Tag: Zimbabwe

Cricket World Cup: Day 28 Recap and Day 29 Preview

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Day 28 Results

1. India v Zimbabwe

Brendon Taylor’s final game for Zimbabwe almost followed the script.  The final innings hundred was there – an incredible collection of reverse sweeps, powerful lofts, and cheeky ramps – and at 93/4 the victory looked a possibility too.  Unfortunately, India’s powerful middle order covered over the top order cracks and completed victory by 6 wickets and 8 balls remaining.  The crux of the chase was an unbeaten 196 run partnership between Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni.  The pair rescuing a dire situation for the unbeaten Indian side, after the top order had collapsed to 93/4.

Earlier, Taylor had thrilled a large Auckland crowd with a final international innings of the highest quality. He scored 138, including 70 from his final 29 balls.  He was supported by Sean Williams in the most significant partnership of the innings, before Sikandar Raza added a quickfire 28 just as the momentum threatened to collapse.

Eden Park is always a difficult ground to defend totals on, and it proved too tricky for the Zimbabwe bowlers as Raina and Dhoni maturely saw India to their sixth World Cup win.

India 288 for 4 (Raina 110, Dhoni 85) beat Zimbabwe 287 (Taylor 138, Williams 50, Yadav 3-43, Mohit 3-48, Shami 3-48) by 6 wickets

 

2. Australia v Scotland

Australia comfortably beat Scotland and the rain to wrap up second spot in Pool A.

Opting to bowl first to beat the rain, Australia quickly gained the ascendancy with quick wickets to all of the bowlers.  In fairness, the Scottish batsman, who have struggled all tournament, contributed to their own demise with a host of rash shots and an unusually aggressive mindset.  In all, Scotland made just 130, with a brief break in the play for weather not able to save them from somewhat of a humiliation.

Mitchell Starc took 4 wickets to leap to the top of the wickettaker charts, Cummins had three, and Watson, Johnson and Maxwell all got in on the action.

Australia then used the chase to give Michael Clarke an extended bat.  He opened and made 47, and Finch, Watson, Faulkner and Warner all pitched in with handy efforts at better than a run a ball.  The win sets up a quarterfinal against the winner of todays Ireland v Pakistan match.

Australia 133 for 3 (Clarke 47) beat Scotland 130 (Machan 40, Starc 4-14, Cummins 3-42) by seven wickets

 

Day 29 Matches

1. West Indies v UAE, McLean Park (Napier – cloudy, windy, chance of rain), starts 11:00am local time

West Indies – $1.04

UAE – $11.00

West Indies must beat the UAE today and then await the result of the Pakistan / Ireland game from Adelaide.  Task number one will be tricky given the cyclone from Vanuatu threatening to bring adverse conditions to the East Coast of New Zealand.  It might also be tough if Chris Gayle is passed unfit to compete; his back still a big worry.

The final chance for UAE to register a win comes at the familiar location of Napier where they have based themselves for much of the tournament.  They’re coming off a relatively poor showing against South Africa, so they’ll need to improve if they are to crash the West Indies party.

2. Pakistan v Ireland, Adelaide Oval (Adelaide – partly cloudy), starts 2:00pm local time

Pakistan – $1.27

Ireland – $3.82

Ireland’s most important Cricket World Cup game in history will settle a tense Pool B.  Ireland need a win to make it through to the knockout stages for the first time (they have previously made the Super 8’s in 2007).  They could also hope for an abandoned game in Napier, but they would much prefer to be the masters of their own destiny.

Irelands’s poor net run rate is their major issue heading into the final match.  They’ve done commendably to beat UAE, West Indies and Zimbabwe but need to muster every ounce of skill and self-belief to do the unthinkable.

 

Day 29 Multi

The “Gayle Force Upset” Multi

Chris Gayle loves McLean Park, a test 197* springs to mind as evidence of his love of the small ground, but he’s also doubtful with a bad back.  If he plays we’re backing him to perform amongst the cyclone.

Gale To Top Score at $2.88 + Ireland winning Head-to-Head at $3.82 = $11.00

Odds courtesy of Sportsbet Australia.

Cricket World Cup: Day 27 Recap and Day 28 Preview

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Day 27 Results

1. New Zealand v Bangladesh

Martin Guptill and the lower order helped New Zealand get past Bangladesh in their final Pool game of the Cricket World Cup, but only just.  Chasing 289 to win, the Black Caps looked to be cruising with Guptill and Ross Taylor controlling the chase, however, the brave Bangladeshi slow bowlers refused to give the game away and took it right down to the wire.  In the end, cameos from Corey Anderson (39), Daniel Vettori (16) and Tim Southee (12) were needed to see the locals home with seven balls to spare.

Bangladesh had earlier recovered from a poor first ten overs – they were 29/2 – to post an excellent 288.  That was largely thanks to Mohammad Mahmudullah’s second consecutive hundred.  His 128 was as good if not better than his previous knock against England.  If featured, nervy start, in which a couple f chances went down within his first few balls, but then controlled aggression and supreme patience.  He allowed others to build partnerships around him and later destroyed Mitchell McClenaghan in the final overs.

