some match eh???
and LARA 
…
i got home, driving at over 100 kph, to find windies reeling at 14/2 after 10 overs…
was so dishearted but lara, powell and sarwan really showed something special…
and so did klusener and boucher…
the last over of the match was thrilling :k::k::k:
klusener will be cursing himself for not crossing during his dismissal…
was a perfect contest for a world cup…
and i thought it was a joke when they said B C Lara stands for Batsman de Class Lara.... ;)
Waise mujhe bohot afsoos hota agar W.I lost this match.
The call of the Zulu was heard.
Chris Harris and Cairnes will save NZ from a collapse, possibly finishing off the last overs with a tight finish too? Fleming is a great captain, and NZ is a very good fielding team too. They will come out victors.
But as we noticed with WI vs. RSA, anything can happen.
Btw.. the atmosphere at Cape Town was marvellous. I just love that ground so much. Sheer beauty.
Brian Lara is back!
With the kind of performance his put up - an almost chanceless century -rival teams better watch out coz he's back to his best and means business. An innings of mastery by this "West Indian Wizard". Add to that, talented young playes like hinds, gayle, sarwan, powell, dillon, and others this team could well be the surprise package of the 2003 championships!
:biggthumb :biggthumb
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by UMAIR316: *
, my Man of the Match is Lance Klusener, we all know Lara was great but Lance Klusener played the kind of innings all great batsmans dream about.
.
[/QUOTE]
why u have to be different from others always... ;) :)
lara is the man
BLOEMFONTEIN: In the 1992 World Cup, New Zealand captain Martin Crowe unleashed a series of innovations that would eventually change the way one-day cricket was perceived and played; in 1996, Sri Lanka’s Arjuna Ranatunga took the same concept one big step further and laughed all the way to the champions’ throne.
It is rather appropriate that the two teams should pit their brains in their opening match of the eighth World Cup here at Bloemfontein. For, if you are looking for new tactics and untested strategies in this tournament, this quaint little town, far from the madness of Cape Town and fear of Johannesburg, is the place to be.
Stephen Fleming and Sanath Jayasuriya are, of course, as different as a bat from a ball. The Kiwi is cerebral and always looking for improvisation; the Lankan is the honest, hard-working kind, with a hint of killer instinct.
The common denominator, however, is the thinking machine ticking away in the background. Both teams, especially in recent times, spend as much time formulating their plans and devising strategies as they do in honing their batting and bowling skills; both also enjoy picking holes in the opposition line-ups and are robotic in exploiting them.
New Zealand proved this over the last month as they dismantled the Indian batting order with ruthless efficiency and laser sharpness. Their bowlers showed that they have the pace, the control and the depth to fight till the very end. Shane Bond is as deadly and frightening as an Akhtar or a Lee; Daryl Tuffey, Jacob Oram and Andre Adams are exciting and excitable speedsters too. Most of them can bat too.
But then that is their main problem. New Zealand may be turning to the all-rounders for runs a little too frequently. Fleming is still trying hard to look like an opener; Nathan Astle and Craig McMillan are still trying hard to rediscover their form; and Chris Cairns is still trying hard to look like a specialist batsman. Someone, somewhere has to score the runs for the Kiwis to really fly in this Cup.
Lanka’s run-up to the campaign has not been so exhilarating. They staggered and stumbled first in South Africa and then in Australia on hard, bouncy pitches; their batsmen have been struggling and the line-up has changed contours so often that it doesn’t have a set shape anymore. But on a nice day, Jayasuriya, Atapattu, Jayawardene and Sangakkara are quite capable of changing the shape of any bowler or any attack.
And who knows, those defeats themselves may be their lifeline: after all, they may have learnt some very important lessons. Don’t be surprised if the first bold move is unveiled in this match itself: the role of spinners. Lanka will probably launch their campaign on the fingers of Muralitharan, despite the strong shoulders of quickies Fernando and Gunawardene. They have four other fast bowlers in the arsenal, including Chaminda Vaas, and they might well end up playing support roles.
The good news for out-of-form batsmen is that the pitch at Goodyear Park is perfect for a run-feast. Importantly, it hides the key to Group B. With South Africa and West Indies slugging it out in Cape Town in their opener, the team that makes an impact here will almost certainly move a step closer to the Super Six.
Everything will, however, first begin in the mind.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?artid=37007922
My pick…NEwZealand…
Lets see how it goes…
Yet again Lara proved to be the nightmare for South Africans…just when they were starting to forget their shut out by him in 96 quarter final in karachi. He came in a very unnerving stage in the innings and proved that despite his lack of matches since september…he still got the recking power of a bulldozer as he razed the south african bowling attack. I am sure his critics are feeling the burn right now. I am sure we will see alot more from the “Prince Of Trinidad” in the coming weeks.
Lara Rules :k:
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by armughal: *
klusener will be cursing himself for not crossing during his dismissal....
[/QUOTE]
agreed .. what a blunder comitted again by klusner.
damn this guy takes u so close 2 the victory and then just snatches it back!!!!
well well powel,sarwan N kulsener what a display of power hitting
Lara: ah after first loose chance played just awsome.. had a bit unlucky dismissal
and hats off to hooper
gosh he still had enuf faith on colins to put him back to bowl after he just blew the match for them. and for colins ah he somewhat paid of for his mistake by throwin a really tidy over!
Still guys stop dreaming.
W.I is going no further then super six. coz they really are missing one specialist bowler. I still can't figure it out why the left King out..
anyways awsome match...
SL V NZ
NZ won the toss and elected to field.
After ten overs SL are 55/1
Jayasyriya 35 not out.
Attapattu is out.
jayasuriya 50
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SL on fire 184/1, off 33 overs
Jayasuriya 112 not out
Tilkeratne 51 not out
Sl 239/4 off 44 overs.
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update please.
Sparkling performance from Jarsuriya, althought he limped to a hundred and pretty much needed a drip toward the end of his innings. Great stuff.
SL 272/7 off 50 overs.
SL started very well but once Jayasuriya was gone they lost their way a bit and NZ came back.
Still 272 is a tall order and NZ will have to bat very well to win this one.
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NZ all out for 225.
SL win by 47 runs.
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Congratulations to SL
NZ having said they will not play in Kenya are effectively played 2 lost 2.