Its Summer! - the Fever Cricket Thread. (Part 2)

Milne out - Henry in.

Hopefully they'll play him because: A) He's been playing cricket so is match fit and B) the Safs won't have done much/any planning work on him.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that RSA are going to collapse like a house of cards tomorrow and we'll walk the game.

Don't think Williamson choked at all; righted the ship, as he has to do basically every game, when McCullum swung out.

Don't think Williamson choked at all; righted the ship, as he has to do basically every game, when McCullum swung out.

McCullum's after match comment was interesting. He basically said that why bother changing the way anyone is playing? If one or two fail then there is always someone who steps up. If it comes off early, you already take the opposition out of the game. Stay reckless and aggressive fellas!!

Unbeaten into the semis... I wouldn't call that terribly reckless. It's a plan, and it's working.

We don't have the players to compete by playing textbook cricket.

If NZ get knocked out in the semi, I'm not sure how this can be considered a failure. They are playing a team ranked above them and they are 4th in those rankings. Logic suggests that anything higher than the semis is an over-achievement.

My money is still on SA or Australia to win it which I have maintained from the start. I don't believe that Australia will lose this at home to be more specific however.

Old fashioned this.

McCullum is no fool, if he thought that he was the only top tier batsman in the team I think we'd see him play a bit more conservatively. But it's a very balanced team and any of the top order batsman have the ability to pick up the slack if a few players get out cheaply at the top. McCullum playing the way he does is a risk, but it's a calculated risk, and it's clearly working.

Maybe the beaver moment??

i think it is reckless but in the best sense of the word. Teams expect at this stage opposition to go into their shell - playes like ABV, McCullum and Maxwell won't do this and this makes for exciting reckless cricket (with an insurance policy)

Rain forecast before the game tomorrow and clearing as they look to start. Bowl first me-thinks. 

Not sure about Australia winning, all of their 4 world cup wins have been away from home so they'll have to wait till 2019 to try again.  As for India, one away and one at home.  Australia will account for them in the final, think they have a mental block when it comes to playing Australia.

I've re-read that post several times now and i'm struggling to comprehend it.

Translation

Australia won't win the world cup because they are playing at home and they've never won it at home.  Thus 4 more years.

India have won twice - one of those wins was in England that other in India.  I believe India have a mental block when it comes to playing Australia in Australia, therefore I don't think they will win their semi final on Wednesday.

Alternative Translation.

I'm not quite sure who's sh!ttest, Aus or Ind. Neither of them will win and they will just make tomorrows game the final. Screw convention.

Bat first, score 270+, they won't chase it, they'll crumble.

Fudgeing hell I can't wait!!!

Every game is completely different.

Players can have an on/off day. Weather, ground conditions.Luck.

We will see.

Re the conditions and the toss. I think the possibilty of swing and the extra bounce are important factors which will be right up there with anything else they're considering. The opposition of course are probably the biggest factor. The stats in Wellington say you should bowl first but McCullum put WI in the field based on who they were playing. I can't really pick it and that's after talking to players/coaches. Milne's replacement is also a hard one to pick. Pretty pumped whatever happens, huge day for sport in NZ's history.

Henry was the game plan all along? surprise attack

Raining in Auckland as I type - according to the Radio. Wednesday is a reserve day apparently.

Will clear up.

Does the forcast say persistant rain today? No. Stop talking about the reserve day!

Geez I'm nervous about this game. Kind of don't want to invest myself in it too much, in case we get creamed. This one could really go either way.

Feeling confident and nervous. Didn't really believe that stuff about choking. That said it would be nice for BMac to roll over the top of the Saffas after Boult, Southee, Vettori and Henry decimated them and watch them fold up the way Leighbo was predicting. that would be a decent day!!

Just a quick message for our little Yellow Fever cricket family - Team, we've been through a lot following this team. A day like today could make it all worthwhile. It's been a pleasure sharing the highs and lows with you all and may there be many more! Cmon boys!

I just feel that RSA are going on and on about being the best but are very fragile under the surface - the fact they keep spouting it, shows they are trying to convince themselves otherwise.

IND, AUS and NZL are just getting on with it, keeping to themselves and making it matter on the field.

SAF will buckle they're under too much internal pressure.

Who won the toss, sky hasn't covered it live. 

South Africa won the toss and are batting first.

Quite like that  Laura McGoldrickGuptill

Work productivity in NZ is going to absolutely plummet over the next 3 hours. Even my bosses are glued to their phones watching cricinfo.

Not confident.

Dropping catches...

Amla's in.