Semi final Analysis: New Zealand vs Sri Lanka cricket teams in 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup

World Cup win/loss record of New Zealand vs Sri Lanka:

• Total matches played: 8
• New Zealand cricket team won: 3
• Sri Lanka cricket team won: 5

One day international win/loss record of New Zealand cricket team against Sri Lanka:

• Total matches played: 73
• New Zealand cricket team won: 35
• Sri Lanka cricket team won: 33
• No result: 4
• Tied: 1

1^st semi-final of 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup is going to be played between New Zealand and Sri Lanka on March 29, 2011 at Colombo, Sri Lanka. In quarter-finals, New Zealand cricket team defeated South Africa in a close but low scoring match whereas Sri Lanka cricket team won its match against England to qualify for the semi-finals.  Sri Lanka has always been the favorite for this world cup while New Zealand has made its way to semi-finals keeping itself under the radar. Let’s have an analysis of strengths and weaknesses of both teams.

New Zealand’s Batting Strength and Weakness:

New Zealand cricket team’s batting strength relies on the performance of its top ace batting players like Brendon McCullum, Jesse Ryder, Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor; these four players must perform if New Zealand wants to qualify for final of 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup. Weak middle of New Zealand cricket team is concern for them and if it gets exposed early then Kiwis will find themselves in deep trouble. New Zealand has pinch hitters like James Franklin and Jacob Oram who can accelerate the run-rate at any time.

New Zealand’s Bowling Strength and Weakness:

New Zealand has a very average bowling line-up but it has been very consistent and hard-working in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup. Tim Southee is the leading wicket-taker for New Zealand with 15 wickets. Daniel Vettori and Nathan McCullum; the spinners have also done good job with the ball for New Zealand in crucial matches.

Sri Lanka’s Batting Strength and Weakness:

Sri Lanka’s top order is supreme batting form currently. Kumar Sangakkara, Tilakaratne Dilshan and Upal Tharanga are one of the leading run-scorers in this tournament. Sri Lanka has the capability of pilling huge targets and chasing targets too. Sri Lanka cricket team managed to win its quarter-final against England cricket team without losing any wicket. Sri Lanka might face problems if their middle-order is exposed early.

Sri Lanka’s Bowling Strength and Weakness:

Sri Lankans is one of the best bowling sides in this tournament. They have great variety to offer. Legend off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan is in top-form but he is struggling with fitness which might become a problem for Sri Lanka cricket team. Lasith Malinga has been very successful with his yorkers in this world cup; he can prove to be a magician with his reverse–swing deliveries. Other bowlers like Kulasekara, Perera, Mathews and Mendis have been contributing well for the winning cause.

Sri Lanka has the advantage of home ground but it will be creating pressure on them. New Zealand cricket team is in high morale as they have beaten world’s top side South Africa in the quarter-finals. So, it is very hard to predict about any team as favorites as both teams are equally balanced

 

 

Famous cricket players of New Zealand: Ross Taylor

• Ross Taylor is a right hand batsman of New Zealand cricket team. He is a class batsman of New Zealand and is one of the key players to perform for his team. Playing at No.4, Ross Taylor has an average of 36 in 100 matches which is a world class effort.
• Ross Taylor made his ODI debut on March 1, 2006 against Pakistan. Ross has played 105 one day international matches, scoring 2976 runs at an average of 36.74. Ross Taylor’s highest score in ODI is 131 which he scored against Pakistan cricket team.
• Ross Taylor made his test debut on November 8, 2007 against South Africa. He has played 30 test matches scoring 2221 runs at an average of 41.12. The highest test score of Ross Taylor is 154. The test batting average of Ross Taylor speaks much for his performance.
• In World Cups, Ross Taylor has played 12 matches scoring 352 runs at an average of 39.11 and strike rate of 87.34. In 2011 Cricket World Cup, Ross played a smashing innings of 131 runs against Pakistan to claim a win for New Zealand cricket team.
• At home, Taylor averages over 45 in ODI with a strike rate of 86.35, but outside New Zealand, Ross Taylor averages at 29.88 with a strike rate of 77.
• Ross Taylor has scored 22 fifties in 15 matches at a strike rate of over 80.

