Like the man said, that was awesome. Thanks for your company, emails and Pink Floyd tips – goodnight.
An expert in World Cup nailbiters speaks
50 over cricket dead 😮
— Damien Fleming (@bowlologist) October 28, 2023
awesome match 🏏 Well played Aussies and kiwis 👏 👏
How did Travis Head score that 💯 coming off no cricket 🤷♂️
Ravindra’s💯 equally good 👍
Then Marnus’s fielding late ..wins the game 🫡 #CricketWorldCup2023
And here’s a beaming Pat Cummins
That was awesome. At times I had to remember I was in the middle of a cricket field, not a spectator! They just kept coming at us, fantastic.
[On the opening partnership] Ah, I love that. Especially Trav, who’s been away for five weeks. Just their intent; that’s the way we want to play, we want to take the game on.
In patches we bowled really well, then at other times we gavethem too much width. They put together some really good partnerships and it was tough. [On the fielding] Marnus out there throwing himself around, it’s not an easy fielding ground here but it made a big difference.
Four wins in a row is great. We’ve got a five- or six-day break now, so we’ll enjoy this one and then get stuck in at the back end.
New Zealand captain Tom Latham’s reaction
To come so close obviously hurts but it was a fantastic game. It ebbed and flowed throughout. When you’re chasing close to 400 you need to play almost the perfect game. Rachin played a fantastic knock, one of the better ones you’ll see. To get so close was a great effort. I’m pretty proud of the boys.
New Zealand are still above Australia on net run-rate, with eight points apiece. They’re four points ahead of Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Afghanistan, though either Sri Lanka or Afghanistan will have six points after their meeting on Monday.
The player of the match is Travis Head
Yeah it’s nice to be back, nice to be contributing, nice to get a win. It was a helluva game. I’ve only had a couple of hits in the nets. It was a bit like the Test Championship – I had six or seven weeks off and I was ready to go.
I think [David Warner and I] play together really, really well. We complement each other. Not a lot’s said really, it’s just about making sure we react well and stay in the moment. We want to be as positive as we can, and today we got away which was nice.
A word too for Marnus Labuschagne, whose fielding in the last over almost certainly won the match.
50th over: New Zealand 383-9 (Boult 10, Ferguson 0) The injured Lockie Ferguson needed to hit six off the last ball. He couldn’t pierce the infield and Australia celebrated with weary relief. It was a spectacular game, with 771 runs (a World Cup record) and 32 sixes.
Travis Head’s barnstorming century feels an age ago. He’ll get the match award, rightly so, but your new favourite cricketer Rachin Ravindra also made the most glorious century. Sheesh, what a game.
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Australia win by five runs!
A World Cup classic comes to an end.
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Neesham pummelled 58 from 39 balls but he couldn’t get over the line. The World Cup has been sadistically pretty cruel to him. The other thing is that Starc’s delivery was close to being a no-ball on height. In the end it dipped enough below the waist and became an awkward ball for Neesham to hit.
Kids, don’t take up sport. Take up baking or something. Die at 60 really fat and happy.
— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) July 15, 2019
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WICKET! New Zealand 383-9 (Neesham run out 58)
Jimmy Neesham has been run out. He slugged a highish full toss to deep midwicket and came back for the second. Labuschagne’s laser throw was collected by Inglis, who acrobatically broke the stumps. New Zealand need 6 off 1 ball.
49.4 overs: New Zealand 382-8 (Neesham 57, Boult 10) This is the highest-scoring game in World Cup history, and a bona fide classic. Starc runs in… and Neesham drags him towards the deep midwicket boundary. Labuschagne hurtles round to save two runs with an outstanding stop. That’s sensational fielding.
7 from 2 needed.
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49.3 overs: New Zealand 380-8 (Neesham 55, Boult 10) Neesham drills Starc down the ground for two more, with the man at long on, Maxwell I think, doing very well to save the boundary. 9 from 3.
In fact Starc got a touch on that which was crucial in taking some of the pace off.
49.2 overs: New Zealand 378-8 (Neesham 53, Boult 10) Neesham drags Starc to deep midwicket for two. 11 from 4.
49.1 overs: New Zealand 376-8 (Neesham 51, Boult 10) Five wides! I don’t believe it! Starc tried for a leg-stump yorker, got it wrong and the ball kicked up to beat the flying Inglis.
New Zealand need 13 from 5 balls.
49.1 overs: New Zealand 371-8 (Neesham 51, Boult 10) Boult takes a sacrificial single and gets away with it when Labuschagne’s throw misses the stumps. New Zealand need 18 from 5.
Mitchell Starc will bowl the last over. Nineteen off the last over in a World Cup game in India? No chance.
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49th over: New Zealand 370-8 (Neesham 51, Boult 9) Another dot ball! That’s outstanding. It was a wide, very full delivery and Neesham could only scuff it back to the bowler.
New Zealand need 19 from the last over, but Neesham isn’t on strike. Australia are behind on their overs so they can only have four rather than five men outside the circle.
48.5 overs: New Zealand 370-8 (Neesham 51, Boult 9) A dot ball! A fantastic wide yorker from Hazlewood. New Zealand need 19 from 7 balls.
48.4 overs: New Zealand 370-8 (Neesham 51, Boult 9) Neesham slugs a slower ball to deep midwicket for four! That brings up a marvellous, dead-eyed fifty from 33 balls.
48.3 overs: New Zealand 366-8 (Neesham 47, Boult 9) Neesham wallops Hazlewood up and over cover for two. 23 from 9.
48.2 overs: New Zealand 364-8 (Neesham 45, Boult 9) Six runs! Boult thumps Hazlewood to long on, where the stretching Labuschagne takes the catch and throws the ball back onto the field – but not before stepping on the rope, just like Trent Boult in the 2019 final. What an extraordinary coincidence.
Also, Labuschagne told the umpire it was six, which is pretty admirable in the circumstances.
Boult flat-bats the next ball for a single to bring Neesham on strike. 25 from 10 needed.
48th over: New Zealand 357-8 (Neesham 45, Boult 2) A leg-side wide from Starc is well stopped by Inglis, diving to his right. That probably saved four runs.
A short ball is clothed into the leg side for a single, then Boult dries another to deep cover. That means Boult will keep the strike. “Not sure about that…” says Ian Smith on commentary. New Zealand need 32 from 12 balls.
47.4 overs: New Zealand 354-8 (Neesham 44, Boult 1) A dot ball, then Boult gets off strike. 35 from 14.
47.2 overs: New Zealand 353-8 (Neesham 44, Boult 0) Starc misses his yorker, Neesham drills him over the fielder at long-on for six. He pulls a single off the next ball, though the commentators think he should have turned it down. 36 from 16.
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47th over: New Zealand 346-8 (Neesham 36, Boult 0) The new batter Trent Boult can do nothing with his first two deliveries. Cummins ends a vital spell, in which he used the slower ball superbly, with figures of 10-0-66-2. His dismissal of the wonderful Rachin Ravindra feels like the matchwinning moment.
New Zealand need 43 from 18 balls. Neesham needs to summon the spirit of Abu Dhabi 2021 – but this time he doesn’t have Daryl Mitchell to help out.
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WICKET! New Zealand 346-8 (Henry c Hazlewood b Cummins 9)
Goddim! Henry cuts a slower short ball straight to Hazlewood at backward point. Never mind wickets; the fast bowlers have taken five catches tonight.
46.3 overs New Zealand 346-7 (Neesham 36, Henry 9) Cummins starts his last over with a wide. Neesham drives a single down the ground, then Henry is hoodwinked by a superb slower bouncer that loops through to Inglis.
But Henry can bat, as Somerset fans will tell you, and he waves the next ball emphatically over mid-off for four. New Zealand need 43 from 21.
46th over New Zealand 340-7 (Neesham 36, Henry 5) Henry snicks Starc for a single, which gets Neesham back on strike with two balls remaining. Starc zips a fine delivery past his outside edge, which ratches the required rate up to exactly two runs off every ball.
A single off the last means Neesham will keep strike. New Zealand need 49 off 24 balls.
45.3 overs New Zealand 338-7 (Neesham 35, Henry 4) Mitchell Starc returns in place of Zampa. He’s had a bad day so far, and Neesham makes it worse by driving his second ball magnificently over extra cover for six. That might be the shot of the match, which is saying something given how well Travis Head and Rachin Ravindra played.