Bangladesh’s tactic of using slow bowlers to curb Brendon McCullum’s free scoring worked well.  Shakib bowled an opening over maiden and then removed McCullum and Williamson shortly after.  The plan was working and they should have been well on top had they reviewed an LBW decision against Guptill that went against them.  Guptill got to 100, Taylor to 50, and New Zealand seemed on course before allowing the late pressure to get a bit much for them.  Instead of cool heads, Guptill; Taylor; Elliot; Ronchi; and Anderson all went for wild swipes and perished.

And just when Bangladesh started to believe, Shakib, the hero of the innings with four important top order wickets, went for 12 to lose by 3 wickets.

New Zealand 289 for 7 (Guptill 105, Shakib 4-55) beat Bangladesh 288 for 7 (Mahmudullah 128*, Soumya 51) by three wickets

2. England v Afghanistan

The second match of the day was damp, dull and decidedly English in conditions and appearance.  Sydney’s persistent rain had reduced play to just 50 overs and reduced the crowd to a sparse smattering.  It was befitting of the England Cricket World Cup campaign that this was how it ended.  No bright lights, no powerful opposition and no fanfare.  Simply a final Pool game won comfortably against an associate nation.

All five bowlers took wickets for England, again there was no standout, and they chased their target of 100 easily.  Just one down, with runs to Ian Bell and Alex Hales.  Ian Bell scored another half century, his third of the tournament, but that just accentuates the problems with England.  Not enough hundreds, not enough wickets, no x-factor and carrying a captain averaging 19 in the tournament.

A comfortable win to finish for England, a disappointing final effort from Afghanistan despite bringing plenty of value to the occasion.

England 101 for 1 (Bell 52*, Hales 37) beat Afghanistan 111 for 7 (Shafiqullah 30) by nine wickets (D/L method)

Day 28 Matches

1. India v Zimbabwe

India – $1.10

Zimbabwe – $7.00

India will look to continue their unbeaten World Cup run that spans not only this edition but also 2011’s tournament.  Five from five this year and verging on ten in total, the Indians ave been mightily impressive, despite being given very little chance to do well at the onset.

So dominant have they been, they’ll relish a challenge and the chance to give more batsman game time if Zimbabwe can come to the party.  That could be too much to ask, but we hope not, especially for Brendon Taylor, who deserves a fitting farewell in his final match for Zimbabwe (he’s signed for Nottinghamshire on a Kolpack deal).

2. Australia v Scotland

Australia – $1.01

Scotland – $17.00

Australia will make short work of Scotland in the second of the day’s matches.  Scotland have been the biggest disappointment of the associate nations and you get the feeling they’ll just want to get home.  The only unanswered questions in this match are the size of the total if Australia bat first, the overs taken to chase down Scotland’s effort if they bat first, and whether Shane Watson will play (which might be a tip for who gets the quarterfinal spot).

Day 28 Multi

The Test Best Double

During the Australian Summer two batsman stood out amongst a number of fine efforts.  They were both captains of their sides at various times in the series and both made centuries for fun in the four test series.  That’s why we’re backing them to succeed today.

Virat Kohli to Top Score at $4.75 + Steven Smith to Top Score at $5.00 = $23.75

Odds from Unibet Australia.

Cricket World Cup: Day 21 Recap

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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

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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 16 Recap

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Day 16 Results

1. Sri Lanka v England

Being better but still losing by ten wickets is wonderfully bittersweet.  Especially when you’re the England skipper and your own form is horrendous, your getting grief for not singing the side’s national anthem, and if you’re out of the Cricket World Cup if you don’t beat Afghanistan and Bangladesh in your last two games.

That’s what Eoin Morgan’s going through. Piling on three hundred he would’ve gone to lunch pretty satisfied with his teams work.  Joe Root laid the platform with a well controlled hundred, and Jos Buttler finished it off with the death over impetus that the situation demanded.  Lunch would have gone down well, with Morgan assuming his band of quicks would have no trouble defending the huge total.

But they couldn’t.  They were never a chance as Sri Lanka waltzed to an imperious victory – by nine wickets and with 16 balls remaining.  Centuries to Kumar Sangakkara and Lahiru Thirimanne suddenly making Morgan’s position as captain looking shaky.  Sangakkara was particularly masterful.  His hundred coming from just 70 balls and upping the ante just when required.  In fact, the hundred was Sangakkara’s quickest ever, and outlines the ominous form he is currently in (near his very best).  Thirimanne also enjoyed the flat pitch as he looks more assured in his role at the tope of the order.  His hundred means all of Sri Lanka’s top four have crossed the hundred mark in this Cricket World Cup.

