ICC Cricket World Cup - May/July 2019

[Bevab]

Wouldn’t be surprised if both teams went in with an unchanged XI, especially because Nicholls is fit again. Can’t see beyond England because they’ve got too many match winners and all they need is for one or two to fire. The one thing that they are vulnerable to is a sudden collapse and NZ have the best tools to extract such a collapse in Boult and Henry upfront. They will be in big trouble if those early wickets don’t fall however as their death bowling is nothing big to write about and England aren’t going to give Santner and CdG the respect that most other teams have done.

@NilayShah60 Munro is the last player that I would have in the lineup. He’s proven beyond any doubt that he’s only effective versus weaker teams and with him and Guptill there, they effectively start 2 down. Bit surprised that you’ve had him in there as you’ve vehemently criticised players like him who treat ODIs like T20s. If at all Munro should play, he should bat at 6 with Latham opening due to previous experience or Williamson opening because he comes within the first three overs anyway. Nicholls can at least hold his wicket for a few overs and is good on the back foot, which is important against Archer and Wood.

Sodhi is another player that shouldn’t be in this side, he’s an average spinner in ODIs and at no cost should replace Lockie who has been the best bowler by far for NZ in this tournament.[DOUBLEPOST=1563087313][/DOUBLEPOST]

I think it'll be more difficult but home advantage plays a massive part in test cricket these days.

England did whitewash Sri Lanka in their own home which is a quite incredible thing to do even if the Lankans aren’t the force they once were. They will stand favourites as long as they pack their side with all-rounders that allows them to bat deep once again.

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

. Bit surprised that you’ve had him in there as you’ve vehemently criticised players like him who treat ODIs like T20s.

A loss in WC can hurt you and make you realise what you've done wrong. I think Munro has scored enough runs against us and I don't think our bowling is weak.

 

[Alexei.]

Colin Munro
Martin Guptill
Kane Williamson
Ross Taylor
Tom Latham
Jimmy Neesham
Colin de Grandhomme
Mitchell Santner
Ish Sodhi
Trent Boult
Matt Henry

I would want Munro to come in because he is an X-factor player and could've have a huge impact once he gets going so he comes in. Due to Lord's being a hollowed turf would definitely help spinners to some extent so I am going with 2 spinners. Can't keep Trent Boult out as he is a go to player for New Zealand and Henry still remains in the team because of the spell he bowled in the last match.

I dont know why NZ didn't try Latham as an opener, he used to open, If Munro-Guptill find form they are as dangerous as Roy-Bairstow (if they find form), I dont think dropping Ferguson is a nice move. I dont think New Zealand have the ability of scoring 300+ (given their current form) against Archer, Wood, Woakes. If New Zealand can give hell of an opening spell to England, that would be good or they'll have to score at least 270 because we've seen in the last Knockout match that England will play knockouts like any other match. Also if something like 2015 happens with Munro and Guptill, New Zealand are done and dusted.

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

Nicholls can at least hold his wicket for a few overs

Isn't he a make-shift ?

 

[Bevab]

A loss in WC can hurt you and make you realise what you've done wrong. I think Munro has scored enough runs against us and I don't think our bowling is weak.

Has he though? I don’t remember a single significant performance from him during our tour there. As far as I know, most of his runs were scored versus Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Any opener who averages less than 25 after 50 innings is quite clearly no option for the opening spot. Nicholls on the contrary has experience opening and can at least play a solid knock if he gets his eye in. Thought he was crucial in the semis and was unfortunate to get out to a very good delivery from Jadeja. Had it not been for his grinding effort, Roscoe would have come in a lot sooner and NZ would have been nowhere near victory given how shaky he was at the start.

@Noctis. Latham stopped opening because he wasn’t comfortable with his workload due to keeping too, remember that he isn’t a natural keeper-batsman either. I did suggest that he could open for only the knockout games as a temporary measure if he was going to play anyways and have Blundell in the middle order for keeping or Nicholls in his natural position.

EDIT - so I pulled up Munro’s numbers and delved into them a bit. He has only one good knock versus India in seven games and that was two years ago on a batting surface. And true to what I’ve previously mentioned, his record stands good only versus the Lankans and Tigers. Most importantly, he has been dismissed for a duck thrice out of six occasions versus England and has made it to double figures only once. Yikes.

To summarise, this is a player who gives you a fifty every seven games on average which is at a very quick rate to be fair, but fails miserably in the other six games. Nicholls on the other hand has shown his class in tests over the last year and can build an innings. If Munro were to produce a match winning effort like Rohit or Zaman do with their big hundreds, it is easy to excuse his inconsistency. But he hasn’t scored a century till date even after 50 innings. Does he even merit a selection in the team now? I leave the rest upto your interpretations.

 

[Villain]

Lockie Ferguson will be the key with the ball for New Zealand today, his pace is too good to handle. They say it's a lot more about accuracy but in my opinion if you can be averagely accurate with that pace you don't give the batsman enough time to react. My all-time favorites Lee, Akhtar, Bond are prime examples!

It's obvious if England wins the toss they'll be wanting to bat, if NZ wants to win this their batsmen have to fire and score something around 290 and let them chase if they win the toss. It won't be easy to chase 290+ in a Final no matter how good your batting is.

England obviously has the upper hand, they've many who can win the game for them. They need to back what they do the best, it's their best ever chance to win a WorldCup.

 

[asprin]

I don’t remember a single significant performance from him during our tour there. As far as I know, most of his runs were scored versus Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Any opener who averages less than 25 after 50 innings is quite clearly no option for the opening spot.

Agree. His ODI record does not reflect very bright numbers.

His average against Australia and England is very poor and somewhat better against SA but no where close to where it should be.

 

[Bevab]

Will the game start on time? And most importantly, will we finish play today? Heard that it has been raining in London since late night. Wet outfields have been a constant source of nightmares for us fans throughout this tournament.

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

Has he though? I don’t remember a single significant performance from him during our tour there.

I do agree he isn't a quality player. But in Final even if an opener scores 25(10) and gets the team off to a good start say 30/1 in 4 overs and puts the pressure back on opposition it does prove to be helpful. It's worth a risk I would say.

 

[Yorkshireman]

New Zealand won the toss and will bat first. Oof.

 

[Bigby Wolf]

In the last 3 WC finals the team that have won the toss ended up losing up the finals.

Also happened in the 99 WC and 2003 WC final are another similar case study.

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

So both teams go unchanged. It can be something to do with sticking to basics. I still feel England would be able to chase if they start well.

 

[Punk_Sk8r]

Urgh why is Darmasena umpiring? (I dont care to spell his name right)

 

[Bevab]

Urgh why is Darmasena umpiring? (I dont care to spell his name right)

At least we’ve got Erasmus on the other end who’s the best in the world right now. Man keeps himself smooth and correct even when the TV presenter signals the out.

 

[hammadahmed88]

Wowzer. I was thinking why would you review that, and missing over the top. Pressure straight away.