At this stage of their innings, Australia were 338/6. This is pulsating stuff!
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45th over New Zealand 331-7 (Neesham 28, Henry 4) Two runs from Cummins’ first three balls, but then Neesham fetches a wide ball back over his head for four. Seven from the over, which will do nicely for Australia.
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44th over New Zealand 324-7 (Neesham 22, Henry 3) Yet again Zampa has produced for Australia. He finishes with 10-0-74-3, and the three wickets all came at crucial times. New Zealand need 65 from 36 balls.
WICKET! New Zealand 320-7 (Santner c Maxwell b Zampa 17)
Six and out for Mitchell Santner. He belted Zampa to cow corner and tried to repeat the stroke two balls later. This time it was the googly and he could only pick out Glenn Maxwell, who took a nerveless catch. I’ve said this a few times tonight but that, surely, is the game for Australia.
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43rd over New Zealand 314-6 (Neesham 21, Santner 11) Neesham makes it back-to-back boundaries by cuffing a short ball from Cummins to midwicket. Marsh gets his knee stuck in the turf while making a vital stop at short fine leg. He looks sore but okay to continue.
Talking of injuries, apparently Lockie Ferguson will bat if needed. He’ll be needed.
Cummins has an LBW appeal against Santner turned down. It pitched outside leg and Australia have no reviews left anyway. He ends the over well, though, with only four from the last five balls.
42nd over New Zealand 306-6 (Neesham 15, Santner 10) Zampa almost gets through his penultimate over unscathed, only for Santner to late cut the last delivery for four. New Zealand desperately needed that.
41st over New Zealand 296-6 (Neesham 14, Santner 1) Neesham gets lucky, slicing Cummins over the cordon for a couple. This is surely done now: New Zealand need 93 from 45 balls with only three wickets remaining (Lockie Ferguson won’t bat because of injury).
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It was clever bowling from Cummins, a wide slower ball that Ravindra tried to drive over wide long-off. He didn’t quite get hold of it and Labuschagne steadied himself to take the catch.
Ravindra drags himself from the field, barely cognisant of the standing ovation he is receiving. He played the most charming, skilful and intelligent innings: 116 from 89 balls with nine fours and five sixes. And that was after having no rhythm for the first 30 balls. To see a kid play an innings like that almost brings a lump to the throat.
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WICKET! New Zealand 293-6 (Ravindra c Labuschagne b Cummins 116)
Pat Cummins has made what will surely be a match-winning breakthrough!
40th over New Zealand 292-5 (Ravindra 116, Neesham 11) Hazlewood is fractionally full to Ravindra – fractionally full – and is driven exquisitely past mid-off for four. There’s an eerie calmness to Ravindra’s batting. He simply doesn’t have a clue that New Zealand could be about to obliterate the record for the World Cup’s biggest runcahse. They need 97 off 60 balls.
“Could we have another of these?” says Gary Naylor. “Take a look at win percentage to the right of the scorecard.”
39th over New Zealand 283-5 (Ravindra 111, Neesham 9) Jimmy Neesham joins the party, lifting Maxlwell over midwicket for six. That was superbly timed. Ten from the over, so New Zealand need 106 from the last 11.
38th over New Zealand 273-5 (Ravindra 108, Neesham 2) Hazlewood returns and is immediately pulled round the corner for four by Ravindra. Imagine what his father, who named him after Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, is experiencing right now. His soul must be signing in G major.
Four singles complete a decent over for New Zealand, who are hanging in there – and keeping the run rate in single figures.
37th over New Zealand 265-5 (Ravindra 102, Neesham 0) That was the last ball of an extremely eventful over. New Zealand need 124 from 78 balls.
WICKET! New Zealand 265-5 (Phillips c Labuschagne b Maxwell 12)
Ravindra survived but now Phillips has gone! He tried to launch Maxwell into outer space and mistimed it horribly. Labuschagne backpedalled at mid-off to take a cool catch. It’s Ravindra or bust for New Zealand.
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36.2 overs New Zealand 263-4 (Ravindra 100, Phillips 11) Ravindra is dropped by Maxwell! The ball after reaching his hundred he spooned the ball back towards the bowler – but somehow it went straight through Maxwell’s hands. It was almost like he couldn’t believe Ravindra played such a tame stroke.
RACHIN RAVINDRA MIGHT BE A GENIUS!
36.1 overs: New Zealand 262-4 (Ravindra 94, Phillips 11) Ravindra reaches a glorious 77-ball hundred with a monstrous slog sweep for six off Maxwell. I swear, my whole body is shivering. Nothing in sport stirs the soul like the emergence of a great young talent, and this has been an astonishing innings from the breakout star of this World Cup. He was 24 not out from 31 balls, in danger of playing a match-losing innings, but he held his nerve and trusted his talent. With talent like that, why wouldn’t you: he has hit 76 off the last 46 balls.
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36th over: New Zealand 256-4 (Ravindra 94, Phillips 11) Phillips pulls Zampa through the legs of Hazlewood at short fine leg for four. That might be a costly misfield.
A single brings Ravindra on strike, and he clubs a flat six back over Zampa’s head. This kid is wonderful.
“With the fall of every ‘important’ wicket, like you Rob, I feel the game is done and dusted,” says Dean Kinsella. “But this Kiwi team just keep coming.”
I can’t believe how well Ravindra has played. The strokeplay isn’t especially surprising but the ability to stay patient under this pressure, when he barely middled anything for the first 30 balls, is not normal for a 23-year-old.
35th over: New Zealand 244-4 (Ravindra 87, Phillips 6) Inglis appeals/celebrates a caught behind when Ravindra misses a pull shot. Australia have no reviews left, but it missed the outside edge anyway. It’s a good over from Cummins regardless, four from it. The required rate is about to go into double figures for the first time.
34th over: New Zealand 240-4 (Ravindra 85, Phillips 4) New Zealand know Zampa is the dangerman. Even with the required rate above nine, they’re happy enough to take him for four singles. They need 149 from 96 balls, and a kid most of us hadn’t heard of six weeks ago is the key to everything.
33rd over: New Zealand 236-4 (Ravindra 83, Phillips 2) In Cummins’ first spell, Ravindra was struggling to lay bat on ball. That was then and this is now. He picks Cummins’ slower ball and drives it elegantly over wide mid-off for six, because that’s what you do when you’re 23 years old and the timing of your strokeplay verges on the otherworldly. A cracking back cut for four takes Ravindra to 83 from 67 balls; he’s scored 59 off the last 36.
“Amen, Rob,” says Guy Hornsby. “Everyone should watch The Bear, not just because it’s an utterly brilliant piece of claustrophobic drama (my god, the family Christmas, shudder), but that its soundtrack is almost faultless. It leans on New York bands (and has the temerity to play the mighty LCD Soundsystem, the late Gen Xers Talking Heads, in the background!) but it’s a celebration of music as narrative.
“When they play Let Down I had to take a few deep breaths. Modern TV has managed to take classic cinema’s best examples and apply them across hours of viewing. Like watching Jimmy bowl on a green top, we’re lucky to live in this era.”
Amen to that. It even introduced me to the sound of a tension headache.
32nd over: New Zealand 224-4 (Ravindra 72, Phillips 1) Zampa is now the leading wicket-taker in the World Cup with 15.
“Good afternoon Rob,” says Krishnamoorthy V. “What would your words of comfort be to a Man United fan who also follows cricket for tomorrow.”
Erm, there’s a new series about John Gotti on Netflix?
WICKET! New Zealand 222-4 (Latham c Hazlewood b Zampa 21)
Adam Zampa’s timing is impeccable. For the umpteenth time he has taken a vital wicket at a crucial time. Tom Latham tried to reverse sweep his second ball but top-edged it straight to Hazlewood at short third.
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31st over: New Zealand 221-3 (Ravindra 70, Latham 21) Hello! The first ball of Mitchell Marsh’s second spell is pulled thrillingly into the crowd by Ravindra. “This is a quality player we’re seeing here,” says Ricky Ponting on commentary.
He almost falls later in the over, dragging the ball just past off stump, but he’s earned a stroke of luck with his batting in the last half an hour or so.
Latham completes an excellent over for New Zealand – 13 from it – with a lovely straight drive for four. That also brings up the fifty partnership from 44 balls. I thought Australia were safe when Mitchell was dismissed but it’s in the balance now.
