Writing is like T20 batting. If you block, you might as well retire to the pavilion! -- Pete Langman
Expat in Germany

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Match of the Tournament

Even as Virat Kohli is practicing to perfect those square drives, Rohit Sharma sleeping for probably the last ten hours at least and Mitchell Johnson practicing all the swear words he could just in case, to be handy on the ground tomorrow, I still haven't got out of the brilliance of the first semi final between South Africa and New Zealand.

 http://www.starsports.com/cricket/videos/vod/video=icc-cricket-world-cup-2015-new-zealand-south-africa-winning-run-heartbreak-for-joy-for/index.html

What a match! Easily the best match of the tournament so far. Made its mark in history books. Wow that was close. That was really close. It was not that one team was the better one. The cooler team won. That is it. There is definitely the effect of rain on the South African batting. But then it is in such circumstances that a captain like Ganguly is needed. There always was a fear of rain, so South Africa should have realised that they had to maintain a competitive run rate from the beginning. New Zealand was better prepared in that aspect and they got their calculations right, huge runs in the beginning. Result, even though their run rate dipped to around six in the middle overs, they kept their cool and the required run rate was kept in check!


One most important factor why New Zealand won the match is definitely "the grand old man of New Zealand," Daniel Luca Vettori being at the crease in the last over. Years of experience will certainly inspire one himself and the partner too. Even in the final over, Vettori was rotating strike! New Zealand would want to give one of the most favourite all rounders of all time a grand farewell! Well done Elliot, you deserve the man of the match.
No body choked. New Zealand too dropped a lot of catches. Just because the word chokers is long used for South Africans, it is improper to say that they have choked at the right time. The match would have belonged to either side. What if the blind swing of Grant Elliot's missed the ball? Would South Africa have worn off their chokers name? Most of the stops on field by the South Africans were just brilliant, including Hashim Amla's!!

I once said that I have been looking forward for a New Zealand-South Africa final though deep in my heart I always support India. This was a feast, a final in itself. Such was the match. Just gripping. We were all in the laboratory, doing our experiments or rather all watching the match on phones. The five minute delay was too much for me and I ran to the research scholars room and follow live commentary on ESPN cricinfo and Yahoo cricket! None of the New Zealand supporters (all the Indian supporters would definitely have supported!!) jumped after the gripping match. We could not!! Not after we saw ABD, Faf, Morne and Steyn cry. Cry loud for the world cup. You will do it one day!! #Proteafire


All those who want to #GoGold today also will #BleedBlue because, #wewontgiveitback

 

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