ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 ongoing games results & news diary 6th edition
South Africa having lost the toss and been put into bat by the Black Caps, finally got to the crease at 12 noon once the rain has stopped. However, despite the danger of their exiting the tournament, the Proteas seemed low on scoring ambition. Opener Quinton de Kock bowled by Trent Boult for just 5, while his partner Hashim Amla crawled to 55 before Mitchell Santner took his stumps. Then skipper Faf Du Plessis, who opened his account with purpose, hitting four quick boundaries, was summarily dismissed for 23 by Lockie Ferguson in the 13th over.
Next up, Aide Markram put on 38, while Dussie van der Dussen top-scored with an unbeaten 67 followed by 36 from David Miller, but the scoring rate was excruciatingly slow and the Proteas simply ran out of their 49 overs. South Africa 241 for 6 in 49 overs.
South African fielding standards had also slipped in recent times, a trait which once again became evident during the New Zealand innings.
Martin Gupthill started well enough but managed to hit his own wicket on 35, tempted by Phelukuwayo, and fellow opener Colin Munro fell caught and bowled for 9 from a smart piece of work by Rabada.
Then Kane Williamson entered the fray as if from another galaxy. Nevertheless, even an extra-terrestrial Williamson played some duff shots given the conditions, as well as taking some risks. However, there were slim pickings for the luckless David Miller who missed three opportunities to fracture Williamson’s crucial partnership with Colin De Grandhomme in the space of a few minutes. Admittedly they were two difficult chances to midwicket and a run-out he failed gather in time, but when the luck’s not running your way nothing goes right.
There were very few sixes in the match, the most prominent being Williamson’s big strike of 80-plus metres over midwicket to reach his century in the final over. It was a close highly fraught finish in most senses, Lungi Ngidi bowled a superb series of surface-gripping off-cutters in the 48th over, but while Ngidi only offered the Black Caps’ captain an inch outside off stump he pounced with the finest of cuts for four.
This meant that Andile Phehlukwayo had to restrict eight runs not 12, and Williamson heaved him into the Hollies stand to leave the scores all square. One run required from four balls, grand finale the cut past backward point. New Zealand gratefully took the win with 245 for 6 by 4 wickets.
Thursday 20th June
David Warner’s skilful 166 laid the foundation stone for a 48-run win that pushed holders Australia into top place in the World Cup table and decidedly dented Bangladesh’s chances of reaching the semi-finals.
Warner was in devastating form, especially in the later stages, driving Australia toward what would become their second-highest World Cup score of 381 for 5. It was his second century in eight days as he also became the first player in World Cup history to hit a score above 150 on two occasions. His efforts were supported by captain Aaron Finch (53), a flying Usman Khawaja with 89 and Glenn Maxwell (32) over the course of his innings.
Plucky Bangladesh took on the challenge of chasing down an enormous total bravely, but were unable to pick up the pace in the closing stages. Opener Tamim Iqbal put on 62 runs in 74 balls eventually bowled by Mitchell Starc and Shakib Al Hasan was going well at a run a ball until Warner took a smart catch off the bowling of Marcus Stoinis to dismiss him for 41.
But it was an unbeaten 102 from wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim that remained the platform for Bangladesh’s batting building blocks. Liton Das fell cheaply for 20, lbw to Adam Zampa. Mahmudulla then struck a marvellous 69 in 50 balls and as long as he was at the other end Bangladesh fans still felt in touch. Almost inevitably he was cut off in his prime by a clever delivery from Nathan Coulter-Nile in the 45th over, popping up a catch pouched by Pat Cummins and after that there appeared to be little left in the tank as a further 3 wickets went for just 12 runs and 50 overs were up. Bangladesh 333 for 8 lost to Australia by 48 runs.
Friday 21st June
England, chasing 233 at Headingley, were smothered by an outstanding Sri Lanka bowling performance to find themselves on the end of a shock 20-run defeat by Sri Lanka that was distinct setback to their hopes of reaching the World Cup semi-finals. That said, a totally unexpected result certainly brought a new breath excitement into the tournament at England’s expense.
