls before he tried one lofted shot too many.  However, with Sean Williams still going along nicely, Zimbabwe were a firm chance.  If Sean Williams had batted the 50 overs they might have got home.  Unfortunately, he was given out on 96, caught on the boundary by John Mooney in a moment of YouTube notoriety.  The controversy surrounded whether Mooney had touched the boundary rope when completing the catch.  Replays suggested some portion may have been touching the rope, but there was an additional complication from the shadow of the boot.

Who really knows?  And at the end of the day the newspapers reported a 5 run win to Ireland.

Ireland 331 for 8 (Joyce 112, Balbirnie 97, Chatara 3-61) beat Zimbabwe 326 (Taylor 121, Williams 96, Cusack 4-32) by five runs

Cricket World Cup: Day 21 Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Last night’s late finish in Perth has put paid to our three questions feature, so we have only, the day’s action preview for you, with odds from BetEasy.

Today’s Matchups

1. South Africa v Pakistan, Eden Park (Auckland – windy with rain expected), starts 2:00pm local time

South Africa – $1.25

Pakistan – $4.00

Eden Park’s tiny boundaries could be in for an awful peppering if South Africa bat first and continue their 400 scoring form against Pakistan today.  Back to back 400’s have the South Africans supremely confident heading into their penultimate Pool game.  The 400 possibility is made even likely due an injury to Pakistan’s best bowler, Mohammed Irfan.

Five South Africans have already registered hundred in this World Cup and we’re expecting more today.  South Africa will hope that it comes from Quentin de Kock who is in horrible form, in fact he might not even make the side to day with Rilee Rossouw and AB de Villers both keeping options.

Pakistan probably won’t be able to chase down (or set 400) but they did muster 300 for the first time on the tournament in their last try.  Plenty of their batsman got much needed crease time in the win against UAE, but that doesn’t guarantee they’ll be able to cope with Steyn and Morkel.

The only other thing getting in the way of 400 is the Auckland weather.  It looks decidedly average on the rain radar in Auckland.

2. Zimbabwe v Ireland, Bellerive Oval (Hobart – cloudy), starts 2:30pm local time

Zimbabwe -$2.25

Ireland – $1.66

This should be one of the closest games between the second tier nations we’ve seen at the World Cup.  The teams are evenly matched on paper, and both have had their ups and downs in the tournament thus far.

Zimbabwe have batted well on most occasions, as have Ireland (bar their last effort against South Africa), but both teams are struggling big time with the ball, especially at the death.  Brendon Taylor and Sean Williams are the mainstays of the Zimbabwe batting order and their contributions and calm heads could be influential against the slow bowling options of Ireland.

We think this will go right down to the wire, and the team that wins is the team that finds their bowling lengths at the death.

Today’s Multi

The Imitation Multi

Both the names of Brendon Taylor and Haris Sohail feature the names of other international crickets.  For instance there is a host of other Taylors at the World Cup (Ross, James, Jerome).  And Haris is also the name of an Australia quickie not currently playing but well know.  So this is the imitation multi.

Haris Sohail to Top Score at $5 + Brendon Taylor to Outscore (Joyce and Sterling) at $2.60 = $13.

Cricket World Cup: Day 20 Recap

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Day 20 of the Cricket World Cup outlined again that low scoring matches can be just as entertaining as teams piling on 350+.  Perth witnessed a nervy chase of 183 by India in the only game of the day.  Check out our review of the bowler dominated match below:

Day 20 Results

India v West Indies

India made it to eight consecutive wins in Cricket World Cups by narrowly seeing off the West Indies in the closest thing to a scare they have experienced thus far.  Chasing a paltry 183, India were flailing at 78 for 4 and 134 for 6, and facing an embarrassing defeat to a lazy and uninterested West Indies side.  Enter MS Dhoni, captain cool, who steered his side to a 4 wicket win with an unbeaten 45* with the help of Ravi Ashwin (16*).