30th over: New Zealand 208-3 (Ravindra 62, Latham 16) Ravindra pumps Starc over mid-on for four more. Two wides make it seven in the innings for Starc, who is having a tough night. His figures are 6-0-56-0.
And so to the last 20 overs. New Zealand need 181 from 120 balls.
29th over: New Zealand 198-3 (Ravindra 57, Latham 13) Latham gets his first boundary from his 14th delivery, dragging Maxwell round the corner. Then Ravindra steers a gorgeous late cut betwen backward point and short third for four more.
At one stage Ravindra was struggling on 24 not out from 31 balls. But he held his nerve and since then he has stroked 33 from 22. When a load of nerds do a retro 2023 World Cup draft in 20 years’ time, Ravindra will be a plum pick.
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28th over: New Zealand 187-3 (Ravindra 52, Latham 7) Rachin Ravindra pulls Starc for six to reach an increasingly fluent 49-ball fifty. His early struggles make this innings even more impressive; it would have been so easy, as a young batter facing the big bad wolf for the first time, to slog one up in the air and get it over with.
“You should also know that Sky Arts regularly features Pink Floyd concerts from across the years, along with entries in the Classic Albums series,” writes John Starbuck. “Atom Heart Mother, by the way, was the principal soundtrack for the film Pink Floyd At Pompeii. Roger Waters’ version of The Wall is notable for actually building a wall, then dismantling it, during performance, including at Berlin, while their gig in Venice was notorious for going badly wrong.”
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27th over: New Zealand 177-3 (Ravindra 45, Latham 4) In the context of such a high-scoring game, Maxwell’s figures are outstanding: 7-0-32-0. The required rate has leapt to 9.22 per over. It feels like we’re done here.
“The only band my wife and I and our three adult kids all like is Radiohead,” says Dean Kinsella. “We got tickets to go see them a few years ago in Dublin. Everyone was excited. Then I heard about Thom’s man bun.... No, sorry, I mean their breaking of the cultural boycott against Israel. I took the tickets to Dublin and sold them at face value. My family are left-leaning enough but I’ve never truly been forgiven for my executive decision making.”
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Latham is not out Yep, outside the line. Australia have wasted both their reviews.
Australia review against Latham! Maxwell has an LBW appeal turned down when Latham misses a flick to leg. It looked very close but Latham was so far down the track that I suspect he’ll get away with it. Might have been outside the line too.
26th over: New Zealand 175-3 (Ravindra 44, Latham 3) It does feel like New Zealand have a bit of a mental block against Australia. They’ve won only three of their 11 meetings at ODI World Cups, and two of those victories counted for little because Australia went on to win the tournament.
Then again, New Zealand effectively knocked Australia out of the T20 World Cup last year, so who knows.
25th over: New Zealand 171-3 (Ravindra 42, Latham 1) Maxwell replaces Marsh, whose single over allowed Zampa to change ends. Just three from the over; the net is closing around New Zealand.
“Just listen to who inspired Radiohead,” says Chris Copping, “and put Spirit of Eden on by Talk Talk.”
He’s another one whose back catalogue I need to explore.
24th over: New Zealand 168-3 (Ravindra 40, Latham 0) Earlier in that Zampa over, Ravindra lashed successive boundaries over mid-off. He’s looking more confident now, though the wicket of Mitchell feels like a decisive blow.
Zampa, incidentally, changed ends rather than being taken out of the attack.
“Meddle,” says David O’Keeffe. “I started with this having seen the video for ‘One of These Days’ on OGWT. Perfect album. Then DSOM then WYWH. Good period in music.”
GPIM?
WICKET! New Zealand 168-3 (Mitchell c Starc b Zampa 54)
Game, set and match Australia (probably). Mitchell charged Zampa and launched the ball down the ground. He turned on his heels straight away, knowing he hadn’t middled it, and Mitchell Starc took an easy catch at long on.
Mitchell played with style and authority to make 54 from 51 balls, but his departure puts New Zealand in big trouble.
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23rd over: New Zealand 157-2 (Ravindra 31, Mitchell 54) Mitchell Marsh replaces Adam Zampa, whose three-over spell went for 22. Australia want to keep as many of his overs as possible for the business end. Marsh’s first over is a good one – four singles and a wide. The required rate is now above 8.5, and Australia have the game under control. I think.
“Wish You Were Here is also one of the very few albums (by anyone) to soundtrack an aerial display by two Tiger Moth (I think) aircraft,” says John Starbuck. “In the 1980s there was an act doing this at various fairs across the country.”
I didn’t have David Gower down as a Pink Floyd fan. On that Tiger Moth incident, I love a quote from Gower about the tour manager (I think) Peter Lush. Gower had buggered off for dinner, knowing he was in trouble, and when he returned to his hotel room there were a load of notes that had been shoved under the door by Lush. Gower said, “You could see the mounting fury in his handwriting.”
22nd over: New Zealand 154-2 (Ravindra 29, Mitchell 52) Mitchell reaches a 42-ball fifty in style, smoking Starc past extra cover for four. This is a world-class cricketer we’re watching, and Australia won’t feel comfortable until he’s gone.
“As a 53-year-old man, Radiohead is my Radiohead,” says Pete Salmon. “Can I just suggest to these naysayers that all they need to do is get a time machine and go back to 1997, take a substance where you get the rush at about the 20-minute mark, and listen to OK Computer – ait for that bit where Let Down looks like it’s finished BUT IT HASN’T. The rest is easy.
“On another note I met Dave Gilmour of Pink Floyd once. I managed to say ‘You’re Dave Gilmour’. He said ‘Yes I am’ and we went our separate ways.”
Have you watched The Bear? I was euphoria on legs when Let Down kicked in.
21st over: New Zealand 149-2 (Ravindra 29, Mitchell 47) Ravindra skids back to back cut Zampa classily for four. That’s his first boundary in nine overs and the best shot he’s played today, so maybe it will get him going.
“Whilst admittedly not a big fan of Pink Floyd, Rob, I have to politely disagree with John Starbuck. Wish You Were Here is their best album. Period. Coincidentally released in 1975, just after the inaugural cricket World Cup. I’ll play it tomorrow after the England v India match, and weep.”
I hope it’s shorter – and more purposeful – than Sunil Gavaskar’s infamous innings in that tournament.
20th over: New Zealand 142-2 (Ravindra 24, Mitchell 45) Daryl Mitchell is a serious cricketer. He greets the return of Mitchell Starc with successive, emphatic boundaries, crashed past mid-off and then back over Starc’s head.
This is an expensive return for Starc. Two wides are followed gy a pull for two by Ravindra, which makes it 13 from the over. While Mitchell is there, New Zealand have hope. They need 247 from 30 overs.
“Everyone seems to forget Atom Heart Mother, the one about the cow getting hit by a train – superb,” writes Andrew Collins. “And Meddle, two great early Floyd albums...”
Thanks everyone, my playlist for next week is sorted. Or until 10.12am on Monday, if it turns out I can’t stand them.
19th over: New Zealand 129-2 (Ravindra 22, Mitchell 36) Zampa’s second over is much tighter, with just four singles from it. Ravindra hacked an impatient slog sweep but it didn’t beat deep square leg. He has 22 from 29 balls, Mitchell 36 from 31.
“Prompted by Nick Parish, can I opine that regardless of the dubious political leanings of one of its cast, the prospect of Frasier without Niles would be like reforming the Beatles without John,” says Brian Withington. “I’m still coming to terms with the idea of Jimmy bowling without Stuart, so forgive me for not rushing to embrace this one.”
18th over: New Zealand 125-2 (Ravindra 20, Mitchell 34) A let-off for Ravindra, who hooks Cummins just short of Zampa at fine leg. He’s really struggling against Cummins, with four four runs from nine balls now, and it’s hurting New Zealand.
“With just five tracks,” says Vibhanshu Bisht, “I would think Wish You Were Here is the easiest Pink Floyd album to start with.”
But how long are those tracks? I’ve heard the rumours. I’ve done the work.
17th over: New Zealand 120-2 (Ravindra 18, Mitchell 32) Adam Zampa replaces Maxwell. New Zealand would love to sit on him at five an over, but that’s not an option today. After three dot balls, Mitchell gloves an attempted sweep round the corner for four - and it’s a good thing he did because he would have been plumb.
