- Updates from the first semi-final, at Old Trafford
- The Spin: English is universal language of last resort
- County cricket – live! The latest from around the grounds
- And you can email Simon here or tweet him here
“If this reduces to a 20-over chase by India, this batting line up would definitely fancy their chances to get 148,” writes Rohit Singh. “Of course a full 50 overs to each side would have been the best possible scenario, unfortunately the rain Gods decided to intervene.” That’s what I like to see, a bit of positivity! Of course, the first reaction to seeing those amended targets was of course that they look a bit toppish. But however unfair it seems, this India side would surely back themselves to score seven an over for 20 overs against these opponents.
Latest from Manchester: it’s still raining, and it’s got harder.
Guna hazard a guess and say there will be an announcement very shortly to say they’re done for the day. Rain is heavy again. We’ll be back tomorrow #INDvNZ#CWC19
“What happens if rain stops play altogether for the day?” asks Mark O’Brien. “Highest run rate, previous games played against etc? Topical debate in bar in Thailand at the moment.”
So if there’s no more play today, the game will resume tomorrow with (assuming there’s no rain in the morning) New Zealand completing their innings, before India bat their full 50 overs. If no play were possible tomorrow, India would go through to the final because they finished in a higher position in the group stage.
“Regarding the Commercial Considerations, the ICC might have its own agenda, but surely ensuring a fair game has to be a higher priority for the Match Referee?” writes Rohan. “Or does he consider anything dictated by DLS a ‘fair game’? Something to ponder for Mr. Boon!”
David Boon is, for clarity, today’s match referee. I’m not sure which team will go through from here, but I’m pessimistic about the prospect of sport being the winner.
Martin Sinclair, writing from south Manchester, says he has witnessed the sun. “Feel very sorry for India - their run chase feels unfairly difficult,” he adds. “I wonder if New Zealand choosing to bat first then playing within themselves to preserve wickets will prove to be master captaincy from Kane Williamson.” It’s starting to look either very clever or very lucky.
It’s still drizzling. My rain radar says it’ll continue to do so for perhaps another hour, and thus further play is unlikely until about 6pm BST. After that, though, it looks like there should be enough dry weather for a game to be completed. Albeit one that might make a lot of people quite angry.
“Surely there’s no greater Commercial Consideration than ensuring India reached the World Cup Final?” says Abhijato Sensarma.
It’s nearly not raining! With just a light drizzle now falling, a mop-up operation has begun (though the covers remain very much in place).
Rain stopped play at 2.01pm, and only when more than two hours have been lost to rain are overs taken out of the game. As of five minutes ago, that threshold has been reached.
Karan Singh Dogra is unhappy.“India bowled well and stopped scores,” he says. “It is not fair that India should score 148 in 20 overs. Same overs same runs should be applied. Play the game with the spirit of game.”
Clearly that would be the most sporting outcome, and it strikes me that it would be immeasurably better for India to bat 50 overs tomorrow than 20 overs today. However, there will I’m sure be the dreaded Commercial Considerations to take into account.
This just in from Andy Bull, our man at Old Trafford. It looks to me like good news for New Zealand, who stand to benefit from any resumption today:
“The ICC are very keen to get this game done today if they can. Play can go on as late as 10pm tonight, because they’ve added a two-hour extension to the playing hours for the semi-finals. They need to start play by 8ish, but he rain is supposed to stop around 6 or 7 so I think we’ll get a game in. If India’s innings is reduced to 20 overs, they’ll need to chase 148. The target’s high, because New Zealand kept so many wickets in hand.”
“As a NZ fan, this drawn-out defeat is tortuous - can we not just throw the towel in now? Won’t someone please think of the children?” pleads Giles. No Giles, no they will not. And no you can’t. You’re just going to have to live through it like the rest of us.
“Is there potential for this rain to totally ‘SouthAfrica’ India?” wonders Si Begley. “India are set 148 off 20 today, go for it, reach 140/7 after 15, heavens open, they have to come back tomorrow to chase 237? Would seem massively unfair. And incredibly funny.”
There is no potential for such lunacy, happily/sadly. As soon as a ball is bowled after an over reduction, those conditions are set and unchangeable. So if they try to play 20 overs today but play is stopped after two deliveries, they will play only 19.4 overs tomorrow.
They can if necessary play until 8pm today, but 10.30am tomorrow is starting to look an increasingly likely resumption time.
There’s standing water on the outfield, and much more coming from above. We’re not getting on anytime soon. #CWC19#IndVsNewZealand
Weather update: it is pouring in Manchester.
