That’s it from us today, thanks for your company and comments and ta very much to Jonathan Howcroft for his masterly scribing of the Australia innings.
We’ll be back to bring you the OBO of England v Sri Lanka in Bengalaru tomorrow. Speaking of which, I’ll just leave this points table here…
Australia are now fourth in the points table 👀 pic.twitter.com/FOIACf36Q3
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) October 25, 2023
Close your eyes and I’ll close mine. Good night.
Updated
Here’s Pat Cummins: He doesn’t seem to be in particularly chatty mood does Pat – he’s making the interviewer Ian Bishop do a fair bit of heavy lifting…
It was just about the complete game, I couldn’t be happier. Maxwell’s innings was crazy… I thought we both contributed equally in that 100-run partnership…
We are starting to play to our potential and play in the style we talk about. We’ve bowled quite well but without a lot of luck even though Zampa took another four-for.
On the next game against New Zealand:
We’re prepped as good as we can be. They are a good side and they’ve played in Dharamsala before. Its a big game, its a World Cup.”
I think Cummins then said that his side haven’t been at their best with the bat and thqt there was room for improvement, which is admirable *Captaincy* when your side have just nigh on racked up 400 and one of your batters has smoked the fastest World Cup ton by a distance. Keep them grounded Pat!
Netherlands Captain Scott Edwards speaks:
(He looks a bit shellshocked and fair enough. That was a bruising game for his side)
Australia have got world-class bowlers but we should’ve been better today. (On Bowling to Maxwell) If you miss your length by a fraction then you’re going out of the park. Full credit to their batting line-up, we almost got in there with ten overs to go but we couldn’t stop him (Maxwell)
It’s a pretty nice wicket (At Delhi) and the ball really travels, the margins are small.
We just want to click for the last four games, we’ll look at a few things but otherwise move on (from this game) quite quickly.”
Glenn Maxwell speaks!
(The record) It’s not something I set out to do it was more just the situation of the game…We wanted to put a good platform for the back end and cash in on this ground where the ball can run away quite quickly.
It was nice to get in rhythm, to make good decisions and give myself a little bit of time, a bit of confidence and a platform. It is a huge confidence booster knowing I’ve got that in my locker, doubts can creep in when you are not scoring consistently.
It was close to the perfect game - if you score 400 and bowl the opposition out for under 100. A lot of our guys got to have a hit and we’ve had three really good wins in a row.”
That sound? The rest of the teams in the tournament taking an almighty GULP.
Adam Zampa now has the most wickets in World Cup 2023, thirteen scalps and counting. Santner (12), Bumrah (11) and Madushanka (11) yapping at the leg-spinners heals.
It’s not enough to earn him the player of the match though – that goes to Glenn Maxwell - his 40 ball century was NINE BALLS quicker than the one previous holder Aidan Markram managed against Sri Lanka last week. Far be it for me to encourage Guardian readers to gamble but I wouldn’t bet against seeing that record broken again before the tournament is over.
Another four-wicket haul for Adam Zampa and he has now taken the most wickets in #CWC23 so far! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/DUHYcd8zTD
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) October 25, 2023
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Australia win by 309 runs!
Sure enough van Meekeren is out stumped to give Zampa his fourth wicket in three overs and Australia the biggest ever World Cup victory margin. Yikes.
Updated
This could well be curtains… has Inglis inadvertantly stumped van Meekeren?
WICKET! Dutt lbw b Zampa 1 (Netherlands 90-9)
Zampa strikes again! After seeing a huge appeal for LBW turned down - rightly by a magnificent decision from Umpire Michael Gough - the diminutive leggie pins Dutt LBW to leave the Aussies needing just one more!
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20th over: Netherlands 87-8 (Edwards 10, Dutt 0) Just a single off Marsh, Zampa jogs in to take the ball once more. He fancies finishing this off sharpish.
19th over: Netherlands 86-8 (Edwards 9, Dutt 0) Aryan Dutt is the new batter and he ramps up the drama by halting proceedings for a minute, looks like in the scrabble to get his kit on he came out to the middle with the wrong helmet. We’ve all been there, granted not in a World Cup match… Here we go… can Zampa join Brett Lee as the only other Aussie to snare a World Cup hat-trick!? CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR! A full ball on the stumps skidded onto Dutt but he managed to keep it out. Just.
Updated
WICKET! Roelof van der Merwe lbw b Zampa 0
Adam Zampa is on a hat-trick! Van der Merwe is done by the googly first ball!
I for one feel something.
Updated
WICKET! van Beek c Inglis b Zampa 0 (Netherlands 86-7)
Zampa in amongst it! van Beek tries to cut a ball that was too full from the leggie, gets a meaty edge and Josh Inglis does the rest…
WICKET! Nidamanuru c Inglis b Marsh 14 (Netherlands 84-6)
Soft dismissal for Nidamanuru who had played a lovely pick up shot off Marsh earlier in the over. A back of a length ball is glanced off the face of the bat into Josh Inglish’s gleeful gauntlets behind the stumps. Netherlands lose their sixth wicket inside 20 overs – the Aussies are giving their own net run rate a shot in the arm here.
Logan van Beek is the new batter and he sees out the end of the over.
18th over: Netherlands 85-6 (Edwards 5, van Beek 0)
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17th over: Netherlands 78-5 (Edwards 5, Nidamanuru 7) Zampa it is, he starts by flighting a couple and finding some turn from the off. Nidamanuru and Edwards are watchful, knocking the ball into the gaps and collecting singles. It’s not enough for the Dutch and the required run rate rises like a hissing yellow cobra.
