It was a pleasure to watch that innings from start to finish. Highest individual score in a World Cup match. If Guptill and McCullum both click against South Africa on Tuesday, look out!
643 runs in 80.3 overs of batting carnage today. 62 fours and 31 sixes. The batsman's World Cup continues, with the ICC nodding approvingly and counting the dollars.
The beauty of having three formats of cricket - Test, ODI and T20 - is that they are independent of each other by way of skill, ability and temperament. Having watched most of the World Cup games, my view is that 50 over cricket is purely an extension of T20 cricket and almost irrelevant.
643 runs in 80.3 overs of batting carnage today. 62 fours and 31 sixes. The batsman's World Cup continues, with the ICC nodding approvingly and counting the dollars.
The beauty of having three formats of cricket - Test, ODI and T20 - is that they are independent of each other by way of skill, ability and temperament. Having watched most of the World Cup games, my view is that 50 over cricket is purely an extension of T20 cricket and almost irrelevant.
Don't you think the players have got better at the game and the fact bowlers have to be able to swing the ball,the New Zealand grounds are small but in saying that you still have to hit the ball,and the bowlers swing the ball,there has been some big scores but games when the bowlers have kicked ass with swing at pace and a good spin bowler not just part-timers having said that bring on s.a at Eden park on Tuesday
As far as who should be picked do you mean mate? I think they should both play - Johnson, Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins - with Faulkner, Watson and Maxwell to be the "fifth bowler".
My ideal XI would be Warner, Finch, Smith, Clarke, Maxwell, Haddin, Faulkner, Johnson, Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins. I think that Haddin is wasted at No 7 in the ODI team and that Watson's inconsistent batting and bowling is too much of a liability.
As far as who should be picked do you mean mate? I think they should both play - Johnson, Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins - with Faulkner, Watson and Maxwell to be the "fifth bowler".
My ideal XI would be Warner, Finch, Smith, Clarke, Maxwell, Haddin, Faulkner, Johnson, Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins. I think that Haddin is wasted at No 7 in the ODI team and that Watson's inconsistent batting and bowling is too much of a liability.
I agree with all of that.
My team would be Finch, Warner, Smith, Ckarke, Maxwell, Faulkner/Haddin (6 and 7) Johnson, Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood. But if I had to choose between Cummins and Hazlewood I would probably go with Hazlewood.
Both side gave absolutely everything. The raw emotion from both teams, particularly South Africa. You could see how much it meant to them and to get so close yet to fall again. Heartbreaking....
Fairytale for the kiwis. Let's hope the Aussies can get past India on Thursday and set up an absolute cracker of a final.
Counting down the hours until Thursday!
What a world cup. Shame it has to come to a close.....