“This is insane,” wails Sreekanth Nandakumar. “So India have to score 6 runs or more if the match is reduced to 35 overs or less on a slow pitch? How is it fair?” Certainly the rain has come at a good time for New Zealand, though they only benefit if play resumes today with a reduced over count.
Reporters on the scene have turned a bit pessimistic about the prospects of more play today:
A decent chance there’ll be no more play today in Manchester, but the reserve day looks better.
Here’s a more complete run-down of potential India targets:
In case New Zealand doesn't bat again, India's target in
46 overs will be 237
40 overs will be 223
35 overs will be 209
30 overs will be 192
25 overs will be 172
20 overs will be 148#IndvNZ#NZvInd#CWC19#CWC2019
Assuming New Zealand’s innings ends here, India’s target in 46 overs would be 237. In 20 overs, which is the shortest it could be to qualify as a completed innings, their target would be 148. This is just over twice the total New Zealand had after 20 overs (which was 73-2).
World Cup regulations state that “every effort will be made to complete the match on the scheduled day with any necessary reduction in overs taking place and only if the minimum number of overs necessary to constitute a match cannot be bowled on the scheduled day will the match be completed on the reserve day”. From which we learn that the ICC are not big fans of punctuation.
Hello everyone! Well, this is just great, is it not? The rain radar I’ve been looking at suggests that the weather is unlikely to significantly improve for at least a couple of hours, with around 6pm being a vaguely realistic amateur not-quite-total guess of a potential restart time. So settle in, we’re here for the long haul.
There won’t be any play for a while, so I’m going to take an unscheduled lunch break. Simon Burnton is waiting to watch the weather on your behalf. See you soon.
Don’t make any plans for tomorrow. The forecast for the rest of the day is imperfect.
“NZ may have the game in the bag,” says Siraj Khan, “if they are able to play their entire 50 overs and hit 240.”
That would be a very useful total. I think India will make the new ball count, though, and control the chase after that. If they get off to a slow start – 27 for one off 10, say – it’ll be very tight.
There is scope for a reserve day, but the umpires will try to finish the game today if they can. So India could end up chasing a DLS target in a reduced game - 21 from 20 overs, something like that. You can read more about the reserve days here.
46.1 overs: New Zealand 211-5 (Taylor 65, Latham 5) A misfield from Chahal gives Latham a bonus run. That’s the last ball of the innings, for now at least. The rain is getting heavier and the umpires have decided to take the players off.
46th over: New Zealand 209-5 (Taylor 65, Latham 3) Latham gets two overthrows from the same delivery, one at each end. Virat Kohli’s face is a picture, and that picture will hurt you if you don’t stop looking at it. Seven from Bumrah’s antepenultimate over - five singles plus those two overthrows.
45th over: New Zealand 202-5 (Taylor 60, Latham 1) Despite everything, all the dot balls and mistimed strokes , New Zealand are inching towards a reasonable score.
Kumar ends a dangerous little partnership by dismissing Colin de Grandhomme. He produced a slower short ball which followed de Grandhomme, who tried to glide it to third man and got a little edge through to MS Dhoni. de Grandhomme made a useful 16 from 10 balls, adding 38 in 3.4 overs with Taylor.
Ross Taylor has an LBW decision overturned on review! He missed a premeditated sweep at a full ball from Kumar and was given out by Richard Kettleborough. It looked plumb, and I suspect Taylor reviewed in hope rather than expectation, but replays showed it hit him outside the line.
44th over: New Zealand 197-4 (Taylor 56, de Grandhomme 16) Good afternoon Mr Taylor, we’ve been expecting you. After struggling for so long, Ross Taylor comes alive and, with a little help from de Grandhomme, smashes 18 from Chahal’s final over. A vicious slog-sweep for six brings up a laboured, 73-ball fifty, and two balls later he crunches a drive for four. de Grandhomme cuts another boundary to complete a superb over. Chahal ends with figures of 10-0-63-1.
“Sorry to be the bearer of bad news,” says John Norris, “but I live 25 miles to the west of Old Trafford and it’s raining steadily here so seems unlikely to miss the cricket today which could have severe implications for NZ after their lethargic run rate...”
43rd over: New Zealand 179-4 (Taylor 44, de Grandhomme 12) The groundstaff are poised for action, which suggests rain is imminent. Pandya drops short to de Grandhomme, who steers the ball deftly to third man for four. Nine from the over, and the wounded Pandya finishes with figures of 10-0-55-1.
