South Africa and Australia feel uncomfortable. Plus rant on third umpires.
Is Rohit Sharma the GOAT World Cup batter?
South Africa are rolling now, they’re playing so well in this World Cup that South Africans without access to the results are feeling uncomfortable.
Australian fans are just as uncomfortable. The problem for Australia so far is that they have been beaten by pace and spin. That is it, we don’t have another option. Plus they keep dropping catches, this time the entire team became Mitch Marsh’s groin. Australia has lost four straight World Cup games, alert the villagers.
Is De Kock about to have his best ODI World Cup Campaign? (CS)
De Kock has never done really well in his previous ODI World Cups. But, this year he has scored back-to-back centuries.
In recent times, QDK has always looked for a flying start, sometimes so much so that he has tried to force the matter when conditions did not allow it. In his two matches at the WC so far, he has been a lot more circumspect. Is this part of him maturing as a cricketer, or also more to do with how South Africa bat now? Which is helping him.
I also believe that for a few years, he got too obsessed with the scoop. It’s not that he should put it away forever, but he really focused on it too often. He is such a good square of the wicket, he really doesn’t need to play it that much. He can just hit the ball hard, and then when he is struggling turn to it. This innings he did play one, but after he had smashed Australia everywhere.
Side note: I don’t actually think South Africa batted as well as they could. Maybe I rated their batting too high, but it didn’t matter. But I really thought they should have scored 350 plus. They buckled at the end - Australia bowled well. It just felt like they left runs out there. That is a great sign being they are 2-0 and have Australia in their pocket.
South Africa’s new-ball mojo (JK)
Coming into this tournament South Africa had a putrid record with the new ball in ODIs. It made no sense, because the players are good, and they are picking five bowlers every match. They should be rolling with the ball. Yet their short batting lineup has been outperforming their overstocked bowlers.
Today it all came together. Very similar to the game against India for Australia, the second innings had moisture and the ball did a bit. But it would be hard to watch how South Africa hunted for wickets and compare it to Australia.
Shaun Pollock on comms suggested the Aussies were bowling to a total they thought was chaseable. More trying to contain rather than strike. I think there is merit in this. South Africa were much more attacking, with good bowlers with good conditions. Well, we know what happens.
Australia collapse (JK)
A big part of Australia’s success in ODI cricket has always been the top order. Marsh, Boon, Waugh, Gilchrist, Hayden, Finch and Warner. They had Dean Jones, Ponting and Smith at number three as well.
David Warner and Travis Head have been an incredible opening partnership for Australia over the last couple of years in ODIs. On the occasions where Mitch Marsh has been there, it has worked well. But in two World Cup games, they have lost early wickets and then struggled after. This is really annoying for them, because it’s not against the same kinda bowlers, and they know they are good at it.
They can’t be sure of their middle order. Marnus was a last-minute hope, Inglis the same, and Maxi is Maxi. But a top three of Warner, Smith and Marsh should be making runs, even without Head. And they were doing fine, if not spectacular in terms of powerplay averages until the World Cup. But here they have been either slow or non-existent.
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