The World Cup Finals

It’s down to the final four with anyone of them able to take home the trophy. Tom Minear previews what looms as an exciting final week of the tournament.

The 2007 Cricket World Cup is coming to a close, with the semi-final match ups now clear and ready to go next week. For many people, particularly the West Indians, the end of cricket’s greatest showcase cannot come quick enough.

The latest addition to the history books has been a tournament marred by saddening and negative events. We have seen the retirements of Lara and Inzamam, the sacking of Duncan Fletcher, and Greg Chappell and Dav Whatmore have both quit.

India bombed out spectacularly from the group stage, the West Indies have had no momentum and only Ireland and Bangladesh have been passable among the abundance of minnow nations.

Crowds have been poor, with ticket sales hitting rock bottom and supporters banned from playing musical instruments and enjoying their day at the cricket. Of course, we have also said a tragic goodbye to Bob Woolmer.

But among the ashes, there are the occasional glimpses of good – even World Cup standard – cricket. Fans will never forget Herschelle Gibbs’ six sixes, the imposing form of Matthew Hayden or the upset wins by Ireland and Bangladesh.

As stars have faded, others have been born. Lasith Malinga has proven himself to be more than just a tearaway, as has Shaun Tait, while the likes of Shane Watson, Ross Taylor and AB de Villiers have all had their moments.

The four leading teams in the competition have all found their way through to the finals, and soon one of them will be holding aloft the 2007 Cup.

So who will it be? Can Australia make it three in a row, or will New Zealand knock off their Trans-Tasman rivals? Or will it be South Africa, the favourite for many, or even Murali’s freakish Sri Lankan outfit?

Semi Final – Australia v South Africa

Could it get any better than this?

In the red corner, we have Australia. Champions of the world until only a few weeks ago, and despite gaining back their title, no one will truly believe they are the best until they take home the World Cup Trophy.

In the blue corner, South Africa looms large. Only days ago, they were ranked the number one team on the planet. Their captain thinks the chokers tag has gone, but they have yet to prove it on the biggest stage, against the best team.

Who will win? My heart says Australia, and for once my mind agrees.

This will be a stunning match. Australia has been in dynamite form throughout their time in the Caribbean, going undefeated through the tournament. South Africa has done enough to reach the finals, but have yet to beat their arch rivals, going down by 83 runs in the group stage. But if both teams can turn it on, then fans are in for a classic to rival their 1999 Semi-Final tie.

Australia will go into the game as favourite, and rightly so. Matthew Hayden has been leading the charge for his team, smacking 580 runs including a record-tying three hundreds during the tournament. His form at the top of the order is incomparable, and together with Adam Gilchrist, Hayden has managed to get his team off to lightning starts in nearly every match – something no other team has been able to match.

The middle order is also in sound form. Ricky Ponting has been flying under the radar, but has 480 runs in the West Indies to be second on the World Cup run charts. Together with Michael Clarke, Mike Hussey and the rejuvenated Andrew Symonds, there are plenty of runs to be made by this side.

Shane Watson has recovered from a calf injury, to play the key role at number seven. His batting has been nothing short of explosive – New Zealand will testify to this after a blistering 65 off 32 balls on the weekend – and his bowling has been sharp and testing.

The Aussie bowlers have also been on firing on cylinders. Glenn McGrath leads all bowlers with 22 wickets in his farewell to world cricket, while Shaun Tait and Brad Hogg are tied for second with 19 apiece.

Both players have been especially impressive, after critics questioned their place in the team after sub-par summer performances. Nathan Bracken has also bowled superbly, and shuts down any momentum the opposition can gain with the bat.

South Africa has a team jam packed with aggression, from number one to number eleven. Graham Smith and AB de Villiers have lacked consistency, but can score quickly and punish any mistakes in the field, and Australia will need to get them early after both players combined for a 160 run opening stand off just twenty overs during their group stage clash.

The middle order has a strong combination of hitters (Herschelle Gibbs, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock and Justin Kemp) and stroke players (Jacques Kallis and Ashwell Prince), and all of them are capable of making big contributions with the blade.

The bowlers are also quite a talented posse. Pollock and Makhaya Ntini are at the top of the tree, while Andre Nel, Andrew Hall, Charl Langeveldt and Robin Peterson have the ability to change the match with a wicket or a tight spell.

But the edge must go to Australia, only just though. The batting is quite even, with both sides having the option of posting a big total or chasing a score down under lights.

Australia will depend on a big innings from Hayden and Ponting again, and if they can control Smith and Kallis then the game is theirs for the taking. Australia is also stronger with the ball, with Tait, McGrath and Hogg playing beautifully right now.

The only way South Africa can win this match is by knocking the Aussies over cheaply, and frankly that’s not going to happen.

Semi Final – Sri Lanka v New Zealand

This is another top match up, between two very competitive teams. Both have generally dominated play throughout this tournament, and are very hard to split with great depth with the bat and ball.

Sri Lanka have been transformed by coach Tom Moody, and now play one of the most aggressive and exciting brands of cricket in the world. They have plenty of experience, along with a couple of youngsters, and can beat anyone on their day.

Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene are the keys with the bat. They are three very contrasting batsman, and for the Sri Lankans to come away with a win here at least two of them need a big score.

Jayasuriya has the ability to blow a team off the park in not many balls, while the other two must set a foundation for the talented but relatively inexperienced lower order.

However, their true strength lies with the ball. Everyone knows how good Muttiah Muralitharan is, and he has proven himself to be the best in the world again in the West Indies.

His flight and turn is phenomenal, and no batsman ever feels truly safe against Murali. Chaminda Vaas has lost his pace but is still a handful, while Lasith Malinga is staking his claim as an elite paceman.

Of course, New Zealand can never be counted out. They have struggled with injuries and form throughout the tournament, but have made it to the finals and that is all that counts.

With the bat, Ross Taylor and Peter Fulton have come into the side and added a sharper edge to the team. Old stagers in Stephen Fleming and Craig McMillan are always a danger; Brendon McCullum and Jacob Oram are blistering batsmen and Scott Styris is in career-best form.

Shane Bond is a superstar, and probably the best fast bowler in the world right now. He will have to be firing for the Kiwis, and will need support from Daniel Vettori, James Franklin, Jeetan Patel and an assortment of part-timers.

Again, it’s a tough call to pick a winner here, but I would have to say that Sri Lanka should come through to the final. The batting is very even, and so is the bowling. But with questions over Shane Bond’s fitness, and the form of Murali and Malinga, the Sri Lankans look like a good thing.

Final – Australia v Sri Lanka

The deciding act of the World Cup will be played out by the two best teams in the world. Australia, the world champions going for three in a row, and Sri Lanka, the surprise packets with not much to lose.

It’s such a hard game to pick. If Sri Lanka are in great form, then anything could happen – catching Australia on a bad day is rare, but if they are not completely on their game then an upset is on the cards. Tom Moody’s team will need to be on their toes, and Jayasuriya will need to set the tone from the first ball with the bat.

But the Australians have been readying themselves for this day since January. They know each other inside out, and are in the form of their lives. I think their advantage in this game has to be over Murali – he is an amazing bowler, but has admitted that the Aussies play him best. This plays into their hands, and if they can bat well against him, then a massive assault in the final overs is a definite possibility, as is a score in excess of 320.

Australia should have this game their way, but you never know. Cricket can be a funny game. Whatever happens, get ready for a classic match between two very exciting teams. Let’s hope for a cracking end to a tough couple of months in the West Indies.

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