16th over: Netherlands 74-5 (Edwards 5, Nidamanuru 7) Five runs off Marsh, Adam Zampa has been given the nod and is warming up. He’s been very impressive in this World Cup so far. Flight, guile and a natty pair of bowling specs.
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15th over: Netherlands 69-5 (Edwards 3, Nidamanuru 4) Just a single off Cummins’ latest. The players pause for a drink. My toddler bounds into the room and starts crawling all over my ‘work-station’. The Dutch continue. The child is banished.
14th over: Netherlands 68-5 (Edwards 2, Nidamanuru 4) Teja Nidamanuru is the new batter, he gets off the mark with a streaky four as an attempted pull shot flies over the keeper and rolls to the fence.
WICKET! Engelbrecht c Warner b Marsh 11 (Netherlands 62-5)
Yes that was an …Ellipsis of Doom… thanks to a laptop buffering at my end. Engelbrecht is unfortunate to fall, Marsh sends down a short ball that the extravagantly monikered batter flat bats away powerfully only to see David Warner pouch a sublime catch on the leg side fence. Sometimes it just ain’t your day.
Engelbrecht is a gun fielder himself (trust me, worth a google) and might well appreciate (with time) that grab from Warner. The replays show that the gnarled Aussie was very happy with that pouch, a Garfield smile spreading across his chops after the ball nestled safely in his paws.
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13th over: Netherlands 62-4 (Engelbrecht 11, Edwards 2) Three runs off the over, Cummins gives nothing to hit and zones in on the front pad. Mitch Marsh is tossed the ball and is coming on to replace Hazlewood…
12th over: Netherlands 59-4 (Engelbrecht 9, Edwards 1) Six runs pocketed off Hazlewood’s over, Engelbrecht pushes a full ball in the gap at extra cover and the batters scamper a lesser spotted three.
On the old NRR front – I’m no mathematician but I think that it is good news for England if Australia romp home here – If the Dutch are skittled for less than 250 runs then England will likely move up to eighth in the table.
WOULDNT THAT BE SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE?!*
*No
WICKET! de Leede lbw b Cummins 4 (Netherlands 53-4)
de Leede plays one of the strokes of the day (which is saying something) a caressed drive off Cummins pings through mid off with Swiss Dutch clock timing. Beautiful. Gah! He has to go next ball – Cummins nips one back into the pad and umpire Michael Gough has no hesitation in raising the finger for LBW. The review shows the ball was kissing leg stump with a delicate peck.
Dutch skipper Scott Edwards joins Engelbrecht in the middle and is nearly sorted out first ball by his opposite number. It’s a long road back from here.
11th over: Netherlands 53-4 (Engelbrecht 5, Edwards 0)
Updated
10th over: Netherlands 47-3 (Engelbrecht 4, de Leede 0) Hazlewood started rustily but has found his groove, you could put a dinner plate over his pitch map. A full ball jagged back in to Ackermann and rapped him on the back leg in front of all three stumps. Goodnight Vienetta. Bas de Leede has to pause licking his bowling wounds and strap the pads on, he joins Engelbrecht in the middle and faces out a maiden.
WICKET! Ackermann lbw b Hazlewood 10 (Netherlands 47-3)
Stone. Dead. LBW.
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9th over: Netherlands 47-2 (Ackermann 10, Engelbrecht 4) Big Pat Cummins is into the attack to replace Starc. He starts with three dots before serving up a wider ball that Ackermann clobbers uppishly through point. A single is guided down to third to make it five off the over.
8th over: Netherlands 42-2 (Ackermann 5, Engelbrecht 4) A nudged single from Ackermann is the over’s only action. Hazlewood probing away outside off.
Important to note in this moment of Australian excelsis that Adam Zampa and Mick Lewis still have the worst ODI figures of all time, just not the most expensive
— Ben Gardner (@Ben_Wisden) October 25, 2023
Wisden’s Ben Gardner keeping Aussie feet on the ground.
7th over: Netherlands 41-2 (Ackermann 4, Engelbrecht 4) The luxuriously named Sybrand Engelbrecht is the new batter and he gets off the mark in rip-roaring style – Starc angling one across the new batter and being driven insouciantly for four. Hold the pose!
WICKET! Singh run out (Maxwell *and himself*) 25 (Netherlands 37-2)
Oh no! The ball after driving Hazelwood straight back down the ground for a crisply driven four Singh does himself a dutty! A poke to Maxwell at mid-off and ludicrously Singh sets off for a single, Maxwell slings the stumps down with the opener not even in the frame.
RUN OUT!
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) October 25, 2023
"Glenn Maxwell's day just continues to get better" 😍 pic.twitter.com/WkLZbOToe5
6th over: Netherlands 37-2 (Ackermann 4, Engelbrecht 0)
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5th over: Netherlands 33-1 (Singh 21, Ackermann 4) Colin Ackerman strides out at number three for the Dutch and is into his work right away with a delectable drive though mid-on for four!
WICKET! O'Dowd b Starc 6 (Netherlands 28-1)
O’Dowd looked in all sorts of strife to Starc’s full ball – two stifled appeals in the over as the big man lost his balance with the ball speared in. BOWLED ‘IM! Third time is a charm for Starc, he pulls his length back a smidge and O’Dowd chops on!
The Aussies have their first.