42nd over: New Zealand 170-4 (Taylor 42, de Grandhomme 5) It’ll be interesting to see what the new batsman, the big-hitting Colin de Grandhomme, makes of this pitch. He has a swipe at Chahal, inside-edging past leg stump for two, during a decent over for New Zealand. They’d accept 220 now, and they’d thank Mother Cricket for it.
41st over: New Zealand 162-4 (Taylor 40) Pandya must be a doubt for the final, should India get there. He’ll bowl his 10 overs and bat if necessary, but he’s still not right.
Andrew Hurley has a simple thought: “I miss Pakistan.” Seriously, though, imagine them today. You’d get two games for the price of one: India v Pakistan, and Pakistan v Pakistan.
Pandya strikes! Neesham tried to go over the leg side and mistimed the ball miles in the air towards long on, where Karthik took a comfortable catch. There have been many mistimed strokes in this innings, and every time somebody tries to go up a gear they get out.
40th over: New Zealand 155-3 (Taylor 38, Neesham 7) Taylor survives a possible run-our chance, with Kohli’s throw missing the stumps for the second time today. We haven’t seen a replay so I’ve no idea whether he would have been out with a direct hit.
Four singles from Bumrah’s over, and here’s more from Butch.
Uneven, two-paced, shit heaps MIGHT give you an exciting 5 overs at the end of a run chase, but you’ve scared everybody off in the previous 95. Crap.
39th over: New Zealand 151-3 (Taylor 36, Neesham 5) I don’t think New Zealand are out of this. But they will have to do exceedingly good business with the new ball and then squeeze the hopes and dreams out of India.
In other news, after six weeks of mutual backslapping about the pitches in this World Cup, Butch has gone rogue! (He’s right, though.)
Sorry, but pitches have been garbage this tournament.
38th over: New Zealand 145-3 (Taylor 31, Neesham 4) Neesham is dropped by Rohit at midwicket. It was a one-handed, slightly half-arsed effort after Neesham was duped by Pandya’s slower short ball. Rohit stretched to his left but it went through his fingers. New Zealand are struggling to middle anything at the back end of the innings. On reflection, perhaps they should have gone harder against the new ball. I appreciate this is easier said than done.
Ross Taylor not able to get runs. Ross Taylor not able to get out
37th over: New Zealand 140-3 (Taylor 29, Neesham 2) Taylor is beaten, swatting at a slower bouncer from the new bowler Kumar. His increasing frustration manifests itself in a loose shot that loops high over cover point for a couple. He got away with that.
A shot Williamson would not normally play at this stage, but Taylor's strike rate of 48 after facing 52 balls has caused his skippers calm composure to crack.#CWC19#INDvNZ
Great move by the @BLACKCAPS sending @JimmyNeesh in front of Latham.
36th over: New Zealand 136-3 (Taylor 26, Neesham 1) Jimmy Neesham, who can give it some humpty, has been promoted above Tom Latham. New Zealand probably need a run a ball from the last 14 overs to have a realistic chance of victory.
The Spin (part two)
Related: English is the Cricket World Cup's universal language of last resort
Williamson was frantic after the drinks break, and now he’s gone. He flashed outside off stump at Chahal but could only slice a drive straight to Jadeja at short third man. Williamson shakes his head at something, possibly the pitch, before walking off the field. He made 67 from 95 balls. It was an accomplished innings; I’ll let you know at the end of the game how good it was.
That should be the match for India!
35th over: New Zealand 133-2 (Williamson 67, Taylor 24) Williamson drives Jadeja inside out over extra cover, with Pant acrobatically saving a run on the boundary. He slog-sweeps four more later in the over, which suggests he has decided to get a wriggle on, before surviving a precautionary stumping referral. An eventful over concludes when Williamson misses an unbecoming hack at a ball that just bounces over the stumps.
“ZZZZZ!!” says John Atwill. “One bored Kiwi here.”
34th over: New Zealand 125-2 (Williamson 60, Taylor 23) Bumrah continues after the drinks break. New Zealand have struggled to score anything off him apart from low-risk singles, and there are three more in that over.
“ANNOUNCEMENT,” writes Mac Millings. “If McMahon is corresponding in the third person now, it surely can’t be long before the Millingses are writing in the third person plural, about how they wish they had a shed, it’s all right for some isn’t it, but they only have a sort of plastic hut and they can’t even get into that because of all the rusty unused tools and venomous snakes.”