West Indies had earlier started their chase in the most bizarre fashion.  Chris Gayle looked unfit and unable (or unwilling) to run singles, making it hard fro Dwayne Smith to get off strike, and hard for his side to build any momentum.  When Smith nicked out, the running only got worse as Marlon Samuels joined Gayle, causing a ridiculous run-out and starting the rot which saw the West Indies limp to 85/7.  Their thrown in the deep end captain, Jason Holder, made his second consecutive half century to add some respectability to the total, however, 182 never looked another.

Until India made hard work of their chase that is.  Dhawan pushed at a widish ball from Jermone Taylor to provide the first glimmer of hope for the West Indies, and when Rohit Sharma received a quality outswinger from the same bowler the match looked alive.

Virat Kohli threatened to take the game away from the West Indies until he hooked Russell straight to long leg.  Rahane, who we picked to take the man of the match honours fell to a controversial decision for the hundredth time on this Australia trip, but Dhoni was on hand to guide his side home and well on their way to the top qualification spot.

India still looking very strong and their perceived weakness, the bowling, has now won them three games in a row.

India 185 for 6 (Dhoni 45*) beat West Indies 182 (Holder 57, Shami 3-35) by 4 wickets

Cricket World Cup: Day 20 Preview

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The Three Big Questions

Any merit to Tendulkar’s 25 team World Cup or Martin Crowe’s 18 team idea?

Batting masters Crowe and Tendulkar have both shared their views recently on the changes needed to the World Cup format.  Both agree that expansion rather than rationalisation are the keys to growing the global game and reducing the gap between associates and their test playing rivals.  The thinking of both deserve merit, and both were tremendous students of the game.  The expansion will take time but it is completely necessary to prevent the one sided wallopings occurring at this stage of the World Cup.  It’s like comparing the exam results of kid who never goes to school with a kid who never misses a class.  Bigger format and short games (40 overs) works.

Is Australia’s new lineup risky? 

We’re presuming that yesterdays team is the team they’ll use in the rest of the competition, save for injuries.   That means Shane Watson misses out, Smith bats 3 and Maxwell at 5.  The move significantly increases the firepower.  Maxwell, Marsh, and Faulkner are an ominous trio to have coming in at the death.  The flip-side is of course the risk of early wickets and relying on the same three to hold an innings together, against their natural games.

How does this World Cup rank with past editions?

Probably one of the best so far.  The associates are competing well at times, the crowds are excellent, and the weather has played its part too.  Some World Cups have been farcical – I’m looking at you 2007, so it’s a refreshing change to see a well run machine with three favourites all playing well and on a collision course.

Today’s Matchup

India v West Indies, WACA (Perth – sunny all day), starts 2:30pm local time

India – $1.41

West Indies – $2.85

A stern cricketing test is exactly what India need to measure their World Cup chances.  Whether they’ll get it from an unpredictable West Indies team, however, is anyones guess.  After making their way through the competition unscathed, and returning to some of their best form, India will be keen to test their game with the different challenges a West Indies team will throw at them.  They’re likely to be: an opening assault on their seam bowlers by Chris Gayle; followed by an even bigger assault on their death bowlers by Darren Sammy and Andre Russell; and steep bounce from the bowling of Jason Holder on the most conducive surface in Australia.

How they cope with the challenges will give everyone a better indication of how competitive India will be in the closing stages of the tournament.  Especially given the interesting quarterfinal position jostling between Australia, Sri Lanka and England.

Today’s Bet

The “probably won’t get a bat but if he does he’ll score a hundred” bet

Ajinkya Rahane hasn’t had much chance in the World Cup so far, but he’s a quality player and just look at the price offered on him for Man of the Match ($19).  We’ll take it.

Odds from Palmerbet.

Cricket World Cup: Day 19 Recap

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Even the associates are beginning to get amongst the runs at the Cricket World Cup, after Scotland and Bangladesh both mustered well over 300 today.  In a World Cup full of runs, and thus subsequent grumbles about the size of the bats, two of the lesser nations treated the Saxton Oval faithful to their share of the runs.

Read more on the solitary game played between Bangladesh and Scotland on day 19, below:

Day 19 Results

Scotland v Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s senior statesman delivered a win for their team against a fighting Scotland effort in Nelson today.  The dominant names of Bangladesh cricket all got on the shortened scoreboard, to see off a Scotland side that were brilliantly led by Kyle Coetzer who made his nations first ever World Cup hundred.