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4th over: Netherlands 28-0 ( Singh 21, O’Dowd 6) Woah Nelly! O’Dowd sells Singh down the Rhine with a terrible call for a single but Hazlewood misses with his shy at the stumps to give the Dutch a let-off. Just the one (kamikaze) run off the over.
3rd over: Netherlands 27-0 ( Singh 21, O’Dowd 5) There are no demons in this Delhi pitch, Singh gets a leading edge on a length ball from starc, the ball lands safe and races away to the boundary. Starc pulls back his length but offers width, Singh throws the Kitchen sink at it (reckon he’s a Poggenpohl kind of guy) and the ball flies off a thick edge for four more. Perky response from the Dutch. Starc goes up for an lbw appeal but the ball was sliding down leg.
Any thoughts on this game or the World Cup/Cricket in general? You can Email or tweet @Jimbo_Cricket – the OBO mailbag is open.
2nd over: Netherlands 18-0 ( Singh 13, O’Dowd 5) Brilliant response from the Netherlands to come out punching in Delhi after that Maxwell onslaught. O’Dowd throws his hands at a wide one from Hazelwood and gets an under edge for four. Nothing spawny about a brace of boundaries from Singh though – he stands on his tippytoes and punches Hazlewood through the covers for four… next ball he repeats the stroke and this one is even better – the ball scorching to the fence. Game on!
1st over: Netherlands 4-0 ( Singh 4, O’Dowd 0) Vikramjit Singh defends the first ball from Mitchell Starc, Max O’Dowd leans on his bat at t’other end. Starc looks full of pep and is steaming in with two slips in place. Five dots stitched together by Starc before Singh clips a full ball on his pads through mid-wicket for a sublime four! The Dutch are underway – 99 more of those should do it!
“Till one by one, they were gone”
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The flipside:
A difficult outing with the ball for de Leede who now holds the unwanted record for the most runs conceded in a men's ODI.#CWC23 pic.twitter.com/83BtyRuCh1
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) October 25, 2023
Mick Lewis presumably about to have his best night of kip in 17 years…
More Maxwell Stats courtesy of Geoff:
Maxwell went from 54 to 101 in 13 balls. Two were dots and three were singles. #CWC23
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) October 25, 2023
The players are readying themselves on the boundary edge, the tv has just shown highlights of Andy Bichel scything through England at the 2003 World Cup. Teenage me can hardly watch.
Thanks Jonathan, top work covering the mayhem and genius of the final ten overs! Hello everyone, Jim here to lead you through the Dutch response, just the small matter of 400 runs needed for the lads in orange.
The stattos across the globe are duly working themselves into a numerical lather over that record-breaking innings. Here’s one that just caught my eye – from the err Beautiful Mind of Daniel Norcross (I’m fairly certain he will have pinched it…)
Glenn Maxwell arrived at the crease at the end of the 39th over and still got a hundred. The latest arrival by a centurion in ODI history.
— daniel norcross (@norcrosscricket) October 25, 2023
It needs stating at the outset of this half-time round-up that the Netherlands didn’t bowl badly, never lost their heads, were captained astutely, and fielded as well as you could ever imagine in such conditions. And still they find themselves chasing 400.
There are two main reasons for that: David Warner and Glenn Maxwell.
The former anchored Australia’s innings after Pat Cummins won the toss and made a measured 104 from 93 deliveries. It was an innings of bursts of runs and passages of calm from the veteran who laid the foundation for the carnage that followed. Around him Steve Smith (71) and Marnus Labuschagne (62) looked in decent touch and Mitch Marsh (9) fell early.
But Australia slipped from 244-2 to 290-6 and instead of cantering towards 400 the target became much more modest. Until Maxwell fulfilled his cricketing destiny with a 40-ball century – the fastest in world cup history by nine balls! And he did so with some of the most outrageous shots you could ever see on a cricket field. It was a joy to witness. In seven overs his partnership with Cummins was worth 103 runs and turned a contest into a work of performance art.
Bas de Leede bore the brunt of the damage, ending his 10 overs with figures of 2/115 – a new record for the most expensive spell in world cups. But, given time, I’m sure even he will appreciate the role he played in one of the most astonishing passages of cricket in the sport’s history.
And with that, it’s time for James Wallace to take control and see you through the Dutch run chase. Catch you soon.
Australia 399-8
Netherlands require a round 400 in Delhi for victory.
50th over: Australia 399-8 (Cummins 12, Zampa 1) Cummins clubs the final ball of the innings for four.
WICKET! Starc c Ackermann b van Beek 0 (Australia 393-8)
Two in two for van Beek! Starc has to go the tonk but he can only spiral a top edge that Ackermann does well to hold onto in the Delhi night.
WICKET! Maxwell c Engelbrecht b van Beek 106 (Australia 393-7)
Fittingly, Maxwell gets to exit on his own terms, launching another mighty blow, this time close enough to the superb Engelbrecht, who runs around and pouches a sliding catch inches from the fence.
49.3 over: Australia 393-6 (Maxwell 106, Cummins 8) Even the mishits are going to the rope. Maxwell fails with the reverse lap but the back of the bat still deflects the ball beyond the keeper and away for four. That’s the century partnership off just 43 balls.