If that was scruffy, Mitchell’s next shot was magnificent. He ran down the track and carted Zampa back over his head for a big six. That’s drinks.
“The Wall of course!” says Krishnamoorthy V. “(You should follow up with the excellent film by Bob Geldof too). You can later try The Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here. Are you back in the evening for the clasico?”
Thankfully not. Taha Hashim is covering it as part of the usual Saturday clockwatch.
16th over: New Zealand 109-2 (Ravindra 18, Mitchell 21) Ravindra is beaten by a bit of extra bounce from Cummins, drives a cutter just wide of short extra cover and then plays and misses at another slower ball. A superb over from Cummins, just two from it.
Ravindra is nowhere near his fluent best, and his scoring rate is starting to put pressure on Mitchell. In normal circumstances 18 not out from 23 balls would be fine; a target of 389 is not normal.
“My selection would be 1) Dark Side of the Moon; 2) Wish You Were Here; 3) Obscured By Clouds; 4) Saucerful of Secrets and 5) The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn, if only to discover how it all got going. Animals and The Wall are less favoured, while the more recent ones such as The Division Bell and Endless River are OK but not great,” says John Starbuck. “One thing which favoured them was the engineering, which was so good people bought these LPs to test their sound systems, just as Quad was coming in during the 1970s.”
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15th over: New Zealand 107-2 (Ravindra 16, Mitchell 21) Ravindra slices Maxwell just short of Head at short third. The ball spins past him for a couple of bonus runs. Maxwell is doing a fine job here: 5-0-27-0.
“You should listen to the first Pink Floyd album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967), the only one with Syd Barrett,” says Martin Crookall. “Then pretend the band never released anything after that. Of course, if you’d rather be bored to tears...”
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14th over: New Zealand 101-2 (Ravindra 12, Mitchell 19) Cummins replaces Hazlewood, who bowled an important spell of 6-0-41-2. Mitchell drives pleasantly through extra cover for two, then belts Cummins back over his head for four.
I was going to say Mitchell is in glorious form but he’s been playing like this for 18 months, so maybe it’s just his level.
13th over: New Zealand 93-2 (Ravindra 11, Mitchell 12) Better from New Zealand, who milk Maxwell for six low-risk singles.
12th over: New Zealand 87-2 (Ravindra 8, Mitchell 9) Victory here would put Australia on the brink of the semi-finals. They’d probably need to win only one of the last three games – England, Afghanistan, Bangladesh – to be sure, especially as their net run-rate is so good.
Hazlewood continues into his sixth over. Ravindra swivel pulls round the corner for four, with Starc going down in installments at fine leg. The outfield is quite sandy so you can understand his reluctance to dive.
11th over: New Zealand 79-2 (Ravindra 3, Mitchell 6) Mitchell reverse sweeps Maxwell confidently for four. Boundaries are good but rotation of strike is equally important when you’re chasing a whopper; Maxwell has bowled eight dot balls in the last two overs.
“Two bands: Pink Floyd and The Rolling Stones. I’ve seen both of them live and it really worked,” says John Starbuck. “The Kinks might be in there were it not for a support band who carved out a semi-circle in the retreating audience with their over-heavy bass drum. It sent loads of people to the bar so it could be considered successful on the theatre’s own terms.”
I’ve never listened to a full Pink Floyd album, which to many will constitute cultural negligence. Where should I start?
10th over: New Zealand 73-2 (Ravindra 2, Mitchell 1) The new batter is the in-form Daryl Mitchell. Australia are applying the squeeze: New Zealand are 18/2 in the last four overs.
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WICKET! New Zealand 72-2 (Young c Starc b Hazlewood 32)
Ravindra is beaten outside off by Hazlewood. This is his first appearance against Australia, a rite of passage for any Kiwi cricketer.
It’s Young’s first innings against them as well. Or rather, it was, because he has just fallen. The ball after lofting Hazlewood down the ground for four, he tried to drive a back-of-a-length delivery and edged to Starc at short third man.
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9th over: New Zealand 67-1 (Young 28, Ravindra 1) Young rocks back to force Maxwell wide of backward point for four. That’s a classy stroke, but it’s sandwiched by a whole load of dot balls. New Zealand need 322 from 41 overs.
“I too have been unable to listen to Radiohead,” says John Starbuck, “but that’s because I’m an Old Codger and think they’re rubbish.”
Who would be your generation’s Radiohead? In terms of style and reputation, I mean, rather than personal preference.
8th over: New Zealand 63-1 (Young 24, Ravindra 1) That Hazlewood’s seventh wicket of the tournament, and his first left-hander. It was such a good catch from Starc, who swooped to his right to grab it two-handed as the ball died on him.
Despite a very good start, New Zealand are always 30 runs and one wicket worse off than Australia weer at this stage.
WICKET! New Zealand 61-1 (Conway c Starc b Hazlewood 28)
A huge wicket for Australia! Conway flips a full ball from Hazlewood round the corner, and Starc gets down smartly to take a superb catch at short fine leg.
Conway snaps his head back and roars angrily at the heavens, and himself. He goes for an all-too-brief 28 from 17 balls.
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7th over: New Zealand 60-0 (Conway 28, Young 22) We will inded see Glenn Maxwell. He replaces Pat Cummins, who was hooked by Pat Cummins after a solitary over.
The spinners are the key to this runchase, so New Zealand may be happy to milk Maxwell and wait for the bad ball. That’s exactly what they do in his first over: five singles from it.
At this stage, since you asked so telepathically, Australia were 86/0.
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6th over: New Zealand 55-0 (Conway 26, Young 19) Too straight from Hazlewood, and Young puts him away to the fine-leg boundary. That brings up the fifty partnership from 31 balls. Young chips another boundary over mid-on two balls later; Australia aren’t bowling well, and we might see Glenn Maxwell earlier than expected.
“Morning Rob,” says Nick Parish. “The key question surely is nothing to do with cricket - did anybody reply to your question as to whether the new Frasier is worth watching? And is it wrong that I feel much less inclined to watch it now I know Kelsey Grammer is a Trump supporter?”
Nope, not a soul, though the reviews were promising. I think we’re going to watch it just as soon as we finish our Royle Family marathon. As for the Trump thing, I guess it’s never been harder to separate art from the artist. I know I’ve been unable to listen to Radiohead since Thom Yorke first flaunted his man bun.
5th over: New Zealand 46-0 (Conway 26, Young 10) Only three men average 40 in all three forms of international cricket: Virat Kohli, Babar Azam and Devon Conway. For all the praise he receives, he is still slightly underrated. He might be the all-time great next door.
Conway makes a stagement by charging Pat Cummins’ first ball to chip a one-handed four over cover. Two balls later he flicks just short of Hazlewood at short fine leg, with the ball bouncing through him for another boundary – Conway’s sixth in 13 balls.
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4th over: New Zealand 35-0 (Conway 17, Young 9) The commentators have pointed out the disparity in Hazlewood’s record at this tournament – excellent against right-handers, very poor against lefties.
For now he has the right-handed Young in his sights. Hazlewood beats him with a good delivery, nowhere near full enough for the drive that Young attempted.
After four dot balls, all good length, Hazlewood decides to try a bouncer and is swivel-pulled smoothly for a flat six by Young. An excellent shot but poor bowling.
3rd over: New Zealand 28-0 (Conway 17, Young 3) The first ball of Starc’s second over snaps down the leg side for five wides, then a misfield from Head turns one leg-bye into two. Young is beaten by a good delivery, then pings a square drive that doesn’t beat point. He has 3 from 8 balls, but the flying start made by Conway and Extras has reduced the pressure on him to score quickly.
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Conway is not out!
Nothing on UltraEdge, as you were. I suspect they only reviewed that because it was Conway.
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Australia review against Conway!
2nd over: New Zealand 21-0 (Conway 17, Young 2) Here’s Josh Hazlewood, who has had a fairly quiet tournament since that dramatic opening over against India. Successive wide deliveries are hammered for four by Conway, the first through the covers and the second past point.
Hazlewood switches round the wicket, pulls his length back and immediately has a big appeal for caught behind when Conway flirts outside off stump. It’s given not out but Pat Cummins is persuaded to review.
1st over: New Zealand 12-0 (Conway 9, Young 1) You’d think that, if New Zealand are to have any chance, Devon Conway will need to make a huge hundred. He has a fine record in successful ODI runchases, albeit with a small sample size: eight innings, average 89, strike-rate 88.