England’s bowlers look dreadfully off the pace and are unlikely to worry any opposition batsman on these surfaces.  Their two best bowlers (over a long period of time), Stuart Broad and James Anderson are averaging 92 and 91 respectively with the ball in the four games they have completed in the Cricket World Cup.  They need to get the Kookaburra ball swinging and quickly if they are any chance to make the quarterfinals and then surprise someone in them.

A batting order change around is probably necessary too.  We’d have Ali, Hales, Bell, Root, Buttler, Taylor, Morgan…

Sri Lanka 312 for 1 (Thirimanne 139*, Sangakkara 117*) beat England 309 for 6 (Root 121, Bell 49) by nine wickets

2. Pakistan v Zimbabwe

Pakistan finally got on the board at the Cricket World Cup with a gritty win over underdogs Zimbabwe in Canberra.  Zimbabwe’s known achilles heal – their inability to contain run rates at the death – and their Betcirca predicted second achilles heal – inability to handle the bounce of Mohammed Irfan – ultimately cost them the game, despite being competitive throughout.

Pakistan are developing some fragilities of their own.  The batting unit look well below par, and they were indebted to Misbah-ul-Haq and Wahab Riaz for bringing some respectability to the total and ensuring the bowlers had something to defend.  At 127/5 and 155/6 Pakistan looked to be sliding towards another World Cup defeat, and their place in the knockout stages was looking dicey.  However, the ever patient ul-Haq and Riaz managed to put together a partnership of 47, and Riaz was able to continue the momentum in the final overs to help his team post 235.  Zimbabwe conceded 73 from the last ten overs and put down two of the easiest outfield catches you’ll ever see, in a further example of the reason they can’t quite get wins at this level.

Zimbabwe’s chase started poorly.  They lost three early wickets to Mohammed Irfan which derailed any chance of early momentum and meant they would always be chasing the game.  Brendon Taylor did his best to hold the innings together, and Elton Chigumbura batted bravely in the face of a significant injury concern, but they still fell 20 runs short.  Irfan added a fourth wicket, and Riaz matched his haul, while Umar Akmal had a hand in six dismissals.

Pakistan 235 for 7 (Misbah 73, Wahab 54*, Chatara 3-35) beat Zimbabwe 215 (Taylor 50, Irfan 4-30, Wahab 4-45) by 20 runs

Cricket World Cup: Day 16 Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The Three Big Questions

What does New Zealand’s win mean for the World Cup?

The Black Caps win was highly entertaining but doesn’t mean all that much for the rest of the World Cup.  They will probably top Pool A now and have a home quarterfinal and semifinal if they get that far.  It makes  Australia’s road slightly harder and they may face the difficult prospect of South Africa in the semi-final; possibly a little earlier than anticipated.  The win proves low totals are defendable, showcases swing bowling as a very serious weapon against the power hitting approach, but also shows New Zealand’s susceptibility to quality pace bowling.  Taylor, Elliot and Anderson all looked vulnerable to real pace, and their form will be a concern.

How will Australia respond?

By dominating all of their opponents in the lead up to the semifinals.  It was certainly a wake up call and we expect them to bounce back with huge performances against Scotland, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.  Big wins against the raining Pool companions will return them to confidence and remove any demons from their Eden Park performance – they won’t bat this badly again in the tournament.

What did the win do to the tournament winner odds?

Australia – $2.90, South Africa – $4.00, New Zealand – $4.25.

No change to the outright market after the unexpected win.  While New Zealand may shorten over the next few days, there was no flurry of money on New Zealand after their nervy batting performance.  Australia still big favourites (as expected).

Today’s Matchups

1. England v Sri Lanka, Wellington Regional Stadium (Wellington – mostly sunny), starts 11:00am local time

England – $1.85

Sri Lanka – $1.95

Bookies are having a hard time separating two evenly matched teams in the day’s first encounter in Wellington.  Both teams have had their share of disappointment in the tournament thus far, but both are coming off big wins against Scotland and Bangladesh respectively.  This game should give a good indication of the merits of each teams Cricket World Cup chances.

Look for plenty of runs on a quick Wellington surface and expect this one to go deep into the last overs to find a winner.

2. Pakistan v Zimbabwe, The Gabba (Brisbane – parlty cloudy), starts 1:30pm local time

Pakistan – $1.25

Zimbabwe – $4.00

Pakistan have the chance to ease the nerves of their entire nation, and in the process save a few effigies from the predictable burning.  Their easiest matchup of the World Cup thus far gives them an opportunity to build confidence, find some form, and settle on the combinations that will hopefully compete in the knockout stages.  Zimbabwe haven’t played a bad game yet so they’ll target this one as a genuine upset chance.  How they handle the uncomfortable bounce of Mohammed Irfan will ultimately determine how they go.  Oh and their death bowling needs to improve too.

Today’s Multi

The Sexual Innuendo Multi

Joe Root to Top Score – $5.00 + ‘Boom Boom’ Afridi to Win Man of the Match Award – $12.00

Pays – $60.00

Odds from BetEasy.