100 for Glenn Maxwell (40 balls - new world cup record)
49th over: Australia 389-6 (Maxwell 102, Cummins 8) Maxwellball is life. De Leede begins his over bowling full and straight so Maxwell belts him back down the ground for consecutive fours. Then he marmalises a slower ball over midwicket for six, and helps a legside full toss out of the ground for six more! Carnage! Carnage on a historic scale! 4/4/6/6… what’s next? Six more! Another full toss helped over square leg. The fastest world cup century – and by a massive margin – beating Aidan Markram’s mark of 49 set just a few days ago. This is staggering. Maxwell removes his helmet, holds his arms wide and soaks up the adulation. This is the coming together of everything he’s been promising his entire career.
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48th over: Australia 361-6 (Maxwell 75, Cummins 8) Van Beek has the unenviable task of coming into the attack to play the role of cannon fodder. Maxwell welcomes him by standing his ground and hoiking a six over cow corner. Cummins then joins in the fun, but fortunately, miscuing a slog that O’Dowd could have gone for on the full coming in off the midwicket fence, but instead he hesitated and missed the half-volley. Maxwell is soon back on strike, stepping to leg and carving another improbable six over backward point. It’s like watching a computer animation. How does he do this?
Maxwell 75 off 35!
47th over: Australia 340-6 (Maxwell 61, Cummins 3) Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Maxwell repeats that switch hit over point, only this time he middles it miles into the crowd. How do you bowl to that? 50 up for the magician off just 27 deliveries.
Good lord, now he’s hit the same shot but as a pull! Mid-leap! That was a crunching six with the ball almost on his grille! This is performance art.
Maxwell brings up his 27-ball 50 in STYLE! #CWC23
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) October 25, 2023
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46th over: Australia 325-6 (Maxwell 46, Cummins 3) Drink it in people, this is vintage Maxwellball. After exchanging singles with his skipper, the Victorian switch-hits an outrageous one-bounce four over what was point. Then he stands his ground and heaves a six over square leg. Van Meekeren retains his composure to see out the over with minimal further damage.
45th over: Australia 312-6 (Maxwell 34, Cummins 2) De Leede mixes up his length and pace to deny Australia a boundary. Maxwell still manages to push the score along with a leaping ramp outside off stump that is hauled in just short of the rope.
44th over: Australia 305-6 (Maxwell 30, Cummins 0) Gorgeous delicate late cut for four from Maxwell to begin van Meekeren’s ninth over. He then fails to connect with a couple of swipes, before a borderline wide bouncer makes it three dots in a row. Another mighty swipe from Maxwell skews off the outside edge and miles into the Delhi sky. Will it land in a fielder’s hands? Almost! Teja Nidamanuru was up in the ring at mid-off and he couldn’t make enough ground stumbling backwards and diving forlornly.
43rd over: Australia 297-6 (Maxwell 22, Cummins 0) Maxwell keeps the momentum flowing with an improbably fine sweep for four. A couple more follow then a rotation of strike. Cummins just has to face one delivery, and van der Merwe knows the Australian skipper isn’t going to be interested in anything flash, so he tosses up a full wide delivery for the No 8 to chase. Cummins takes the bait, misses the ball, and Edwards claims a catch behind the stumps. The Dutch skipper takes an age deciding if he should REVIEW or not. Cheers greet the T signal but it doesn’t take long for Rassie Erasmus to figure out there was no bat involved.
WICKET! Green run out (Engelbrecht) 8 (Australia 290-6)
The Netherlands roll the dice by bringing on the experienced left-arm spin of van der Merwe with Australia going the tonk. Green gets off strike with a single, then gets run out next ball, failing to reach his ground after turning for a tight second. It required a direct hit from the fielder screaming in from midwicket, but that’s exactly what Engelbrecht did! Astonishingly good fielding all day by the Netherlands.
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42nd over: Australia 288-5 (Maxwell 14, Green 7) Van Meekeren replaces van Beek but while the names may change the game remains the same. Full and straight from the Netherlands, and driven back from whence it came by Maxwell and Green. Only one blow reaches the fence though as the Dutch fielding continues to impress.
41st over: Australia 282-5 (Maxwell 9, Green 6) The Netherlands continue bowling full and straight, and Australia continue trying to belt boundaries down the ground. And this over they accomplish their goal. Green and Maxwell punch fours through the non-striker, then the latter opens the blade and pierces the field near extra-cover.
40th over: Australia 268-5 (Maxwell 0, Green 1) Excellent dedication from the Netherlands, sticking to their task in the field despite the runs Australia have been piling on. Van Beek backs up his wicket with a series of dots to Green who repeatedly tries and fails to clatter length deliveries forward of square.
“Can’t help feeling that a chasing team ‘… won by 5 wickets …’ in limited-overs matches is a bit meaningless,” emails Will Wroth. “When the constraint is number of balls faced, ‘… won by 3 overs …’ makes more sense. In 2-innings games wickets really is key, as if you run out of time, it’s a draw, but not in 50/20-over contests.
Yesterday’s Bangladeshi win over Pakistan is a case in point: we were only waiting to see if they would get the runs in time, and weren’t interested in wickets once they got towards the finishing line. My brother Charles agrees, suggesting that ‘ ... reached the target with 1.2 overs to spare (and 8 wkts in hand) ...’ would be much more descriptive of how they actually did it. Waddyathink?”
What I think, Will, is that cricket is an inherently stupid exercise, and applying logic to it is a fools errand.
WICKET! Warner c Dutt b van Beek 104 (Australia 266-5)
Two in a row for the Netherlands! Warner gets down on one knee and tries that ramp slog that worked so well against Pakistan. He doesn’t get all of it though and Dutt holds on at fine-leg despite his vision being obscured by the floodlights. Another sparkling knock from the Australian veteran, but his dismissal leaves his side needing to rebuild late in the piece.