After a leg-side wide from Mitchell Starc to begin the innings, Conway waves a very wide outswinger over point for four. He’s beaten later in the over by a good delivery, with the same outswing but a much tighter line, but Conway has the last word with a beautifully timed push to the extra-cover boundary.
The players are back on the field. Only one team has chased a target of this size to win an ODI. Don’t play silly buggers, you know who it was.
There’s another game being played today, though it is unlikely to impact the race for semi-final places. Netherlands are 25/2 after 6.5 overs against Bangladesh.
Thanks Jonathan, hello everyone. I suppose it’s a good sign when you’re slightly disappointed with a total of 388. At two stages – 175/0 after 19 overs and 387/6 after 48 – they looked set for at least 400.
It’s still a mighty total, one you’d expect them to defend maybe 19 times out of 20. Talking of which, today is the first time Australia have hit 20 sixes in an innings in any format. The majority were pumped by David Warner and the remarkable Travis Head, who made one of the great World Cup debuts.
Head’s form since he returned to the ODI side in 2022 is pretty extraordinary. Let’s look at the evidence.
2016-18 42 matches, 1273 runs at 34.40, strike-rate 90.02
2022-23 17 matches, 900 runs at 64.28, s/r 123.79
If New Zealand are to pull this off, they will need to follow Head’s lead and go ballistic in the Powerplay. There is a recent precedent to comfort New Zealand: when they thrashed England in the opening game of the tournament, they reached a target of 283 with nine wickets and 82 balls to spare. In other words, had they needed to chase 389 they would almost certainly have done so. Then again, that was against England.
Australia 388 all out
A Travis Head century, part of a 175-run opening partnership in just 19.1 overs, turbocharged Australia’s innings and sent them on their way to a massive 388.
Early on, a score in excess of 400 looked on the cards but Australia’s troublesome batting order again failed to capitalise on a blistering start. After Head (106) and Warner (81) flayed New Zealand to all corners of Dharamsala, Mitchell Marsh looked a newcomer to batting as he lurched to a 51-ball 36. Steve Smith (18) and Marnus Labuschagne (18) played with intent but neither cemented their place in what is now a fiercely contested side following Head’s return from injury.
Glenn Maxwell’s 24-ball 41 reignited the innings, and he was supported by handy knocks from Josh Inglis (38) and Pat Cummins (37).
New Zealand were uncharacteristically poor, dropping a number of simple catches and failing to bowl to their fields. It took the part-time darts of Glenn Phillips (3/37) to restore some order, while Mitchell Santner probably deserved better than his 2/80.
The pitch was superb for batting on early in the day but slowed up as morning turned to afternoon. Similarly, the older ball found some grip in the surface. Australia will benefit from learning these lessons after losing a toss that, at the time, looked to have gone in New Zealand’s favour.
Can the Kiwis chase down 389 as afternoon bleeds into evening? I’ll hand you over to Rob Smyth to find out.
WICKET! Starc c Neesham b Henry 1 (Australia 388)
Improbably, Australia are bowled out. Length from Henry, Starc swings it powerfully to leg, but he can’t clear Neesham on the midwicket fence.
WICKET! Zampa b Boult 0 (Australia 388-9)
Boult has three in the over! This one was comprehensive. Coming around the wicket, angling the ball in, Boult simply nails the stumps with Zampa backing away looking to manufacture some room. Boult ends with 3/77 from a difficult day.
49th over: Australia 388-9 (Starc 1)
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WICKET! Cummins LBW Boult 37 (Australia 388-8)
Cummins steps towards off to find some room to free his arms. Boult beats him for bace bowling full and straight, the ball skidding into the pads bang in front on the crease. Very out. It’s given on-field but Cummins reviews for the hell of it, then walks off before the full process has completed. Brilliant lower-order hitting though. 37 from just 14 balls.
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WICKET! Inglis c Phillips b Boult 38 (387-7)
Finally New Zealand hang on to a catch. Inglis holes out to Phillips at long-off, failing to get enough leverage on a Boult yorker. A handy 28-ball 38 from the wicket-keeper.
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48th over: Australia 387-6 (Inglis 38 Cummins 37) I’ve not seen much from Josh Inglis to suggest he is an upgrade on Alex Carey – other than his pull shot, which is exceptional. He nails one off Neesham that flies for a massive six behind square leg. Then he’s DROPPED next ball. Oh that’s poor from Ravindra. It was the same delivery that got Maxwell, and almost the same shot, but this one skewed down to the cover sweeper who saw the ball into his hands near his chest, then out again.
The batters crossed for a single meaning Cummins is the man on strike, so he clears his front leg and smears another straight six! Then another! Poor bowling. Do not put the ball in the slot. Then ANOTHER DROP! Cummins tries the slog but gets some inside edge only for Phillips the midwicket sweeper to fail to hold on with the diving effort. The Aussie skipper makes them pay with ANOTHER SIX, this one slogged handsomely over square leg. Four sixes and two dropped catches – what an over.
47th over: Australia 360-6 (Inglis 31 Cummins 17) Trent Boult returns to close the innings from one end but things do not go according to plan. Cummins gets off strike first ball, then, after consecutive wides, Inglis engineers a reverse ramp for four directly behind Latham. Incredible shot. Cummins then clears his front leg and digs out a classic lower-order swish that has enough grunt behind it to reach the sightscreen on the full. Australia charging home with a wet sail, even without Maxwell.
46th over: Australia 344-6 (Inglis 25 Cummins 9) 15 valuable runs come from a scruffy over of batting, bowling and fielding. Inglis hasn’t appeared fluent as yet but he looks a million dollars driving Henry straight back down the ground for four. He’s then gifted a boundary after a decent hook shot is allowed to bounce straight through Ish Sodhi’s permeable long barrier at fine-leg. Henry’s luck continues to dessert him when a mistimed pull fails to reach midwicket off the splice, and his mood will have darkened further when Cummins steers a fine glance beyond Latham.
45th over: Australia 329-6 (Inglis 16 Cummins 4) Neesham follows up his excellent wicket with a couple of dots to Cummins as the changes of pace deny Australia’s batters any consistency to line up. But the skipper does manage to squirt a boundary away behind square from the final delivery, getting on top of some width and just beating the man at point.
WICKET! Maxwell c Boult b Neesham 41 (Australia 325-6)
Unsighted for the previous 44 overs, Jimmy Neesham is called into the attack due to the injury (Achilles soreness) to Lockie Ferguson. He starts with a dot and a single to Inglis, then adjust his line from over to around the wicket for Maxwell. AND IT WORKS! Full and wide, Maxwell goes after it, but he can only launch it high to Trent Boult at mid-off. Excellent bowling and strategic execution from Neesham and New Zealand. Just the 24-ball 41 from Maxwell today.
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44th over: Australia 324-5 (Maxwell 41, Inglis 15) Henry back into the attack and he starts with a rare dot against Maxwell. And another! This one is a genuine edge from the Victorian, slashing at a length delivery, but it doesn’t carry through to Latham. And a third! This one hurt him too. Henry slipped in a slower ball bouncer, Maxwell went for the reverse hook but was too quickly onto it and the ball crashed into the back of his left hand. I don’t envy anyone trying to go through the mental gymnastics to picture that in their mind who didn’t see it in the flesh.
Henry continues to back his variations and despite Maxwell and Inglis’ best efforts they can only muster two singles with Maxwell failing to get any wood on a wide yorker to close the over.
43rd over: Australia 322-5 (Maxwell 40, Inglis 14) ON THE ROOF! Santner bowls a dot and a single to Inglis. What will Maxwell do? He’ll advance quickly down the track to the pitch of the ball and launch a clean six almost into one of the two magenta turrets on top of the pavilion. SIX MORE! This time hanging back and slapping over cow corner. Maxwell already 40 off 18. Do not go anywhere.
Maxwell sends it to the roof 😵🤯😲#AUSvNZ #AUSvsNZ #NZvsAUS #NZvAUS #Head #Maxwell #BANvNED
— Shivam Shukla (@Shukla_j_shivam) October 28, 2023
Video Credits : @ICC @DisneyPlusHS @cricketworldcup pic.twitter.com/EuUXcnkTsi
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42nd over: Australia 306-5 (Maxwell 27, Inglis 11) It’s Maxwellball time! Go tell your kids, your neighbours, your social medial followers. It’s on like Donkey Kong. Inglis gets off strike then Maxwell reverse sweeps Ravindra for brilliant consecutive fours, the second almost a six with the batter miles inside the line, hitting up with the spin. How does he do it?
