It's clear that the new tactics of batting ourselves in, setting down roots for the first 30 overs and trying to restrict wicket losses to 3 or 4 is definitely helping (it may even help the guys play better in the tests too). It also helps that the team clearly appear to have formed into a close knit unit and have thoroughly enjoyed the underdog tags that we took into this World Cup. Sure, our form was awful going into this but should the media really have been so surprised that we beat Kenya, Canada and Zimbabwe so comfortably and by huge margins. Those results gave us the momentum to believe in better things. Winning is just important, no matter who it is against and how you achieve it.
Rossco really does look the bees knees out there now. I've been guilty of calling for him to spend a bit of time on the bench to reflect on how poor he has been for 18 months. But his form now is bang on. Importantly he has learned to hang in there (even if he has to rely on the opposition to help him).
He still has a bit to learn about the game and is terribly leg-sided in his approach (why aren't teams setting 2-7 fields to him?) but his striking of the ball...wow. Add to that a resurgent Oram, glorying in being an elder statesman now, smashing the ball with no pressure on his shoulders and rolling in his dobblys to great effect. Things look good.
The game against the Saffas was fantastic. Here's a great recap from the live text service provided by the telegraph.
I'm a bit dismayed though at the reaction of the media and the South African fans themselves who seem disgusted and equally amazed that they lost to us. Read some of these posts by other bloggers:
I'm a bit dismayed though at the reaction of the media and the South African fans themselves who seem disgusted and equally amazed that they lost to us. Read some of these posts by other bloggers:
Totally dismissing the Blackcaps in the lead up to the game, the Proteas just expected to win. But the victory was earned by bloody hard work, top fielding, great batting and some super tight bowling. They have nothing to harp on about at all. No injuries, no terrible umpiring calls, no sickness. In fact all of the hardships were being dealt to us. Playing in heat that is basically alien to NZ dna, with our best bowler missing (although he did some wonderful sledging - which is apparently illegal now??!!! tell that to Ponting and co.), and our skipper a basic hologram of himself as he limped around the field, we overcame adversity to deliver our best one day win ever.
Here's my early prediction of victory:
God I was excited. Here's the tweet from when the 9th SA wicket fell.
And to the obnoxious loser who posted this:
Hahahahahah, no-one likes you, and you're rubbish at cricket.
Can't wait for the semi-final. Whatever happens it's all been worth it. Nice one Blackcaps.
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