33rd over: New Zealand 122-2 (Williamson 58, Taylor 22) Pandya off, Jadeja on. New Zealand are trying to up the rate, Taylor in particular, but the pitch looks increasingly awkward for strokeplay. I think the pitches have been disappointing in this tournament - not because of the balance between bat and ball, which has been good, but because of their sluggishness. The Old Trafford pitch for Australia v South Africa was a beauty.
“You won’t know this as you weren’t around at the time,” begins Garry Sharp, “but Hip Flexor (20th over) were an early 70s one hit wonder with their disco dance floor sensation Rotate Me Baby (let me strike). There was a massive debate back then about whether the title referred to industrial unrest or Geoff Boycott’s batting.”
32nd over: New Zealand 121-2 (Williamson 57, Taylor 22) Jasprit Bumrah replaces Chahal - and Taylor is dropped by Dhoni! It was a very difficult low chance, which got to him almost on the half-volley. It was also a superb leg-cutter from Bumrah, who seems to be getting better with every game. He’s truly, madly, deeply unhittable.
Related: County cricket: Essex v Yorkshire, Somerset v Notts and more – live!
31st over: New Zealand 120-2 (Williamson 57, Taylor 22) Williamson top-edges a pull from Pandya straight over the keeper’s head for four. Pandya seems to have a deceptively sharp bouncer to go with his slower one. Taylor also gets away with a top-edged pull later in the over, and the resulting single brings up the fifty partnership.
I feel like Sourav Ganguly's been on commentary for 90 per cent of this innings. Don't know what that says. (He's off now.)
30th over: New Zealand 113-2 (Williamson 50, Taylor 21) Williamson drives Chahal for a single to reach a soothing half-century from 79 balls. Too soothing, in the opinion of some.
“This Williamson false shot percentage should be viewed the other way,” says Andrew Hurley. “His is so low as he’s taking so few risks and his team are as a result on the way out...”
29th over: New Zealand 105-2 (Williamson 48, Taylor 16) Pandya is driven crisply through extra cover for a couple by the remarkably consistent Williamson. His only sub-40 score in this competition was against England, when he was freakishly run out.
“STOP PRESS,” writes Simon McMahon. “It was announced this morning that Simon McMahon and the garage have parted company by mutual consent. McMahon will join the shed on a 12-month rolling contract at the end of the cricket World Cup, and has also negotiated a release clause for this summer’s Ashes series. ‘It became clear that the garage and I had different ideas about how to take things to the next level going forward. The offer of a four-year deal from the attic was tempting, but not right for me at this time’, said McMahon. ‘I’m extremely excited to have joined the shed, and can’t wait to get started (eventually)’.”
28th over: New Zealand 99-2 (Williamson 44, Taylor 15) It feels like New Zealand are ambling towards certain defeat, whistling a happy tune, stopping to say hello to Mrs Dineen and ask how her pet rabbit, Greatbatch, is getting on. But we were all burned by Angelo Mathews’ “match-losing” innings against England, so I’m loath to jump to conclusions. Sourav Ganguly, who knows more about batting, says it’s “inexplicable batting as they say”.
Who are they?
27th over: New Zealand 89-2 (Williamson 39, Taylor 10) Pandya returns to the attack in place of Jadeja. He seems to be okay, and almost dismisses Williamson with a slower ball that is inside edged past leg stump. Four singles from the over.
26th over: New Zealand 85-2 (Williamson 37, Taylor 8) Taylor survives a big LBW appeal after playing outside a lovely delivery from Chahal that skids on to hit the pad. That looked very close, and I suspect India would have reviewed if they could. No matter - it would have been umpire’s call.
It feels like the net is closing around New Zealand. Williamson survives a run-out chance later in the over, with Kohli’s underarm throw from close range missing the stumps. He would been out with a direct hit.
25th over: New Zealand 83-2 (Williamson 36, Taylor 7) New Zealand haven’t played an attacking stroke since the wicket of Nicholls. Another quiet over from Jadeja means India have conceded 14 from the last overs. Taylor will surely go into one-day mode soon.
India have been excellent with the ball so far, and only Kane Williamson has been able to cope with it. He's played 8% false shots - Nicholls, Guptill, and Taylor have played 24%. #CWC19
24th over: New Zealand 82-2 (Williamson 36, Taylor 6) There have been only five fours in this innings, and there are just three singles from Chahal’s fourth over. It’s intriguing stuff, slightly reminiscent of the Waugh/Bevan partnership in the 1999 semi-final. At one stage they scored six runs in 8.4 overs, but they caught up later and put together a match-tieing partnership.
