*Official* Semis and Final Thread

[Neil Pickup]

As requested

OK, anyone want to stick their neck out and predict anything other than an Australia v India final?

[krkode]

India Sri Lanka perhaps :P

If Jayasurya/Atapatu and Murali/Vaas strike, things could get difficult for the aussies...

[aussie_beater]

Well Aus-India final is the one that looks most probable, but I don't think either of the match would be a cakewalk, specially with the Durban day night affair and the susceptibilty of the Aus batting lineup in a slow pitch at Port Elizabeth.

SL can give the Aussies a real fight, specially with the type of wicket that Port Elizabeth has. Also they now have Atapattu in good form to give the support necessary to Jayasuriya and with Aravinda also in good nick, I think their batting is a shade better then what it was looking earlier. I think SL has done a good job by getting rid of Mahela and replacing him with Gunavardene. Mahela has forgotten what batting is and should have been dropped much earlier.

And Kenya has an abundance of one thing that matters a lot in crucial games...the willingness to fight and also a sense that they have nothing to lose.Their achievement has been beyond all expectations and so they would be more relaxed going into the semis which cannot be said about India. But then India is in form and so I would expect them to prevail.

One more thing to be noted here is that Kenya proved quite a handful under lights at Durban, even for the Aussies. And India takes them on at Durban in a day-nighter.

:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Cloete]

well i'll stab at kenya vs australia. but that's more who i hope to see. i wouldn't mind seeing kenya thrash us in the final either

[Rik]

Originally posted by Cloete
i wouldn't mind seeing kenya thrash us in the final either

Ok...take a deep breath and then seriously think weather you are Australian or not...

[Cloete]

[krkode]

They've had (exceeded) their fair share of the wins...I don't think they'd mind

[Cloete]

u'd be surprised

[luckyeddie]

The one thing we've seen with Kenya - they fight like lions

[marc71178]

As it stands, SL are 8-1 to win the comp.

Now to me that looks quite worth a punt, since Australia have to lose at some time (note this is not me saying they will lose!), and it could be that Saurav was right, and the slow bowling of de Silva, Arnold, Murali, and when it's 8 down needing 150 more, Jaysuriya, could be their downfall?

[QuickFire]

Originally posted by Cloete
well i'll stab at kenya vs australia. but that's more who i hope to see.

So, you're already afraid of the Indians...

[aussie_beater]

The semis that Aus has got on their hands now is the one that they probably least wanted.... against Murali and co. on a slow wicket at Port Elizabeth may be cause for concern, although I think the Lankans' batting woes are not sorted out completely yet, to give the Aussies much trouble.

[PY]

As much as I would like Kenya to beat India on one level, I feel for the contest's sake we need Aus v India final because these will be the two form sides and if Kenya go through, being honest the Aussies will maul them. But because of the English love of the underdog, GGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO KENYA

[Simon]

Originally posted by Cloete
well i'll stab at kenya vs australia. but that's more who i hope to see. i wouldn't mind seeing kenya thrash us in the final either

ANDREW............ i cant believe you would say that!
Call yourself an Australian why dont ya. I know you like Kenya, but more than Australia is just going too far.
for the record id love to see kenya in the final for the fact i dont like India but The world cup final should be a contest and Australia vs India is the best final possible, they are the only 2 teams in the cup that deserve to make the final.

[marc71178]

Originally posted by broncoman
The world cup final should be a contest and Australia vs India is the best final possible

Actually, I think Ind vs SL would be a better game!