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WICKET! Inglis c Engelbrecht b de Leede 14 (Australia 266-4)
Inglis aims the same whip-crack pull that he executed to such devastating effect in the previous over, but this time he can only pick out the midwicket sweeper. Inglist will be disappointed he didn’t cash in with plenty of runs on offer but such is the life of a late-over slogger.
39th over: Australia 266-4 (Warner 104, Maxwell 0)
100 to David Warner!
38.5 over: Australia 266-3 (Warner 104, Inglis 14) Warner: single. Inglis: single. Warner: four! A sixth world cup hundred for David Warner – only Rohit Sharma has more.
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38th over: Australia 259-3 (Warner 98, Inglis 13) Canny from Inglis, guiding van Beek behind point for an early single to bring Warner onto strike. The crowd senses the moment, but the Australian veteran calmly taps away a single, happy to delay the inevitable. And we’re all grateful he did because back on strike Josh Inglis belts one of the most vicious shots I have ever seen. Wow! Just short of a length from van Beek and Inglis gets his hands through a whipped pull so quickly the ball is in the stands before the TV director can cut to a wide angle. Stunning. Further singles are exchanged but still not century for Warner. He will be on strike at the start of the next over though.
37th over: Australia 249-3 (Warner 96, Inglis 5) Josh Inglis comes out at No 5 and he gets into his work quickly, pulling a de Leede bumper for four with excellent control. A single from the final deliver denies Warner the strike and the opportunity to bring up his ton. Warner has now faced just 87 of his side’s 222 deliveries.
WICKET! Labuschagne c Dutt b de Leede 62 (Australia 244-3)
Labuschagne perishes in search of quick runs, skewing a length cross-seamer from de Leede straight to Dutt at mid-on. Handy knock from the No 4 but probably not enough to save his spot from the returning Head.
36th over: Australia 244-2 (Warner 96, Labuschagne 62) Edwards makes the latest of myriad bowling changes this innings, recalling Dutt. Labuschagne responds by becoming the first Australian to leave his crease all afternoon, coming down the track and spanking a mighty straight six. He follows that up with a deft paddle sweep for four. Australia’s run-rate will soon climb over 7 rpo for the first time today.
35th over: Australia 231-2 (Warner 95, Labuschagne 50) Labuschagne brings up his half-century with a single, after a hard-run two to start the over. De Leede then bowls full and straight to Warner, keeping him scoreless.
Fifty up off 42 balls for Marnus Labuschagne! #CWC23
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) October 25, 2023
34th over: Australia 228-2 (Warner 95, Labuschagne 47) Labuschagne is starting to work through the gears after bedding in. A flat sweep just clears the boundary for six, then two very fine glances run away for four – one to fine leg, the other just wide of the wicket-keeper on the off-side. For the second over in a row Labuschagne farms the strike with a single, which made me check some stats. There have been 204 legal deliveries today, of which Warner has only faced 81. I wonder if this has been accidental or by design?
33rd over: Australia 213-2 (Warner 95, Labuschagne 32) De Leede comes back for his second spell after proving costly earlier, and he begins by inviting Warner to pound a half-volley through the covers. He’s then unfortunate to see a good delivery edged to third for four by Labuschagne. There was a suggestion it could have hit the Australian’s pad, not bat, so Edwards invites the third umpire to take a closer look. THE REVIEW reveals a very clear and very crucial edge.
32nd over: Australia 203-2 (Warner 90, Labuschagne 27) Van der Merwe comes back into the attack. Australia show plenty of intent against his left-arm spin but yet again find a well-set field and dynamic Dutchmen in their way.
31st over: Australia 199-2 (Warner 88, Labuschagne 26) Since the mayhem of half-an-hour or so ago it’s all felt a bit middle-overs, with rhythmless action and a distracted crowd. But Labuschagne’s wristy pull off van Meekeren deserves everyone’s full attention. That was a textbook boundary.
“While I agree that Smith’s petulance is highly irritating,” begins John Starbuck, “you have to look at it in the round. Come the day when he’s on the chat show and after-dinner circuit he’ll be known as ‘a character’ because of such traits. How many fearsome players have you heard of who didn’t appear to revel in their reputation, once they retired?” Just as long as his booking doesn’t include him singing and playing the guitar.
30th over: Australia 192-2 (Warner 87, Labuschagne 21) Labuschagne eats up a couple of dots before punching Dutt away for a single. A TV graphic indicates its been 20 minutes since the last boundary. Maybe the Australian saw it, because he extends his arms and sweeps powerfully for four immediately afterwards – the first proactive stroke for a while.
29th over: Australia 185-2 (Warner 86, Labuschagne 15) Van Meekeren replaces van Beek and he quickly goes short to Warner to reprise the strategy that looked promising much earlier in the day. That’s followed up by a lovely loopy slower ball, then a change of angle, shifting from around to over the wicket. Excellent, skilful, thoughtful bowling.
28th over: Australia 180-2 (Warner 83, Labuschagne 14) Australia struggle to get Dutt away. The run-rate has been over six for most of the day, but fireworks have been scattered rather than sustained.
27th over: Australia 176-2 (Warner 82, Labuschagne 11) The Netherlands continue to field like their lives depend on it. They have been inspirational in the ring this afternoon. Van Beek is the bowler who benefits from the latest sharp stop at point, and he channels that intensity by slipping in a bouncer that crashes onto Labuschagne’s lid. The batter is unhurt but there’s a delay for a change of helmet.