“No cricket-related productivity issues here in the Portuguese mountains,” says Geoff Wignall. “It was only necessary to let the morning mist clear before starting, though unfortunately it’s since been too hot for comfort so I’ll wait for it to cool a little - should be around 6 or shortly thereafter.”
23rd over: New Zealand 79-2 (Williamson 35, Taylor 4) Taylor is taking his time to get used to the conditions, which is understandable in the circumstances. But once you promise, you have to pay.
22nd over: New Zealand 77-2 (Williamson 34, Taylor 3) Williamson survives an LBW appeal after pushing outside the line at Chahal. It looked like it was sliding down. This is a difficult spell for New Zealand, with the ball turning more than expected for India’s spinners.
“Forget a national holiday,” says Kate Andrews-Day, “I’d settle for it actually being watchable in Canada. Right now I’m hacking into my parents-in-law’s cable to see if they have the premium sports package and even then, well. Wish me luck. In other news, Nova Scotia’s cricket team won the Maritimes Cup the other day!”
21st over: New Zealand 74-2 (Williamson 33, Taylor 2) Jadeja is putting the squeeze on New Zealand. He has conceded only nine runs from his last four overs, a spell that includes the wicket of Nicholls. New Zealand will have to start taking risks pretty soon, ideally once Taylor has his eye in.
20th over: New Zealand 73-2 (Williamson 32, Taylor 2) A gorgeous, drifting legbreak from Chahal beats Williamson’s forward defensive. There’s plenty in this pitch for the spinners. Pandya is back on the field, although he doesn’t look entirely comfortable. The problem is apparently with the hip flexor, not his groin.
“I suspect Williamson needs to aim higher than you suggest,” says Geoff Wignall. “If he chucks it away on 150, I can’t see NZ having much chance.”
19th over: New Zealand 70-2 (Williamson 31, Taylor 1) The new batsman is Ross Taylor, who until now has had a frustratingly modest tournament. I thought Nicholls was bowled through the gate, but replays suggest the ball deflected off his body and onto the stumps. The ball is starting to turn for Jadeja, who gets some more sharp spin to beat Williamson off the last delivery of the over.
“Those ICC reserve day rules (09:32) seem quite harsh regarding refunds,” says Smylers. “If there’s a reserve day and you can’t attend, you simply lose your money; you aren’t even allowed to sell your ticket to somebody who can go. Also, no refund for any game if at least 30 overs bowled, even though 40 are needed for any kind of result. Sometimes it seems like the ICC aren’t even trying to make us like them.”
That was such a good ball. Jadeja, bowling around the wicket to the left-hander, got one to turn back sharply through the gate to bowl Nicholls as he pushed forward defensively. It was a slightly lazy stroke from Nicholls, I suppose, but it was a lovely bit of bowling.
Henry Nicholls is bowled by a jaffa from Ravindra Jadeja!
18th over: New Zealand 69-1 (Nicholls 28, Williamson 31) Yuzvendra Chahal replaces Hardik Pandya. His first ball spins down the leg side for four wides, but it’s a tight over thereafter.
“Big call not to play Shami!” says Aditya Anchuri. “I know Bhuvi is steady and better at the death, and probably a better bat, but India need Shami’s firepower. It’s overcast conditions and I do not want us to chase anything over 200.”
17th over: New Zealand 61-1 (Nicholls 26, Williamson 30) Williamson threads Jadeja through extra cover for three. If Pandya is unable to bowl, India will have to find six overs from their batsmen, probably Virat Kohli. Maybe he’ll get that century after all!
“Here in India, my tuition teacher is mysteriously stuck in college and can’t come to teach me,” says Abhijato Sensarma. “My father’s colleagues (and he himself) are mysteriously sick and can’t go to office today; also, the taxi drivers are mysteriously on an extended lunch break, hence they can’t be on the road... While everyone is formally accepting the aforementioned reasons, one simply knows where everyone is - in front of the telly. Considering this stunning start from India, the Kiwis’ determination to play out the overs safely till lunch, and the comfort of my sofa, I reckon the nation isn’t going to be all that productive today...”
16th over: New Zealand 57-1 (Nicholls 25, Williamson 27) Pandya starts his over with consecutive wides, both on height. He is giving the middle of the pitch a thorough medical. But he might need some treatment himself - he is struggling with what looks like a groin problem, and at the end of the over he leaves the field to receive treatment. India don’t have a sixth bowler today.