41st over: Australia 295-5 (Maxwell 18, Inglis 9) Brilliant from Santner, going for just three singles and bowling with extraordinary nerve, mixing in outrageously slow floaters with faster length balls. Terrific execution.
40th over: Australia 292-5 (Maxwell 17, Inglis 7) *Whisper it quietly* but Glenn Maxwell is a handy batter. A forceful two is followed by a pulled four as Boult shifts from around to over the wicket. Inglis then joins in the fun with an even better pull shot as Australia belatedly pick up the pace.
39th over: Australia 279-5 (Maxwell 10, Inglis 1) New Zealand REVIEW Santner’s second delivery to Inglis. It was a angled into the right-hander, who missed with a back-foot push. It looked out to the naked eye and I was surprised when it wasn’t given. DRS gives it Umpire’s Call – but that was very favourable to the batter with the ball hitting a lot of leg stump according to the animation. Penny for David Warner’s thoughts.
Inglis eventually gets off strike, allowing Maxwell to ignore the noise and reverse sweep with those rubbery wrists for a magical boundary. What a cricketer.
WICKET! Labuschagne c Ravindra b Santner 18 (Australia 275-5)
The poor batting continues for Australia. Labuschagne’s only attacking stroke to the spinners, pretty much, has been the long-reach sweep, and it hasn’t looked assured, especially against the extra bounce of Santner. His dismissal is exactly as you can picture, length around off stump from the tall bowler, a top-edged sweep from the batter, a nice catch running in from the midwicket boundary from Ravindra.
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38th over: Australia 274-4 (Labuschagne 18, Maxwell 6) Latham is really mixing things up here, quickly going back to Boult – and it almost brings about a wicket – but not in the way you might imagine. Labuschagne drills to the cover sweeper, turns for two, but Maxwell rightly tells him to wait. Labuschagne had already set off though and found it hard to change direction, but the throw was to the keeper’s end, not the bowler’s ending any chance of a cheap dismissal.
Maxwell doesn’t mess about with the strike, driving gracefully through the covers for a couple, then mashing a full toss back down the ground for his first boundary.
37th over: Australia 266-4 (Labuschagne 17, Maxwell 0) That dismissal probably suited both sides. New Zealand celebrate a wicket; Australia get Maxwell at the crease. Marsh’s struggles, another cheap dismissal for Smith, Labuschagne isn’t setting the world alight… there are still spots up for grabs in this Australian side.
WICKET! Marsh b Santner 36 (Australia 264-4)
Marsh’s stodgy innings ends just as he looked like he was in! Santner replaces Henry in the attack and he drops short, allowing Marsh time to rock back and pull for just his second boundary. Perhaps it was a softener? The next delivery is much quicker and flatter and catches Marsh wrong-footed, crashing into the stumps. Australia’s slow decline since that incredible opening stand continues.
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36th over: Australia 260-3 (Marsh 32 Labuschagne 16) Australia remain in the doldrums after drinks with Marsh missing out on a Ravindra full toss and Labuschagne almost losing his off bail after failing to connect with a sweep. The No 5 goes for the same shot to the final ball of the over – and he middles this one, sweeping powerfully in front of square for a pressure-releasing boundary.
35th over: Australia 254-3 (Marsh 31 Labuschagne 11) Henry’s right-arm pace replaces the left-arm speed of Boult. He starts well, keeping Marsh and Labuschagne pinned to their crease but then he overpitches a fraction and that’s the invitation Marsh was looking for to extend his arms through the ball and club a straight drive for four – his first boundary, 44 deliveries after arriving at the crease.
The second and final drinks break is upon us.
34th over: Australia 248-3 (Marsh 26 Labuschagne 10) Ravindra is the man Latham turns to for the time being to eat up some middle-overs, and the left-arm spinner hits his lines and lengths to keep each batter to just a single apiece. Marsh is now 26 from 42 and Labuschagne is getting bogged down following his bright start.
33rd over: Australia 246-3 (Marsh 25 Labuschagne 9) It’s just been highlighted that Lockie Ferguson has been off the field for over an hour – presumably with an injury – making Latham’s decisions around who should bowl the remaining overs increasingly complicated. For now Boult continues but he’s unthreatening in an unremarkable six-run over.
Glenn Phillips 3-37 off 10
— Daniel Cherny (@DanielCherny) October 28, 2023
Rest of NZ to that stage 0-203 off 22
32nd over: Australia 240-3 (Marsh 21 Labuschagne 7) Glenn Phillips ends his match-turning spell with superb figures of 3-37. Magnificent, consistent, uncomplicated bowling in the face of an almighty opening onslaught.
His final over contains a glorious reverse sweep from Labuschagne, as well as the sight of umpire Marais Erasmus having a stern word with Latham. Aaron Finch on the telly reckons it’s a warning for New Zealand’s fielders throwing the ball deliberately into the keeper on the bounce. One of those cricket rules that annoys me. It’s their ball, why can’t they do with it what they want?
31st over: Australia 233-3 (Marsh 19 Labuschagne 2) It’s been a long time coming, but New Zealand have returned to pace with Trent Boult coming back into the attack. Marsh demonstrates more intent immediately but he can only engineer a single from three deliveries. That bings Labuschagne on strike who is DROPPED badly by Mitchell at third! Normally such a safe pair of hands Mitchell saw the ball all the way off the bat following a lazy glide to a shorter delivery, but falling forward the ball spilled from his grasp to the disbelief of the bowler. Huge let-off for the Australian No 5.
Australia were 175-0 after 19. 58-3 from the following 12.
30th over: Australia 230-3 (Marsh 17 Labuschagne 1) Phillips, brought on in an emergency, now has 3/30 from nine overs. Big chance for Labuschagne to follow-up his improvising knock against the Netherlands to force his way into the long-term reckoning.
WICKET! Smith c Boult b Phillips 18 (Australia 228-3)
Between overs Stoinis ran out with drinks, presumably with an instruction to Marsh to get a ruddy move on. Perhaps with an added “do you not know who we’ve got padded up waiting to come in?” The big lad doesn’t seem to heed the message, rotating strike to bring Smith to the crease, who unleashes his frustration by miscueing a drive off the inside half of his bat straight to mid-off! Phillips has three! Australia’s momentum has stalled and the questions over the performance of the top-middle order are only going to grow.
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29th over: Australia 227-2 (Marsh 15 Smith 18) Santner induces an edge from Smith, playing away from his body, but it bounces just wide of the diving slip and runs all the way to the boundary for four. Not much else to report. Both sides seem happy to go through the motions at the moment.
28th over: Australia 219-2 (Marsh 13 Smith 12) Marsh continues just dobbing away innocuous deliveries from the crease with absolutely no intent. Ricky Pointing on commentary is getting increasingly irate. Marsh has crawled to 13 from 27 in a peculiar knock.
27th over: Australia 215-2 (Marsh 11 Smith 10) Santner is now recalled to the attack, and with him a slip to Marsh. The Australian responds with a well-timed sweep for two, his best attacking stroke of the day so far. We’re now into a more traditional middle-overs phase of the match as New Zealand focus on economy and two new batters get their eyes in.
26th over: Australia 209-2 (Marsh 7 Smith 8) Latham, perhaps distracted by the carnage of that opening partnership, could now bring his frontliners back, but he is persisting with Ravindra and Phillips for now. The latter keeps things tight, going for just three singles, with Marsh still oddly defensive at the crease, inching to seven from 19.
25th over: Australia 206-2 (Marsh 6 Smith 6) In contrast to Marsh’s withdrawn demeanour, Smith has come out full of intent. He takes Ravindra over mid-on without getting all of the stroke, then drives firmly to beat the dive of cover. He is six off five, Marsh the same score off three times as many deliveries.
24th over: Australia 201-2 (Marsh 6 Smith 1) Excellent from Phillips with the wicket and just one run from the over. Australia are in an extraordinarily strong position, but this is now a testing period for their middle order. Marsh has looked stodgy early on, and we know there is now fierce competition for places.