26th over: Australia 173-2 (Warner 80, Labuschagne 10) Labuschagne has looked busy straight away at the crease and he adds to his ones and twos with a delightful reverse sweep for four.
“Getting tired of Smith’s petulance,” emails Ross McGillivray. “When does standing at the wicket shaking the head and then walking off shaking it some more count as dissent? I hope that If a kid did it in junior cricket he would be spoken to sternly by his coach, but Smith seems to be untouchable.”
25th over: Australia 166-2 (Warner 79, Labuschagne 4) The pace of van Beek is recalled to the attack and he hits good areas to keep Australia watchful.
Controversial moment! 👀
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) October 25, 2023
It looked like David Warner was caught in the covers but the third umpire decides Roelof van der Merwe used the ground to help him hold onto the ball. Netherlands can't believe it 😰 pic.twitter.com/2yXiXLJkX9
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24th over: Australia 162-2 (Warner 78, Labuschagne 1) Phew! It’s all happening out there. Five deliveries, two brilliant pieces of fielding from van der Merwe, two appeals, one given. The upshot is Marnus Labuschagne has plenty of time to demonstrate he should not make way for the returning Travis Head.
WICKET! Smith c van der Merwe b Dutt 71 (Australia 160-2)
Oh boy. Is Smith out now? He tries to cut the returning Dutt but he can’t beat point, who springs from the ground celebrating a catch. It’s van der Merwe again! It’s low, awkward, close to the fielder’s right ankle, and this time surely he’s taken it cleanly and kept his fingers underneath the ball through his momentum. The third umpire agrees! That was superb fielding again from the Netherlands.
Smith, shaking his head, has to trudge off, with that trademark look of disgust on his face.
Updated
23rd over: Australia 158-1 (Warner 77, Smith 69) Smith gets in on the whole six-hitting lark, hooking a de Leede bouncer over fine leg. He didn’t get all of it, but the fielder was nowhere near a catch on a short boundary. The follow-up is a better shot, but worth only two-thirds of the value, with a clip off his pads that bisects the two men sweeping on the legside. Strike rotated, Warner continues the onslaught, bullying de Leede through midwicket with disdain. THEN HE’S OUT! WHAT A CATCH! The Netherlands have fielded superbly all afternoon and van der Merwe has made it count, flying to his right at short cover to pouch a ferocious drive.
Hmmmmm. He did catch the ball in mid-air like Superman, but as he landed the ball – clutched in his outstretched right hand – appeared to make contact with the ground. Not dissimilar to the Mitchell Starc one in the Ashes that everyone dealt with very maturely. For most of the history of cricket that was out, but the technology now means replays can isolate enough pixels to introduce doubt, the benefit of which goes to the batter. Another let-off for David Warner, who pounds a four behind point for good measure.
That was quite the over.
22nd over: Australia 139-1 (Warner 69, Smith 58) Warner greets van der Merwe to the crease for his second over by whomping a six, with the spin, in his arc, miles over cow corner. That was pure. Just a couple of singles from the following five deliveries.
21st over: Australia 131-1 (Warner 62, Smith 57) Bas de Leede, wearing the No 5, is bowler number seven for the Netherlands. And his opening over of right-arm heavy balls banged on a length goes for seven, more than half of which come from a typical Smith whip into the on-side.
20th over: Australia 124-1 (Warner 60, Smith 52) Roelof van der Merwe is the sixth man into the Netherlands attack. Australia work his left-arm finger spin comfortably for five straightforward runs.
Smith gets a fifty too - his comes off 52 balls #CWC23
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) October 25, 2023
19th over: Australia 119-1 (Warner 58, Smith 49) Nice bowling from Ackermann, restricting Australia to singles with his changes of pace and angles of attack.
18th over: Australia 115-1 (Warner 56, Smith 47) Make that two sixes for David Warner. Following that run-out reprieve he looks like he’s had enough of occupying the crease and takes Singh downtown for a clean maximum, following it up with a crisp four along the same line, then a muscular crunch through the covers off the back foot. The man is a world cup run machine. My advice to any teams playing Australia is to get him out when they have the chance.
Singh’s figures no longer deserve highlighting.
Warner reaches his half-century off 40 balls #CWC23
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) October 25, 2023
Updated
17th over: Australia 96-1 (Warner 38, Smith 46) Yes! No! Waiting! Gah! David Warner should be out. After all that praise about the Dutch fielding, O’Dowd failed to gather a routine stop at midwicket in the ring off the first ball after drinks. Warner made it down to the non-striker’s end, only for Smith not to repay the compliment. O’Dowd had an age to gather and find the keeper’s gloves but he fluffed his lines. True to form in his charmed tournament so far, Warner responds by slogging the day’s first six.
16th over: Australia 90-1 (Warner 32, Smith 46) Despite bowling as innocuously as you could imagine at this level of international cricket, Vikramjit Singh ends his third over with figures of 0/11. Australia simply cannot get him away, and when they can, they find a superb troupe of fielders placed perfectly.
Time for a drink.
15th over: Australia 88-1 (Warner 31, Smith 45) The opening offie Ackermann is back for another whirl and Australia struggle to get him away. Just three singles from the over.
14th over: Australia 85-1 (Warner 30, Smith 43) Singh continues with his appetising wobblers, one of which is a legside wide, and another would be an offside one but for Smith hanging out a telescopic bat. Somehow it takes until the 11th legal delivery of his spell before he concedes a boundary, and it arrives when Warner works the ball off his hip through square leg.