#INDvNZ In an audacious move, New Zealand have decided to pay tribute to every era in their history – first boring us rigid, then moving on to careful accumulation. In about the 40th over, they'll be getting the party started
15th over: New Zealand 55-1 (Nicholls 25, Williamson 27) Three singles from Jadeja’s third over. He’s a pragmatic inclusion, but I can understand it as he’s a three-dimensional brawler. He’s less likely to take five-for than Kuldeep; he’s also less likely to be pumped repeatedly for six on a bad day.
“Given that I am finding such a difficulty in focussing on my work due to cricket, should they announce a national holiday to improve the viewership of cricket?” asks Balaji Mannu. “Of course I am concerned in increasing the cricket take-up in this country and no sneaky selfishness.”
14th over: New Zealand 52-1 (Nicholls 23, Williamson 26) Nicholls is beaten, trying to hook Pandya, and then Williamson gets four with the aid of a misfield from Chahal. India are on top but New Zealand will probably be happier, because it looked like they might be out of the game before drinks. Talking of which, that’s drinks.
“I think Kane Williamson has a John McClane look on his face today,” writes Emma John. “There’s definitely a grim hard-set expression I haven’t seen before. Probably from one of the sequels – one of those ‘oh god, I’ve got to save everyone all on my own AGAIN’ moments.”
13th over: New Zealand 43-1 (Nicholls 19, Williamson 21) Six from Jadeja’s over, all run. Not in one go, obviously: 2x2, 2x1.
“Morning, Rob,” says Smylers. “I see you’ve already referenced Neville Oliver and Neville Cardus, so am wondering whom you’re going to quote next. Neville Chamberlain? Neville Neville? Neville Longbottom?”
Premier league football
Where 20 players dive and the goalkeepers don’t
12th over: New Zealand 38-1 (Nicholls 15, Williamson 20) Williamson scolds himself after being beaten by a lifter from Pandya. I was going to say he’s being a bit harsh on himself, as it looked like a fine delivery, until I grudgingly acknowledged that Kane Williamson’s knows a little more about his game, and batsmanship generally, than I do.
After three dot balls to start the over, Williamson drags a pull through midwicket for four. This looks a really good surface for batting.
11th over: New Zealand 34-1 (Nicholls 15, Williamson 16) Jadeja replaces Kumar, who bowled a fine opening spell of 5-1-13-0. Nicholls survives a pretty big LBW appeal - it was umpire’s call, and India have lost their review anyway - and then sweeps firmly round the corner for four. It almost hit the leg slip Rohit Sharma in the face. New Zealand have scored 24 from the last four overs; not exactly an orgy of runs, but it’s a start.
Lowest PP scores in #CWC19
27/1 NZ v Ind Manchester *
28/1 Ind v Eng Birmingham
29/2 WI v Ind Manchester
30/2 NZ v WI Manchester
31/1 NZ v Aus Lord's#INDvNZ#TeamIndia#BackTheBlackCaps
10th over: New Zealand 27-1 (Nicholls 10, Williamson 14) Hardik Pandya replaces Bumrah (4-1-10-1). He has been pretty good with the ball in this tournament, although his best work has been with the old ball. New Zealand might target him in this spell. Williamson steals a second off his first delivery - he was almost one short - but that’s the summit of New Zealand’s ambition in Pandya’s first over.
“Morning Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Having been strangely motivated yesterday and even this morning, I came in from my summer project - ‘clearing out and painting the garage’ - at 10.30 for a tea break, and as yet, for some reason, I’ve not been able to motivate myself to resume. In fact, I’m now thinking that the garage does not share my ambitions. Maybe, like Rafa or José, I need a new ‘project’..?”
9th over: New Zealand 23-1 (Nicholls 10, Williamson 12) Now Williamson gets his first boundary, timing a push down the ground off boundary. That was a very pleasant stroke. After a very slow start, New Zealand will feel they are up and running It hasn’t been difficult for the batsmen to survive, with only a few deliveries moving off the pitch or in the air, but so far India’s bowlers have given them little to work with.
“It’s all about Kane, isn’t it, Rob?” says Guy Hornsby. “Isn’t it always? Imagine actually knowing the man.... India are a formidable cricket machine, but for every neutral out there (ok, Kiwi fan) I desperately want this to be a competitive game. The fact it’s 15 minutes’ walk from my office and I’m sat at my desk is utter torture.”
