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That pitch looks a belter for batting on GTR.

I hope I am wrong but 306 may be tough for the Kiwis. Looks like the pitch is holding up a bit and they have lost a wicket already.

Kiwis did well to restrict Eng from 0/122 after 18 to 305....but geez their batting was mediocre....looks like Bairstow and Roy are the key to Eng success and batting first too....Aust beat SA then play NZ in the semi....lose to SA and Aust play Eng.....rather the former than the latter....but in all honesty being a one off game anyone can win....regardless of underdog status.....rather play Eng than NZ....because Bairstow and Roy are due a failure, whilst bloody Guptill is way overdue one his fast starts....sods law it will come in the semi...even Munro too.

Its pretty obvious that England are the number 1 ODI team on a flat featherbed pitch which doesnt allow an examination of techniques by the oppositions bowlers. So they are flat track bullies.They are found out when they are asked to play on a pitch that has a bit of juice in it. Fair to say that the hosts will try and prepare roads for the semis and final.
South Africa will not be a pushover for Australia. They will fight hard to put a spoke in the Australian wheel and they were playing a lot better in their last few games. A semi final V NZ would be infinitely preferable than the other option. Not saying the Kiwis couldnt beat us but England have a lot of momentum at the present and I think that we would have more chance of beating them or India in a final at Lords rather than in a semi at Birmingham where our record is pretty ordinary.

I fully agree with your thoughts, Freezin and Mike.
Thanks to Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy, England has set up their strong victories against India and New Zealand, and would almost be favourites to win the World Cup based on their momentum.
That said, after the opening starts they received, England didn't post "monster" scores, similar to how Australia has failed to capitalise on Aaron Finch and Dave Warner's great performances at the top of the order.
I also think Australia would prefer to face India in the semis, so for that reason I hope we knock off South Africa on Saturday night.
Just a shame the top two didn't receive the double chance, similar to the former WAFL final-four system.
Or maybe if the No.1 team loses its semi, it could challenge the winner of the final, like the VFL and WAFL finals system used up until the early 1930s.
If England did win the World Cup, they'd go into the Ashes on a wave of confidence.
Perhaps their Cup-winning players would be knighted, similar to when they regained the Ashes in 2005 after a 16-year absence.
It is Sir Paul Collingwood, I recall, after he scored 7 and 10, took 0-17 off 4 overs and took a catch in his only series appearance, the 5th Test at The Oval.
Even if Pakistan thrashes Bangladesh tomorrow night, I don't think they can make up the 0.967 Net Run Rate deficit they have relative to New Zealand.
It's almost like a footy team trying to boost their percentage by 9.67 points in the final round of the home-and-away season - you'd virtually need to win by 30 goals.

England lost one game by 14 runs and another by 20 runs and could have easily finished top of the ladder had they done so; everybody knows the old law of cricket: ' if you win the toss 99 times out of 100 you bat, and the hundredth time you think about bowlling, but still bat'. The pressure of batting second is different; too many people try and re-invent the great game.

If Australia beat South Africa, they will play NZ or Pakistan in the semis ADGM. Pakistan are very much the classic "mathematical chance" as to get past the Kiwis net run rate they would need to score 400 and then dismiss Bangladesh for 84!. If they lose the toss and Bangladesh bat first , they are out of it before a ball is bowled. In summary, the Kiwis will qualify .

Beasley Hutton wrote: That pitch looks a belter for batting on GTR.

Most teams arnt finishing off there innings that well BH in the last few games.Think the wickets are playing a few tricks.

nz do deserve to qualify

ArkRoyal wrote: nz do deserve to qualify

There batting looks exposed Ark against a good attack.So much pressure on Williamson +Taylor.
Freeze put the Mozz on the Blackcaps weeks ago.