Coetzer didn’t deserve to be on the losing side.  His 156 was an exceptional piece of batting, and more than a hundred more than any of his team mates scored.  He swatted 17 fours and 4 maximums to guide his side to their third-highest ODI total.  While not enough to get them a first win, it was significant enough to earn Coetzer the man of the match award.  Useful contributions came via Macham (35), Mommsen (39) and Berrington (26), unfortunately none of them kicked on, nor were any at the speed required to threaten 350+.

Bangladesh timed their chase nicely; the bulk of it coming from a 139 run second wicket stand between Tamin Iqbal  and Mahmudullah.  Tamin was patient, disciplined and seemed to enjoy batting with the more free scoring Mahmudullah who also earned praise for batting so competently after a late promotion.  Musfiqur, Shakib and Sabbir Rahman then polished off the total with two overs to go.  They made 72 from 72 to win look easy.

The win is important confidence boost for Bangladesh.  The belief that they can chase big targets is a big advantage going into their next match against England, which shapes as a quarterfinal showdown.

Bangladesh 322 for 4 (Tamim 95, Mahmudullah 65, Mushfiqur 60, Shakib 52*) beat Scotland 318 for 8 (Coetzer 156, Taskin 3-41) by six wickets

Cricket World Cup: Day 18 Recap

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Australia made it three scores of over 400 in just five days as they heaped all sorts of misery on a powerless Afghanistan side on day 18 of the Cricket World Cup.  In the day’s other match, Pakistan boosted their chances are quarterfinal qualification with  comfortable win over UAE in Napier.

Read on for more on the two games.

Day 18 Results

1. Pakistan v UAE

Pakistan’s batsman were under about as much pressure as naughty selector Moin Khan in the lead up to this match.  The under-performing batsman had failed to score over 240 in any of their matches prior to batting on the road that is McLean Park – a disappointing return given the ease at which sides have put big scores on the board in this World Cup.  Yesterday was different story however, as Ahmed Shehzad, Haris Sohail and Misha-ul-Haq combined to see them through to a much more respectable, and eventually game winning 339.

The total was always going to be too much for the UAE side, even though they have the tournaments leading runscorer in the midsts.  Shaiman Anwar scored 62 to take his World Cup tally to 270, but found little support from his colleagues.  A cautious approach was taken with emphasis on batting the 50 overs rather than threatening the target.

The win may well ease the tension amongst Pakistan fans, but could also set them up for heartache if they can not carry the form on to the knockout stages. Mohammad Irfan is a concern, he  bowled just three overs  before leaving the field.

Pakistan 339 for 6 (Shehzad 93, Sohail 70, Misbah 65, Guruge 4-56) beat UAE 210 for 8 (Anwar 62, Afridi 2-35) by 129 runs

2. Australia v Afghanistan

Australia set the record for the highest ever World Cup total in their huge win over Afghanistan in Perth in the day’s second game.  Led by breathtaking efforts from David Warner and Glenn Maxwell, the Australians  reached new levels of freakishness, and after a stop start campaign thus far, built some important World Cup momentum.  With Warner at the crease a team total of 500 was looking possible, and an individual 250 on offer, even with some useful yorkers being fired in at times by the inexperienced Afghanistan bowlers.  Warner departed f0r 178, but that just brought Maxwell to the crease who smashed and reversed his way to a brutal 88.  Much like AB de Villiers, the Big Show can score all round the park and outlined his credentials as a quality one day international finisher.

He was aptly supported by Steven Smith, who made the most of his promotion to 3 at the expense of Shane Watson with a composed 95.

Starc, Johnson and Hazlewood then took most of the wickets as Australia skittles out their opponents for just 142.  A 275 run winning margin – the second biggest winning margin in the history of ODI cricket.

Australia 417 for 6 (Warner 178, Smith 95, Maxwell 88) beat Afghanistan 142 (Mangal 33, Johnson 4-22) by 275 runs