South Africa vs New Zealand: World Cup records

• The two teams have played 5 matches against each other in ICC Cricket World Cups.  South Africa has won two while New Zealand has managed to win 3 matches.
• The two teams first met in 1992 ICC Cricket World Cup Group match in which South African team were restricted to 190 runs in 50 overs.  New Zealand easily won that match by 7 wickets.
• In world cup matches of 1996 and 1999, South Africa won matches against New Zealand cricket team convincingly due to their superior bowling and batting. But since 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup, Kiwis have been on the upper hand.
• Herschelle Gibbs of South Africa and Stephen Fleming of New Zealand scored centuries in the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup Super-Eight match, the match was eventually won by New Zealand.
• There haven’t been any notable bowling performances by both sides. This is more evident from the fact that neither of the two teams have been bowled out by each other in world cup matches.
• AB de Villiers, Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori, Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis, Jacob Oram, James Franklin, Robin Peterson and Scott Styris are the veteran players from 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup.

Quarter final Analysis: South Africa vs New Zealand cricket teams in 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup

World Cup win/loss record of South Africa vs New Zealand:

Total matches played: 5

• South Africa cricket team won: 2
• New Zealand cricket team won: 3

One day international win/loss record of South Africa cricket team against New Zealand:

Total matches played: 51

• South Africa cricket team won: 30
• New Zealand cricket team won: 17
• No result: 4

The 3^rd Quarter-final of 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup will played between South Africa cricket team and New Zealand cricket team at Dhaka on March 25, 2011. South Africa topped Group B with winning 4 matches and losing just 1 against England. New Zealand remained on fourth position in Group A after being defeated by Australia and Sri Lanka. Despite these defeats New Zealand managed to win against Pakistan convincingly. Following are the main strength and weakness of these teams.

Batting Strength and Weakness:

South Africa cricket team has one of the best top-order batting line-up in this world cup. Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers; they all have been performing well with the bat. But the problem for South Africa is their weak middle-order which consists of players who are new to top cricket. There are more concerns in the New Zealand squad because of their overall weak batting line up. The New Zealand cricket team’s batting mainly rely on players like Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor, if these don’t fire then New Zealand will find itself in deep trouble. New Zealand has got pinch hitters like James Franklin and Jacob Oram who can change the course of match in few overs.

Bowling Strength and Weakness:

Bowling can be considered as the main strength of South African cricket team. This can be evaluated from the fact that in group round South Africa has bowled out its opposition in all matches. South Africa has one of the best line up of fast bowlers. Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel have been able to destroy batting line up of all major teams. In the spinner’s department, South Africa has the option of Imran Tahir, Johan Botha and Robin Peterson; all three spinners have performed well in the current world cup. Robin Peterson of South Africa cricket team is the 2^nd highest wicket-taker of this tournament. On the other hand, New Zealand has an average bowling attack; Tim Southee, Kyle Mills and Daniel Vettori are the main striker bowlers for New Zealand cricket team.

Conclusion:

Both teams are highly capable, both have high talent and recourses. South Africa cricket team is famous for choking in key matches while New Zealand has also the tendency of losing knockout matches in major tournaments. So, let’ see what happens in the match.

 

Famous cricket players of New Zealand: Nathan McCullum

Born in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1980, Nathan McCullum made his ODI debut at relatively older age. He is bits and pieces sort of a player and has been filling in the shoes in the absence of Jacob Oram as an all rounder in New Zealand cricket team.

Having always been under the shadow of his more famous brother, Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum is slowly carving his way into the kiwi ODI side and trying to establish an identity of his own. Playing his first match against Sri Lanka in 2009, in a young career thus far, he has played a total of 17 ODI matches where he has scored 270 runs and taken 11 wickets. He is an exceptional fielder, like most of the kiwis are, and is the preferred at the ‘Point’ position which belongs to only the very best in the business. Historically, brilliant fielders like Jonty Rhodes, Nasser Hussain and Ricky Ponting use to patrol the ‘point’ area and has since then become the most favored position for any top notch fielder.

Prior to cricket, Nathan McCullum played football at the national level and has also been the recipient of the ‘golden boot award’ in 1999. Not until 2004 did he realize the extreme passion that he felt for the game of cricket and hence to pursue it professionally he gave up football completely.

With faith being shown in him by the selectors and given the green signal to board the plane for the 2011 Cricket World Cup in the sub continent, Nathan McCullum can turn out to be a surprise since the pitches in the sub continent suit his explosive style of batting and are more prone to turning than the wickets back home in New Zealand.

 

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