8th over: New Zealand 18-1 (Nicholls 10, Williamson 7) Nicholls cloths a pull stroke off Bumrah that just clears square leg. Batting is all about calculating risk; trouble is there are times when every attacking stroke off Bumrah feels too risky for comfort.
The penultimate ball of Bumrah’s fourth over, bowled from around the wicket, snaps dramatically off the seam to beat Nicholls. His response is impressive, a beautifully timed drive through extra cover for four. That’s the first boundary of the match.
7th over: New Zealand 10-1 (Nicholls 3, Williamson 6) The accuracy of India’s new-ball bowlers has been beyond reproach, and Kumar concedes only two from his seventh over. It’s been a near-perfect start.
In other news, Tanya Aldred is in charge of our county blog.
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6th over: New Zealand 8-1 (Nicholls 3, Williamson 4) Kane Williamson has only one job: to score 150 not out. Although he would have liked to spend a bit longer in the dressing-room, his presence in the middle has given the New Zealand a strong dose of diazepam. The run-rate is still less than ideal, but I think they will settle for seeing off this first spell from Bumrah. His figures are 3-1-2-1.
“If anyone wants the perfect potted analysis of New Zealand at this World Cup, can I recommend Simon Doull on our latest Spin podcast?” writes the all-Spinning, all-dancing Emma John. “He absolutely nails their batting in 30 seconds. There’s a reason he’s my favourite Kiwi analyst! Skip to 31.24 to hear him… Or you could, y’know, listen to the whole thing and enjoy Andy Bull being very funny about his own World Cup predictions, and Raf Nicholson explaining why England Women have been so awful against Australia.”
Related: World Cup semis, Ashes annihilation and Corbyn pads up – The Spin podcast
5th over: New Zealand 7-1 (Nicholls 3, Williamson 3) Nicholls gets off the mark from his tenth delivery. I wonder if Kane Williamson regrets batting first. It was the safe option, certainly, and I’m not sure that suits New Zealand given their current mental state.
Here’s a statgasm to blow away the morning cobwebs. New Zealand are seven for one after five overs. At the same stage of the 2015 semi-final, they were 71 for none.
4th over: New Zealand 2-1 (Nicholls 0, Williamson 1) The new batsman is the New Zealand opener Kane Williamson. He is beaten outside off stump by his first delivery., which prompts Kohli to bring in an extra catcher.
“What’s the longest time in an ODI without a run being scored?” asks Danielle Tolson. “NZ on tenterhooks by the way...”
It was a brilliant catch from Virat Kohli at second slip. Guptill fished at a sharp lifter that flew off the edge towards second slip, where Kohli took a very smart catch in front of his face. He almost moved too far across, towards first slip, and had to reach in the opposite direction to grab it with both hands. He enjoyed that.
Jasprit Bumrah puts Martin Guptill out of his misery - certainly today, possibly in the tournament.
3rd over: New Zealand 1-0 (Guptill 1, Nicholls 0) Guptill has had a weird World Cup, with all kinds of unusual dismissals. But even though he is in dreadful form, India will fear him because he has the capacity to go huge. Getting off the mark would be a start - and he does, eventually, by scoring New Zealand’s first run off the 17th ball of the match.
“Sixteen out of last 20 wins for side batting first certainly sounds impressive, statistically speaking,” says Brian Withington. “But what about all the games in the tournament, and how often was the team batting first favourite to win anyway? I’d really love to do the research, but laptop and tablet are currently otherwise engaged in monthly timesheet activity for my Excel-dilettante cricket coaching son.”
2nd over: New Zealand 0-0 (Guptill 0, Nicholls 0) The extraordinary Jasprit Bumrah beats Henry Nicholls with his second delivery. His line and length are immaculate, right from the start, and he also starts with a maiden. It wasn’t the worst toss for India to lose, and they have started splendidly.
“I think it’s been a good tournament,” says Bill Hargreaves, “but that might be my bias towards Eoin Morgan, whom I think is massively admirable for attitude, leadership skills and leg-side blamming, and what I think might be the most exciting, balanced, ‘nice bunch of fellas’ England team for a while. Shine on Harvest Moon.”
1st over: New Zealand 0-0 (Guptill 0, Nicholls 0) The consensus is that this is an excellent batting pitch. There’s some swing for Kumar, however, and Guptill is beaten later in the over when he gropes at a wider outswinger. A maiden to start.
In fact it was missing leg stump, so Guptill survives and India lose their review. That would have been his third golden duck of the tournament.