13th over: Australia 80-1 (Warner 26, Smith 42) Close! Van Meekeren continues his bouncer barrage to Warner and he almost gets his man for a second time at the start of the over. Short and quick around off stump, Warner goes for the pull but can only loop a top-edge that lands safely behind the backpedaling square-leg. Smith has so far not looked like getting out, and he continues on his merry way with another four off his hip behind square on the legside.
Around that there’s some superb fielding by Max O’Dowd at cover, the latest in a series of excellent stops by the Dutch ring. The Netherlands have looked very sharp in the field, very switched on with the ball and very astute with their tactics.
12th over: Australia 71-1 (Warner 24, Smith 36) Vikramjit Singh introduces his gentle swingers to the attack, and despite the lack of menace out of the hand, in the air, or off the pitch, Australia only muster three singles.
11th over: Australia 68-1 (Warner 22, Smith 35) Van Meekeren switches to a short-pitched line of attack and it befuddles Smith and Warner. The over only goes for two singles, and almost jagged Warner’s wicket with a bumper skimming the gloves as it beat an attempted pull shot. I’m sure Australia’s much much faster pace attack won’t mind seeing that.
10th over: Australia 66-1 (Warner 21, Smith 34) A couple of quiet overs are followed by a bountiful one for Australia. Van Beek gets too straight to Smith (which means anything legside of an imaginary fifth stump) and finds himself pulled for four, glanced fine for four, and whipped away for four, all behind square on the on-side.
9th over: Australia 53-1 (Warner 21, Smith 21) Another tidy over for the Dutch with van Meekeren hitting good areas and conceding only two singles.
8th over: Australia 51-1 (Warner 20, Smith 20) From around the wicket, van Beek hits a good length, angling the ball into Warner, keeping the opener honest on the crease. Just one from the over.
7th over: Australia 50-1 (Warner 19, Smith 20) Van Meekeren’s first delivery is a massive legside wide. After which, Warner jogs down to ask umpire Michael Gough a question. His DRS stats maybe? A defensive stroke later there’s another delay because the splice of Warner’s bat has separated from the blade. A single brings Smith on strike and that means runs. Two are driven through midwicket, four are pulled, and four more – the most handsome of the lot – are ladled through extra-cover. This is the definition of a batter hitting themself into form.
6th over: Australia 38-1 (Warner 18, Smith 10) Smith gets more runs – two this time – with another unconvincing stroke, this time stepping miles to off and shovelling an uppish nothing shot to the vacant midwicket region. Thereafter he’s more the Smith of old, drilling a couple of sumptuous straight drives straight to fielders then timing a four off his hip when van Beek loses his line and length.
Updated
5th over: Australia 30-1 (Warner 18, Smith 2) It’s a double-pace bowling change with Paul van Meekeren’s seamers replacing Dutt’s offies. He’s immediately on a textbook line and length over the wicket to Smith, and just as with the last over, four dots afre followed by a loose attacking shot. This one squirts just wide of the diving point and away for a single. Excellent couple of overs for the Netherlands.
4th over: Australia 29-1 (Warner 18, Smith 1) Steve Smith, under a little pressure, gets off the mark straight away with a single.
𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵 𝗰 𝗔𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗻 𝗯 𝘃𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗲𝗲𝗸
— Cricket🏏Netherlands (@KNCBcricket) October 25, 2023
So India Gate was the place where the plan to bounce Mitch Marsh was hatched by these two. Now we know. 😉#CWC23 pic.twitter.com/8BaZOQ6tZ3
Updated
WICKET! Marsh c Ackermann b van Beek 9 (Australia 28-1)
The Ackermann experiment lasts only one over with Logan van Beek’s pace introduced to the attack. Bowling right-arm over medium-fast he finds some nice shape away from Marsh, conceding only a wide for four deliveries. The fifth is dug in a little shorter, Marsh launches at it, but his whack towards the legside only goes straight up in the air where Dutch fielders converge like pieces of a Terry’s Chocolate Orange reassembling. Amidst the chaos Ackermann’s voice can be heard and he holds onto the opportunity. Early breakthrough for the underdogs!
Updated
3rd over: Australia 27-0 (Warner 18, Marsh 9) The first shot in anger almost brings about a wicket! Warner doesn’t get to the pitch of an attempted off-drive, dragging an inside edge onto his boot and almost onto his pegs. He dwells on his good fortune for no seconds, carving the next four deliveries for four – three behind point, one just in front – as Dutt errs a fraction short on his fourth stump line. The Delhi feast is underway.
2nd over: Australia 11-0 (Warner 2, Marsh 9) Spin from both ends with Colin Ackermann taking the second new ball. Over the wicket to the right-handed Marsh, around to the left-handed Warner, there’s no spin to speak of, but the line and length is impeccable and he concedes just three singles. Again, Australia keep their expansive shots in the locker for the time being.
1st over: Australia 8-0 (Warner 0, Marsh 8) I like idea of opening with an offie and beginning Australia’s trial by spin as soon as possible. Unfortunately for the Netherlands, there’s no spin to speak of, and consequently no early breakthrough, with Marsh leaning into a gentle cover drive for four, then thick-edging four more through third. Nothing expansive but still a healthy start for the Aussies.
Also to add, Australia are wearing black armbands today to pay their respects to Fawad Ahmed whose young son died this week.