Australia vs New Zealand in ODIs in Asia:
— Nic Savage (@nic_savage1) October 28, 2023
AUS - 13 wins
NZ - 0 wins#CWC23
WICKET! Head b Phillips 109 (Australia 200-2)
Phillips has two! It’s the same delivery he’s bowled all spell, angled into the left-hander from around the wicket. This time Head gives himself room to hit through the off-side but ends up beaten by one that skids on a fraction, thudding into the middle of middle.
Head departs to a standing ovation after slogging 109 runs from just 67 balls.
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23rd over: Australia 200-1 (Head 109 Marsh 6) Another Ravindra over, another chance to enjoy Head skipping a couple of metres down the track, keeping his head low and over the ball, and lofting a six with consummate ease. The frequency of Australia’s hitting this innings is beginning to undermine the quality of the strokeplay. I’m getting numb to the majesty of the shots.
“Deep in drafting a long-delayed precautionary power of attorney letter of wishes in the early hours (as you do),” begins Brian Withington in typical fashion, “it suddenly occurred that there might be some cricket on to keep me company. Imagine my consternation at seeing (and disbelieving), checking and then rechecking the score! I’m left wondering whether the NZ skipper has also drafted an appropriate letter to cope with adverse unfortunate circumstances rendering him utterly powerless?”
22nd over: Australia 191-1 (Head 101 Marsh 5) That’s the fastest ton by an Australian opener in a world cup, the third fastest by any Australian, and Head’s fourth in ODIs. Awesome hitting.
100 to Travis Head
Travis Head cuts Phillips to the point sweeper to bring up his century from his 59th delivery. What a stunning return to the side.
21.3 overs: Australia 189-1 (Head 100 Marsh 4)
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21st over: Australia 187-1 (Head 99 Marsh 3) Ravindra is played away for a couple of singles, which adds an element of surprise to Travis Head sashaying down the pitch and belting a massive six over wide long-on. Immediately afterwards he may have tickled a very fine and very difficult chance behind down the legside, but it also might have been thigh-pad. Anyway, Latham was nowhere near pouching it standing up to the stumps.
20th over: Australia 177-1 (Head 91 Marsh 1) Australia stick with their prematch plan and Mitch Marsh strides out at first drop. That’s probably reasonable, nobody would want to see Glenn Maxwell wallop 300 now would they…
WICKET! Warner c&b Phillips 81 (Australia 175-1)
Finally a breakthrough! With his 19th delivery Phillips again arrows the ball towards the base of leg-stump from around the wicket. Instead of milking the single as he had so often beforehand, Warner tries to get his feet out of the way and loft over the top, but he ends up only bunting a cramped shot straight back to the bowler who holds onto a straightforward chance in front of his face.
Consecutive centuries followed by a 65-ball 81 from the Australian opener. This is one heck of a World Cup swansong.
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19th over: Australia 175-0 (Warner 81 Head 90) Yikes! The first sighting today of the dodgy Dharamsala outfield with Daryl Mitchell sliding to intercept the ball at fine leg only to find his right knee digging deep into the turf. He seems ok, but that really isn’t good enough for a world cup venue. Head then capitalises on the first loose delivery from Ravindra, punching a wide ball through the covers for four. Ten from the over with the minimum of fuss.
18th over: Australia 165-0 (Warner 79 Head 82) The boundary-less delivery count peaks at 27 before Head effortlessly lofts Mitchell back over his head for four.
17th over: Australia 158-0 (Warner 77 Head 77) Perhaps sensing his side has wrestled back a smidgen of control, Latham withdraws the valuable Santner, who has helped even the balance of the contest. Rachin Ravindra comes on in his place, and the left-arm spinner almost buys a wicket straight away when Head comes down the track and batters a shot across the line straight to – and straight through – Phillips at short-midwicket. That was technically a chance, but the fielder did well just not to injure himself.
Ravindra backs himself and makes it four overs in a row without a boundary. To Warner he’s over the wicket, inviting the drive. To Head he’s around the wicket firing the ball flat across the left-hander. Clever cricket.
Time for a drink – and a welcome opportunity for New Zealand to gather their thoughts.
16th over: Australia 155-0 (Warner 76 Head 75) Three overs in a row now without a boundary! Phillips continues his line of attack from around the wicket, cramping the two left-handers.
15th over: Australia 151-0 (Warner 74 Head 73) Consecutive overs without a boundary! New Zealand are in dreamland. We’ve seen Warner adjust his tempo this world cup already and it might not be a bad idea for him to ease through the innings now, bed in, and allow Head to tee off from the other end.
14th over: Australia 146-0 (Warner 70 Head 72) Can Glenn Phillips fare any better? Yes he can. From around the wicket the offspinner lands a succession of flat deliveries on a length, into the pads of Warner, that the batter respects. Could that take the wind out of Australia’s sails?
13th over: Australia 144-0 (Warner 69 Head 71) Poor Mitchell Santner. He starts with a wide. His fourth delivery is floated above the eyeline and deposited into the middle of next week by a rampaging Head. He then DROPS a chance off the next ball, failing to hold onto a tough chance diving to his right in his follow-through. He got there in time but the ball didn’t stick in his mitt.
12th over: Australia 133-0 (Warner 68 Head 62) Ferguson – one of the quickest bowlers in the game - is being ragdolled. Without any concern for his wicket Head drives him square for two, then bludgeons a four straight down the ground with a stroke that could almost be described as thuggish. Good fielding limits further damage.
“Maxwell in at first fall?” asks Peter Moller. I hope so, just for the look on Steve Smith’s face.
11th over: Australia 124-0 (Warner 66 Head 55) A rare win of sorts for New Zealand with Santner conceding just six runs and one boundary. A TV graphic then indicates Australia are course for 500+ at this run-rate.
Australia's first 10 overs have been action-packed! #CWC23 pic.twitter.com/qsetjqrs9J
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) October 28, 2023
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10th over: Australia 118-0 (Warner 65 Head 50) Is this fun any more? I’m getting queasy now. Warner extends a telescopic bat to dab a Ferguson wide behind point for four, then he carts a 154kph length delivery disdainfully over midwicket like The Fast Show’s Competitive Dad.
This start has been like watching that clip of those Orcas tossing seals around in the shallows. As it unfolds you’re in awe of the skill of the monsters, but after a while you just want the torture to end.
9th over: Australia 108-0 (Warner 55 Head 50) Massive moment in the game now with Latham being forced to call on his form bowler, Mitch Santner, much earlier than he would prefer. It doesn’t work. Oh how it doesn’t work.
Warner sweeps fine for four before Head takes over, ignoring the extra flight out of the hand to send a straight drive into the upper deck. Then he hoicks to leg to bring up his 50 in just 25 balls – the fastest of the tournament so far. Good to see the South Australian easing his way back after injury.
Welcome to the World Cup!
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) October 28, 2023
Travis Head hits a 25-ball fifty as Australia's 100 comes up in no time #CWC23
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8th over: Australia 93-0 (Warner 50 Head 40) David Warner brings up a 28-ball 50 with a single to the onside. The delivery beforehand he lap-pulled Trent Boult for six as calmly and finely as you like. The aggression, the timing, the range of strokes… I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything quite like this from an opening partnership before.
Fifty for David Warner! And it's taken only 28 balls #CWC23
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) October 28, 2023
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7th over: Australia 86-0 (Warner 43 Head 40) 19 from the over! Change of bowler, but no change of luck for New Zealand. Lockie Ferguson digs his first delivery into the pitch but Warner was waiting for it, getting under the ball and carving a six over cover point. Six more follow soon afterwards with Warner seeing the ball in slow motion, staying underneath the bounce and upper-cutting over third. Head joins in the fun, smearing Ferguson’s final delivery for four straight back down the ground. It only just cleared mid-off, but that was perhaps in the fielder’s benefit consider the force behind the stroke. This is fantasy batting.
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6th over: Australia 67-0 (Warner 28, Head 36) Boult changes tack for his third over, looking to bowl leg-stump yorkers in a bid to replicate death-overs conditions against the Australian onslaught. He only lands a couple in the desired area, but gets away with the concession of just one boundary, Head muscling one through midwicket a la Lance Klusener. This has been brutal from the Aussies.
5th over: Australia 60-0 (Warner 26, Head 31) If you just switched on you could be forgiven for thinking this was a rain-shortened 5-over bash the way Australia are batting. New Zealand keep faith with Henry, but it’s hard to understand why. Head goes 4-4-6 to start the over, beginning with a thick edge from a full-blooded thrash with his eyes closed and teeth gritted, followed by a lofted drive over extra-cover, then a nonchalant whip over midwicket.
