Final: Australia vs New Zealand

[nikhil_99]

Hmm. I reckon the Aussies wil overcome the Kiwis. They look a far better team on paper and have been on a role of late.

Yes,definatly.Aus have upper hand...looks like Aus wants to win CT 2nd time (they were the winners of last edition)...

 

[Hooper]

Well well well, another tournament another cup it seems.

No one even thought we had a chance really, with India, Pak and SA favourites over us.

Oh and England... Where are you? Oh, still reeling from being blasted by the games finest all-rounder, Shane Watson.. Better then Flintoff LOL. How sad your national hero is second best to the blonde bombshell himself.

 

[aussie1st]

Every ICC final NZ have been in they have won.

Same for us
The winner will become the most successful team in the Champions trophy currently held by WI who have made 3 finals for 1 win. WI record is quite impressive considering they aren't really considered a heavyweight.

 

[sifter132]

From a pure one-eyed Aussie POV, it would great to beat England then NZ - our 2 biggest rivals. Not to mention the so-called new world order of teams: South Africa, India and Sri Lanka not even making the semis. Would be the cap of a great tournament for an Aussie.

As for the match, Redmond, Taylor and Elliott are the guys who have looked best against Australia in the past. Redmond and Elliott haven't played us much though - it could have been a fluke . Taylor is the gun man for me. McCullum misses mostly against Australia and Guptill and Broom haven't done much either.

For the bowling, Shane Bond has always done well against Australia, but he hasn't dominated them for a while. In the last 5 years he's had a 5fer and a 4fer against them, but none of the guys he got out then (in 07) are even playing for Australia now (exception: Cameron White) so there should be no historical baggage against Bond. Franklin has traditionally been pummelled by the Aussies and Butler didn't do much in his 2 games against Australia either. So the Aussies will probably look to sit on Vettori and Mills mostly, attack Franklin and Butler, while seeing off Bond if he looks dangerous.

 

[irottev]

Bond's first overs in the PAK game he looked fantastic. He had the ball swinging. If he can do that again and gets a bit more luck he'll be a force to be reckoned with. His figures look a ad worse than he bowled because he bowled in the slog overs and sadly they got after him a little.

 

[Howsie]

The biggest worry I have is the 3 pacemen, Lee, Johnson and Siddle. Our batters don't face that kind of pace and aggression often so I hope they're up for it.

I actually think our batsmen will be up for them tbh. This is me being really biased here so you might want to skip it if you're an aussie.

The last time Redmond played Australia (his last test) he went out and hit a very agressive 83, I remember him hitting both Lee and Hauritz around. Martin Guptill did fairly well on his first overseas tour to Australia, he took Mitchell Johnson apart in the last game (washed out game) where he hit 66 of 32 balls. Taylor's always done fairly well against Australia, in 16 games he's averaging 40 with one 100 and four 50's. Grant Elliott was outstanding early this year in the CH series, he made a game winning 60 odd not out in the second ODI and then he scored his first 100 in the 3rd game.

I'm looking forward to watching Guptill play Lee, Siddle and Johnson, I think he might like Siddle's length.

I just think overall our batsmen might be a tad more confindent playing the Aussie attack then what they were against Pakistan and their two spinners. It should be a good game.

 

[SaiSrini]

Go New Zealand! Its a big thing that they have made the final. I hope they topple the Aussie applecart and run away with the trophy. It would be a big moment for NZ if they win this tournament.

 

[TumTum]

If you remember the ODI series between Aus and NZ earlier this year, Aussies looked to attack Vettori, and then their bowling fell apart.

Aussies traditionally are always aggressive in finals and will look to attack the containment bowlers. I hope Bond damages his record .

 

[Ari]

Very proud of the guys for getting this far. Had you asked me how New Zealand was going to go before the start of the tournament I would have honestly said a first round exit with a victory over England.

You guys need to write us off a bit more we seem to do better then. There are a few to many "well maybe NZ can win this" going on in this thread. More NZ pessimism please.

 

[piriyanth]

Battle between the two neighbouring countires.

This is going to be so epic.

 

[nz0003]

I'm really nervous ITBT. Living in Australia, I won't hear the end of this if we lose, so I hope the boys fire up and put in a good performance. It's been one hell of an effort to get here, one more big push and we have a decent chance of lifting the trophy. Elliot WAG.

 

[angryangy]

I just think overall our batsmen might be a tad more confindent playing the Aussie attack then what they were against Pakistan and their two spinners. It should be a good game.

It's something that could easily translate into over-confidence. In last night's match, the worst thing NZ did in the entire game was to so carelessly give up early wickets to the pacemen. The wickets that fell to the spinners all took a lot more buying. The first semi showed that to an even greater degree; England enjoyed facing the pace a lot more than NZ yesterday, but they fired their wickets at Australia like grapeshot.

 

[just_cricket]

Looks like I'm going to have another late night tomorrow...
I'd love us (New Zealand) to win but I can't really see it happening- everything Australia has done since the Ashes has been brilliant, the only way I can see New Zealand winning is that Ponting and co. could be due for a failure?
And Bond is back, playing his favourite opposition for the first time in years!
I was about to say "Gonna be a cracker" but I think NZ will bat first and collapse to 150 all out somehow.

 

[nz0003]

I really hope Australia win the toss.

 

[BoomBoom]

I expect kiwis to bat first and put up something around 300 on the board if they gonna win this. Though aussies are favourites over NZ.

Among the current kiwis lineup, styris should be there.. He is much more impressive than few of the players in the current kiwi batters.