Now the players are on their way to the middle. David Warner and Mitch Marsh in vivid lemon yellow ready to face the unexpected off-spin of orange-clad Aryan Dutt. Here we go!
Anthem time in Delhi, during which I am distracted by how much Scott Edwards reminds me of Andy Murray.
A quick scan of Twitter (terrible idea) reveals Pakistan Cricket Twitter (yup) is fully behind the Dutch today, knowing Australia are now in the driving seat for that fourth semi-final spot. I’m sure that will be a calm corner of the internet for the next few hours.
Today’s pitch is the same one that was used for South Africa and Sri Lanka’s run-fest.
Netherlands XI
The Netherlands back in the same XI that did the business against South Africa and pushed Sri Lanka hard. Curiously, Scott Edwards said at the toss that his side was looking to bowl first anyway.
Netherlands: 1 Vikramjit Singh, 2 Max O’Dowd, 3 Colin Ackermann, 4 Bas de Leede, 5 Teja Nidamanuru, 6 Scott Edwards (capt & wk), 7 Sybrand Engelbrecht, 8 Roelof van der Merwe, 9 Logan van Beek, 10 Aryan Dutt, 11 Paul van Meekeren
Australia XI
One change to Australia’s XI, but it’s not the one we all expected, with Cameron Green deputising for Marcus Stoinis who has a calf niggle. Travis Head will have to acclimatise by running drinks.
Australia: 1 David Warner, 2 Mitchell Marsh, 3 Marnus Labuschagne 4 Steven Smith, 5 Josh Inglis (wk), 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Cameron Green, 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Adam Zampa
Australia won the toss and will bat first
Pat Cummins is the man with a smile on his face. “That boundary looks a bit small” he grins as he ponders putting his feet up for a few hours and watching the scoreboard click beyond 400.
It is a hazy afternoon in Delhi – one of those where the weather forecast is more about the air quality (not great, hazardous probably, bordering on dangerous). It’s hot, but at around 30C with “only” 50% humidity, not as inhospitable as other playing conditions we’ve seen this tournament.
The Arun Jaitley Stadium has been a batter’s paradise so far this world cup. First South Africa smashed a bunch of records against Sri Lanka, then India chased down 272 in 35 overs, before Afghanistan made England’s attack look inadequate during their stunning upset.
Win toss, bat first.
While Warner deserves credit for his savagery at the crease against Pakistan, he deserves opprobrium for his reluctance to accept his LBW dismissal against Sri Lanka. Warner was given out on-field, a decision confirmed by DRS, but still that wasn’t enough to soothe the 36-year-old veteran of 109 Tests and 154 ODIs.
Courtney Walsh addressed the subject of Warner suggesting the reason he missed a straight one is because Joel Wilson’s stats weren’t shown on the big screen before play. Or something.
Warner’s proposal, regardless of the motivation, could invite a ripple-down effect of ridicule. His assertion umpires are unaccountable is also contrary to fact. Performance is important and umpires can and are dropped, some of them with very public profiles.
Geoff Lemon was in Bengaluru to witness Australia’s world cup campaign ease through the gears against Pakistan, driven by the powerful David Warner.
Friday in Bengaluru was one of those David Warner days. Sure, he got glitter-bombed by the Luck Fairy when he was on 10, his second attacking swing of the bat looping to mid on where it was wildly, impossibly dropped by Usama Mir. But from there he savaged Pakistan’s bowling with a purity of hitting well matched in power and variety.
Preamble
Hello everybody and welcome to live OBO coverage of match 24 of the 2023 Cricket World Cup. Australia v Netherlands will get under way in Delhi at 2pm local time (7.30pm AEDT/9.30am BST).
At the midpoint of the group phase of this marathon tournament the table is taking the kind of shape that is going to make for a lot of redundant fixtures. India are clearly the standout side, South Africa’s batting is terrifying, while New Zealand just keep on keeping on. On paper there’s a battle for fourth place, but Australia have the Netherlands today as well as Afghanistan and Bangladesh still to come. Besides, none of the Test playing nations below can be trusted to string the required victories together.
IND 10pts from 5 games
SAF 8pts from 5 games
NZL 8pts from 5 games
AUS 4pts from 4 games
PAK 4pts from 5 games
AFG 4pts from 5 games
NED 2pts from 4 games
SRI 2pts from 4 games
ENG 2pts from 4 games
BAN 2pts from 5 games
That’s not to say Australia are especially trustworthy either. Comprehensively beaten in their opening two encounters, they enjoyed the good fortune of Sri Lanka throwing away a 125-run opening partnership to belatedly get their campaign up and running, before Pakistan unfurled one of the poorest and costliest dropped catches in world cup history to gift David Warner a life on 10. He went on to make a gazillion bonus runs at better than a run-a-ball.
But such is sport, especially tournament sport at the elite level. It’s not how, it’s how many, and Australia have demonstrated time and again they have an ability to find something when it counts.
And that ability will be helped by the return to the side of Travis Head. Arguably the form top-order batter in the country, Head’s recovery from a broken hand offers benefits to the bowling attack as well, which has been short of spin options in his absence.
He will relish the opportunity to be eased back into action against the Netherlands, but the Oranje cannot be taken for granted, as their victory over a powerful South Africa proved.
That should do for now, so settle in while I steer you through the pregame and first innings, after which James Wallace will see you through to the end of play.
If you’d like to get in touch while I’m on, please fire all communication to jonathan.howcroft.casual@theguardian.com.
