Michael Clarke on Saturday night savaged his team's batting as "horrendous" but hailed the performance of Mitchell Starc as genius after the left-arm quick almost pulled off an extraordinary comeback win against New Zealand.
Kane Williamson lofted himself into cricketing folklore last night. With New Zealand nine down chasing 152 for victory against Australia, he deposited Pat Cummins over long on with a match-winning six to finish on 45 not out and carry the Black Caps to the top of their Cricket World Cup pool and the Chappell-Hadlee trophy.
A stunning eagle ignited Lydia Ko remarkable course record 61 today at Clearwater as the world No 1 opened up a decent lead on the field. After a sloppy opening bogey, Ko eagled the next hole and added another 10 birdies as she blitzed the previous course record by two and opened up a three shot lead on the field.
The World Cup legend, 52, who is battling terminal cancer, played in a legends knockabout at his beloved Cornwall Park today, before making a brief appearance in front of the media. "My dad's ashes are out there, so I thought it would be nice to bat an over. I've treated this as my last outing on the old ground.
Without a doubt, today's Cricket World Cup clash between New Zealand and Australia at Eden Park is the match of the event to date. The two teams are the form sides of the tournament and, at this early stage, appear on course to contest the final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
NZ Herald cricket scribes Andrew Alderson and David Leggat look ahead to the Black Caps match against Australia.
Three quick-fire thoughts on why run rates have increased dramatically: 1.Big bats and smaller grounds. They bats are dryer and therefore can carry more wood. The boundary ropes have been pulled in on many grounds. Ergo, even mishits are sometimes carrying for six. 2.The fielding restrictions have made outfields so much harder to patrol. At no stage in an ODI is the captain allowed to post more than four players outside the circle. In the past, they have been allowed five. This has given quality batsmen more scope to hit boundaries. 3.Most importantly, attitude. Batsmen are not beholden to averages. They are allowed to fail in the pursuit of quick runs. This has been the single-biggest shift in limited overs cricket.
Daniel Vettori put on his Captain Sensible hat today, amid all the kerfuffle about Saturday's World Cup game between New Zealand and Australia assuming massive historic proportions. Vettori did enter the sledging debate, given that no conversation about Australia is complete without the verbals being raised. "In 18 years I can't remember being sledged by an Australian team.
This wonderfully nonchalant spinning winner was captured at a friendly match between two players from the American sponsorship set-up "Team Nexy USA". Video: YouTube - Art Fido.com
How slender are the margins. Chris Gayle went out to bat for the West Indies yesterday condemned, if not quite in so many words, as a washed-up mercenary wastrel. Disillusionment abounded with the way he approached his work. The president of his team's cricket board had felt emboldened to retweet a message during the previous match that said: "Gayle goes... Can't buy a run. Let's give him a retirement package ... Can't fail repeatedly and still front up based on reputation."
" Chris Gayle bludgeoned a World Cup-record 215 containing 16 sixes and shared a 372-run partnership with Marlon Samuels in a stunning return to form Tuesday to guide the West Indies to a 73-run win over Zimbabwe. Under intense pressure after failing to score a one-day international century since June 2013, Gayle had a reprieve when he survived an lbw appeal on the first ball he faced from Tinashe Panyangara.
Fresh from blasting the first ever Cricket World Cup double century, West Indies powerhouse Chris Gayle has warned heavyweight opponents South Africa that his side has a "score to settle" with them. The Windies posted 2-372 in Canberra on Tuesday in front of 5,544 spectators to record the highest one-day international score on Australian soil. Gayle smashed 215 runs off 147 balls in the 73-run rain affected win, the fastest ever ODI double ton.
Three quick-fire thoughts from Dylan Cleaver on the best match-ups to watch during Saturday's New Zealand v Australia blockbuster.
New Zealand are expecting Australia to come at them with a two-pronged attack in the clutch World Cup clash at Eden Park on Saturday - batting and bowling, and also plenty of verbals.
Scotland's hopes of inflicting an improbable defeat on their border neighbours were dashed at Hagley Oval today. Having seen England get well beaten by Australia and, more humiliatingly, New Zealand, in the early days of the World Cup, the Scots fancied they could follow up with a victory like no other.