Matt Henry is 0/44 from just three overs. His career ODI economy rate is 5.16.
4th over: Australia 46-0 (Warner 26, Head 17) I’m not privy to New Zealand’s planning, but I am pretty sure neither Plan A nor B includes Trent Boult starting his over with a wide half-volley. But that’s what he dishes up, so David Warner throws his hands at it and cracks it through the covers for another boundary. Four balls later Warner casually deposits another white ball into the crowd over midwicket, picking the length out of Boult’s hand, keeping his lower body low and accelerating high into the shot, like Rory Fowler driving a golf ball. This is punishing stuff.
3rd over: Australia 36-0 (Warner 16, Head 17) Oh geez, Warner is in some kind of form. He welcomes Henry to the crease for his second over by dropping his front knee and carting a length delivery miles over midwicket. Two shots in a row, one from each opener, that are a real show of strength. But that’s just the beginning.
Henry, rattled, oversteps, and Head obliterates the free-hit towards the top of Mount Everest. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. Henry overstepped delivering the free-hit! This time Head steps deep into his crease and pulls with brute force for another six! Australia with 21 runs from just two balls!
The bowler does well to end his misery without further calamity, but this is a catastrophic start from the Kiwis who will already be considering Plan B.
2nd over: Australia 14-0 (Warner 9, Head 5) If there is any movement on offer in the air or off the pitch, Trent Boult will surely locate it. But on the evidence of the left-armer’s opening over, there is none to be found. It takes Head only five deliveries to reach a similar conclusion, smashing the final ball of the over through the line and over long off for a four so dismissive it will make Tom Latham question his afternoon plans.
1st over: Australia 8-0 (Warner 8, Head 0) Henry starts well, bowling a couple of deliveries back of a length to Warner on a tight third-fourth stump line, but then he chucks in a rubbish wide half-volley that Warner gobbles like a hungry dog, before the Australian makes it two boundaries in the over with a shovel off his hip over the ring field and away to the midwicket fence. A very clear demonstration of the importance of line and length against a batter in this kind of form. Little indication this pitch is a win-toss bowl-first surface.
Travis Head is immediately in the action on his return to the side, and he heads out to the middle to join the in-form David Warner, who has back-to-back centuries. Warner on strike, Matt Henry has the ball. Here we go.
Anthem time in Dharamsala, confirming – if confirmation was needed – that Australia will play in yellow, New Zealand in black, and that Australia’s national anthem isn’t great, and New Zealand’s is.
If I was an international cricket coach I would just stick this on the change room projector about now.
Not only is Dharamsala absurdly beautiful, but playing conditions will also be pleasing on the eye to both XIs. Unlike the fierce heat, humidity, and smog further south, up in the Himalayan foothills it’s cool (with a top of 21C), dry, and perfect for athletic exertion.
The pitch has so-far proven one of the most favourable to swing and pace bowling, which means we could be in for a rare lower-scoring bowler-dominated clash, considering the talent on display in both attacks. In all five matches here, including today, the team winning the toss has elected to bowl.
Australia XI
As expected, Travis Head is back in the Australian XI, but unexpectedly it is at the expense of Cameron Green – not Marnus Labuschagne. The form of Glenn Maxwell with the ball has surely altered selectors’ thinking, reducing the need for a pace-bowling allrounder. And now that Head is back, his part-time overs could paper over any cracks.
Head’s recall at the top of the order shuffles everyone else down a place, including Steve Smith, who gave fans of reading between the lines plenty to enjoy when he was asked about his demotion to No 4. “I’ll do whatever the team wants,” Smith said. “I’ve got a pretty good record at three, so I was a bit shocked in a way, but I’ll do what I need to for the team.”
Australia: 1 David Warner, 2 Travis Head, 3 Mitchell Marsh, 4 Steve Smith, 5 Marnus Labuschagne 6 Josh Inglis (wk), 7 Glenn Maxwell, 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh Hazlewood
New Zealand XI
The Black Caps make just one change with Jimmy Neesham replacing Mark Chapman, who has a minor calf niggle. Veterans Kane Williamson and Tim Southee continuing their rehabilitation from injuries on the sideline.
Mitchell Santner’s left-arm spin looms as a major factor. Australia’s middle order has struggled to build on promising starts, and we know how the Aussies don’t enjoy slower bowling, so the in-form Kiwi’s spell of ten between overs 10-40 will provide an intriguing battle within a battle. It is also the allrounder’s 100th ODI.
New Zealand: 1 Devon Conway, 2 Will Young, 3 Rachin Ravindra, 4 Tom Latham (capt & wk), 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Glenn Phillips, 7 Jimmy Neesham, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Matt Henry, 10 Lockie Ferguson, 11 Trent Boult
Updated
New Zealand won the toss and elected to field first
“We are going to bowl. I think it looks a decent surface,” says Kiwi skipper Tom Latham. “Obviously a slightly earlier start hopefully might give us some assistance with the new ball early on.”
Before we get to the toss, just some other Australian cricket news that slipped out during the week with the national governing body reporting a dent to its bank balance. Those figures reflect uncertain times for the game’s established orders as franchise cricket eats away at the power base of international boards and India’s status as the golden goose grows ever more problematic.
Hosting the Twenty20 World Cup last year has gone some way to balancing the books at Cricket Australia, after the organisation announced it recorded a $16.9m loss in 2022-23.
The governing body said the loss was driven by an “expected low point in the revenue cycle” given it was a non-Ashes year, although the game set a new attendance record last summer.
Geoff Lemon had the good fortune to witness Glenn Maxwell’s 40-ball century in the flesh a few days ago. Now we get to enjoy him rhapsodising over the innings the Victorian’s career had been leading inexorably towards.
He is playing in his third World Cup: 21 innings, 656 runs, a strike rate of 162.37. It is by far the fastest scoring in any World Cup career of more than four innings or 74 runs. The closest record with more runs is Brendon McCullum, godfather of the tonk, who went at a comparatively sedentary 120.84. Maxwell has produced a career unlike anybody else’s. This occasion was seeing it at its fullest, most riotous expression.
The Black Caps have been enjoying their time off. His Holiness presumably asking Kane Williamson how he stays so chill.
A privilege to meet His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama at his residence in Dharamsala this morning.
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) October 24, 2023
Images courtesy of the Office of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. pic.twitter.com/EpoofNwTcC
Preamble
Hello everybody and welcome to live OBO coverage of match 27 of the 2023 Cricket World Cup. Australia v New Zealand will get under way in Dharamsala at 10.30am local time (4pm AEDT/6am BST).
A quick look at the table tells us the group phase has already satisfied its function of identifying the semi-finalists, and it has done so with two fifths of the tournament still to go. We will be squeezing every last drop of juice from the narrative lemon between now and November 15 to keep things interesting.
SAF 10pts from 6 games
IND 10 from 5
NZL 8 from 5
AUS 6 from 5
SRI 4 from 5
PAK 4 from 6
AFG 4 from 5
BAN 2 from 5
ENG 2 from 5
NED 2 from 5
Regarding today’s fixture, that’s probably leaning into the possibility one of this pair – most likely New Zealand – could be vulnerable to an improbable surge from either Sri Lanka or Pakistan. Following today’s encounter with an in-form Australia, the Kiwis have South Africa, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka to come, all of which carry a degree of risk. The Aussies might look at greater threat with only six points secured to this point, but they have yet to play Afghanistan, England, and Bangladesh.
I still don’t expect the top four will change between now and the semis, but that lemon isn’t going to squeeze itself.
Helping their cause today, New Zealand have enjoyed almost a week off since they lost to India, and they have spent it in one of the most picturesque corners of the globe. Australia by contrast are in the thick of a clump of matches, the latest of which proved a record-breaking one for Glenn Maxwell in Delhi.
After a poor start to the world cup Australia are coming to the boil nicely with key bowler Adam Zampa finding form, key allrounder Travis Head returning from injury, and a number of key batters enjoying time in the middle. There remain question marks overs the best XI, and there still isn’t that swagger you associate with the most formidable nation in world cup history, but Andrew McDonald won’t mind that if his troops keep logging the points.
That should do for now, so settle in while I steer you through the pregame and first innings, after which Rob Smyth 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.
