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There you go freeze, you can walk around unzud and collect a few tokens off the over confidant kiwis. I wonder if they would have made the final if they had to play a couple of games in Oz? Probably not.

58shark wrote: There you go freeze, you can walk around unzud and collect a few tokens off the over confidant kiwis. I wonder if they would have made the final if they had to play a couple of games in Oz? Probably not.

They were more worthy opponents than Chokeafrica and Blingdia

I have a feeling our ol mate freeze might be getting around Canterbury in an Australian shirt for a few weeks ...or months even!!

An awesome performance by Australia, in particular by their bowlers. They restricted NZ to at least 90 runs under par. I am very pleased that the selectors went with Josh Hazlewood, who has proven very difficult to score from. While the 3 strike bowlers were lethal, they were well backed up by Faulkner & Maxwell.

I thought that Clarke captained very well & utilised the bowling resources at his disposal very well. He managed to attack enough after the 3 early wickets went down, but wisely saw that Taylor & Elliott were taking little risk & wisely got the necessary overs from Maxwell & Watson out of the way before the batting power play. While NZ were recovering at the time, Maxwell & Watson were able to bowl with reasonably little pressure on them. If New Zealand had continued the recovery past the power play, they would at least have their strongest bowlers available to minimise the damage.

The only puzzling issue for me was that Watson was given a fourth over, given that Maxwell had already bowled 7. If the full fifty overs were bowled then one of the quicks or Faulkner would have been left short 1 over. In the end of course it didn't matter.

New Zealand were deserving of their place as a finalist. They are the real deal & were most impressive in this tournament. Australia were just too strong & composed on the day.

I thought that Clarke might be vulnerable in this game, given his injuries & disrupted preparation, but he played a very smart & clever innings & partnership with Smith.

At the beginning of the tournament I wondered if Australia were short a specialist bowler & a specialist batsman. In the end Faulkner basically became the fourth strike bowler & Smith, Clarke & Warner were sufficient specialist batsmen.

Australia have very good depth in bowling & also have the luxury of Haddin coming in at 8. No other side could boast depth like that.

I agree with Dazzler.

I get tired of commentators saying the best teams were not in the final. Brian Lara expressed the South Africa should have been there. Well the Protias lost to NZ and the Kiwis chased down their huge score in barely 43 overs so by that fact, NZ deserved to be there. S.Africa choked again & India got anihalated. So the best two teams AUST & NZ made it. Simple as that. But Well done Aussies!!

58shark wrote: There you go freeze, you can walk around unzud and collect a few tokens off the over confidant kiwis. I wonder if they would have made the final if they had to play a couple of games in Oz? Probably not.

Winners are certainly grinners 58......off to work with a huuuuuggge smile on my face.....but hey you know me BH.....I wont wind the kiwis up toooo much

jardine wrote: I agree with Dazzler.

I get tired of commentators saying the best teams were not in the final. Brian Lara expressed the South Africa should have been there. Well the Protias lost to NZ and the Kiwis chased down their huge score in barely 43 overs so by that fact, NZ deserved to be there. S.Africa choked again & India got anihalated. So the best two teams AUST & NZ made it. Simple as that. But Well done Aussies!!

Jardine I think the best two teams got there but I think you are harsh on the South Africans mate, they were a bit unlucky with the rain delay which probably cost them posting a huge score well above 350 for the Kiwi's to chase. The D/L system certainly favoured the side batting second and always does. I have no doubt S.Africa would of won the semi had it not been for that rain delay. Nothing against the Kiwi's as they chased down what they needed to and won. But it was no choke in anyway shape or form and a bit unlucky more than anything else.

Greatwhiteshark wrote: Jardine I think the best two teams got there but I think you are harsh on the South Africans mate, they were a bit unlucky with the rain delay which probably cost them posting a huge score well above 350 for the Kiwi's to chase. The D/L system certainly favoured the side batting second and always does. I have no doubt S.Africa would of won the semi had it not been for that rain delay. Nothing against the Kiwi's as they chased down what they needed to and won. But it was no choke in anyway shape or form and a bit unlucky more than anything else.

I was more referring to something I didn't mention and that was the two drop catches at crucial moments, when the fielders collided. Either one of those would have sealed the deal, but both were a total calamity.

I will still never ever forget the Kluzner/Donald run out all those years ago. I still cannot forget it. They are a great side, but they get it wrong at the worst times.