Quite a start, this. Guptill pushed around his front pad at Bhuvneshwar Kumar and survived a huge LBW shout. Virat Kohli reviewed with three seconds remaining. It was close, perilously close, but I reckon this will umpire’s call at best for India.
#INDvNZ No Shami, no Yadav: uncharacteristic of Kohli, ditching two of his wicket-takers in favour of lesser bowlers who shorten the tail. NZ batsmen must be having a quiet chuckle. Just see off Bumrah...
The anthems are done, the India players are in their pre-match huddle. In the words of Neville Cardus, let’s get ready to rumble.
“Morning Rob,” says Nick Parish. “I present three of your own comments for your learned perusal. First, New Zealand are the only team to reach the semi-finals of the last four World Cups. Second, New Zealand have never won the World Cup. Third, New Zealand have spent decades showing the folly of underestimating them. I’d argue that given the first, the second refutes the third. Discuss.”
I’m not sure it refutes it, but I suppose it discredits it. But they are the most underrated/patronised team in world cricket.
“Whilst NZ’s slump in the past couple of weeks, the positive has to be that the players who looked to be struggling for form in the earlier weeks – Neesham, de Grandhomme and even Latham – seem to be hitting their straps now,” says Richard O’Hagan. “If Henry could just do the same they’ll be in with a real chance. And surely the fates won’t allow the CWC careers of Taylor and Guptill to end on a rainy Tuesday in Manchester? Or am I just grasping at straws here?”
You are, but just look at those straws! I don’t think this game is a foregone conclusion, though India are clear favourites. Everyone thinks they are going to lose, so New Zealand should treat it as a freebie – stop worrying and, this being Old Trafford, attack attack attack.
India prefer Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yuzvendra Chahal to Mohammad Shami and Kuldeep Yadav. Ravindra Jadeja also keeps his place. New Zealand’s team is as expected, with Lockie Ferguson returning from injury to replace Tim Southee..
India Rohit, Rahul, Kohli (c), Pant, Dhoni (wk), Pandya, Karthik, Jadeja, Kumar, Chahal, Bumrah.
Kane Williamson says he considered bowling because of the overhead conditions, but that it looks like a good surface. Runs on the board, etc, etc. Virat Kohli says he would have also have batted first.
“Good Morning Rob!” says Kevin Usher. “Long time listener, first time caller... Given that it occurs after both semi-finals are over (English weather notwithstanding), and two days before the final itself, what’s the significance of the draw on Friday?”
It’s an in-joke, with myself, based on the below from Vic Marks in the Observer in 1993.
On the field the Australians have humbled us; the Oval excepted, the cricket has been too one-sided to provoke prolonged excitement over the airwaves. Hence there have been more japes than usual and we can takr solace in at least one minor English victory. It took place at Edgbaston when Baxter passed a note to Neville Oliver on air, which he dutifully read out - “There will be full coverage of the NatWest semi-finals on Tuesday, and on Wednesday the draw for the final will be made live on Radio 5”.
The first email “It is good to start a knockout match as underdogs,” says Krishnamoorthy V. “An early loss of Rohit Sharma and some tight bowling will send India into a panic. NZ should try starting with a spinner (a la Dipak Patel in 1992).”
I wouldn’t do that today – these look like great swing-bowling conditions.
Links. Lots of links
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It’s been a bat-first tournament - 16 of the last 20 games have been won that way - but New Zealand must be tempted to bowl first if they win the toss. It’s overcast, which suits Trent Boult, and their best chance of winning the game is probably to put India in and take early wickets. That’s the only consideration, right?
The weather forecast isn’t the best: cloudy turning to light rain at lunchtime. There is a reserve day for both semi-finals, although they are a last resort. We could still have, for example, a 20-over match today or on Thursday. This explains it in a little more detail, although it doesn’t completely satisfy me that there is no potential for farce.
Good morning. The Cricket World Cup is the tournament that always leaves the audience wanting less. The group stages are a tough mudder for supporters – a draining test of endurance, nerve, commitment, caffeine levels and ability to understand how net run-rate works. They must be quite hard to play in as well.
The group stages were good to middling, saved by Sri Lanka’s win over England. But now, after 40 days and 41 matches, we’ve reached the really good bit: the knockout stages. India play New Zealand in the first semi-final at Old Trafford today. Then, on Thursday at Edgbaston, Australia and England will compare testosterone levels. The draw for the final will take place on Friday, with the two teams meeting at Lord’s on Sunday.
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