1. Nobody wants to take on New Zealand at the moment... except Australia. That is why this is such an anticipated clash. 2. India look the real deal, South Africa look bereft of new ideas. This is not something I envisaged before the tournament and it's not something that will necessarily hold.
1.Can England win in Wellington tonight? Of course they can. 2. This is pretty clearly what Mike Hesson and Brendon McCullum consider their 1st XI. 3.It would give the camp a lot of confidence if Ross Taylor not only scored some significant runs today, but scored them fluently.
New Zealand Herald rugby scribes Gregor Paul and Patrick McKendry discuss Dan Carters future as the five-five struggles with injury again in World Cup year.
The Cricket World Cup continues today with the Black Caps playing England in Wellington. Who will win? Watch this cricket predict the dire result.
New Zealand will field the same team that beat Scotland and Sri Lanka for tomorrow's World Cup match against against England in Wellington. Captain Brendon McCullum's confirmed the squad is injury-free and there was no need for changes as a reward for the performance. "We've played a bit of cricket on this wicket so we expect it to be similar and this team will suit us well on this ground," he said. "We knew the scheduling well before so we've been able to factor that into our preparation and we go in with no excuses.
Prime Minister John Key has sidestepped the question of whether Team New Zealand skipper has been dumped, praising him for being a very successful sportsman, but his future role is for Team NZ to decide , not the Government.
Cricket Herald’s Dylan Cleaver offers three quick comments from CWC15. 1. 300-plus totals are the new normal. 2. What to make of New Zealand? 3. The minnows deserve their place in the sun
"Job done" was New Zealand cricket coach Mike Hesson's succinct assessment of their three-wicket victory over Scotland which, because they reached the target in 24.5 overs, left them with a handy profit on net run rate, relative to their pool opponents. Hesson described the batting performance as "untidy" but stressed that over the last 30 ODIs, which includes matches beyond the 3-0 loss to Bangladesh in November 2013, they have been a "decent batting unit" so there's no need to panic.
New Zealand are keeping schtum on the likely makeup of their side to face Scotland in their second game at the World Cup tomorrow. Having seen off Sri Lanka by 98 runs in some style in Christchurch on Saturday, changes are tipped but Brendon McCullum was the soul of discretion today.
The IPL auction is later today, and Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum is hoping some of his team get contracts and do well 'so I don't have to keep picking up the tab'. Looking ahead to Scotland Tuesday, he notes coach Hesson has reminded them they need competition points and It doesn't matter who they earn them off.
The Cricket World Cup continues today with the Black Caps playing Scotland in Dunedin. Who will win? Watch this cricket predict the result.
Australia posted 342-9 on the vast expanse of turf that is the MCG. They got there largely thanks to a woeful start in the field by England. Aaron Finch, Australia's only top-four contributor of note, was dropped on 0 by Chris Woakes, a simple enough chance at square leg. Some 135 runs later, Woakes must have been feeling rather small as the opener walked off to a standing ovation from the huge crowd.
On a tide of national goodwill, Brendon McCullum delivered the catalyst for New Zealand's victory against Sri Lanka at Hagley Park yesterday. McCullum's recent decision to return to open the order with free licence rather than cramp himself like a padded jack-in-the-box at No5 was never better exemplified. His 65 from 49 balls was a local anesthetic to public nerves.
Highlights and reaction from the opening games of the tournament, New Zealand by Sri Lanka by 98 runs.
Voxes with India fans as they go head-to-head with Pakistan in Adelaide on Sunday. Despite their flawless record against their rivals, supporters remain pessimistic about their chances against their old rivals in the pool B encounter at the Adelaide Oval.
Highlights of the opening ceremonies in NZ and Australia as the Cricket World Cup opens.
Comedian Ben Hurley, actor Shane Cortese, television presenter Toni Street, Labour MP Grant Robinson and actor Neill Rea have shared their memories of the tournament with the Herald and have made predictions for the latest World Cup on New Zealand soil.
Interview with former Australian batsman Greg Chappell. Chappell gives his views on the current Australia team and the other contenders for the Cricket World Cup.
Interview with former leg-spinner Shane Warne. Warne assesses Australia’s chances at this year’s Cricket World Cup.