Sri Lanka in to bat first were far from inspired. Openers: D. Karunaratne and K. Perera were both out for a decidedly unhelpful joint total of 3 runs. Avishka Fernandez (49 in 39 balls) and Kusal Mendis (46) forged a more productive partnership but both departed just as they had got into a decent stride on a tricky wicket. However, Angelo Mathews played a good innings standing firm until the end on 87 not out, he was initially partnered by Mendis and continued alongside Dhananjaya (29) until Jofra Archer’s probing delivery found the edge and Root took a simple catch. Sri Lanka finished on 232 for 9 in 50 overs.
Despite what was seen as a modest run chase for the hosts, it turned into a nightmare on an increasingly difficult pitch in Leeds. Malinga was having a field day, his first victim James Vince on 16 caught behind, then Jonny Bairstow for a golden duck, followed by Joe Root on a promising 57.
Eoin Morgan followed up his six-fest on that day of days by falling to Udana for just 21. Enter the redoubtable Ben Stokes totally up for the fight. The trouble was accomplished batters were going down for little return at the other end. Malinga had the usually explosive Jos Butler lbw for 10, who was followed by Moeen Ali on 15 trapped by Dhananjaya, who took the wickets of Woakes and Rashid for the combined addition of 3 to the total.
So it was when Ben Stokes was joined by last man Mark Wood, England still needed 47, but Stokes thumped 23 off eight balls to fire up a deafening crowd once more.
Wood, was doing his best to stay put but finally edged Nuwan Pradeep, and Stokes efforts were brought to a crunching halt on 82 not out leaving England on 212 all out, losing a fascinating match by 20 runs short on the chase.
Sri Lanka up to fifth, only two points behind England, an outside hope of making the semi-finals still alive.
Saturday 22nd June 1st game
India clung on by the skin of their teeth as only Mohammed Shami’s hat-trick prevented Afghanistan from securing a historic shock World Cup victory over the Men in Blue in a thrilling match at Southampton.
India batted first posting what was for them a very modest total of 224 for 8 on a slow pitch. Virat Kohli top-scored with 67 on a track which permitted the normally exceptional Rohit Sharma a solitary single before being cleaned bowled by Mujeeb ur Rahman. Fellow opener KL Rahul managed just 30; Shankar went lbw on 29 and ironically wicketkeeper MS Dhoni was stumped on 28 by his opposite number Ikram Ali Khil. Kedar Jadhav, batting at six, made a respectable 52 under the circumstances.
Afghanistan, who had never beaten India, courageously battled their way towards what would have been a landmark victory, but became overly reliant on Mohammad Nabi as their middle order faltered after Rhamat Shah was caught off Bumrah for 36, rapidly reducing them from 106 for 2 to 166 for 6.
Yet India were staring defeat in the face when Afghanistan struck a boundary off the first ball of the final over to bring them within 12 runs of victory. However, a glorious spell from Shami had Nabi caught on the boundary for 52, before scattering the stumps of tailenders Alam and Najeeb with a couple of stinging yorkers.
Nonetheless, Nabi who successfully overturned an lbw decision in the 48th over had steered his side to within two strokes of victory ahead of Shami’s dramatic intervention. Afghanistan finally all out for 213 in 49.5 overs losing by just 11 runs.
Sadly for the many like me, who wanted heart and soul to see the World Cup sophomores improve on their single tournament win against Scotland in 2015, this was the defeat that eliminated Afghanistan from the competition. Meanwhile India moved above England into third place in the table, but in the words of former England captain Alec Stewart, “What a game of cricket!”
Saturday 22nd June 2nd game
Another pulsatingly tight World Cup match at Old Trafford, in which Carlos Brathwaite brought West Indies to within five runs of an amazing triumph over New Zealand, only to be caught going for the six his side needed to win.
Windies’ pacer Sheldon Cottrell ploughed through New Zealand’s openers snapping up the wickets of Gupthill and Munro for a brace of golden ducks in Manchester. He also took Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson’s wicket, but not before he had hit another fourteen 4s and a six and amassed a tasty score of 146. Cottrell’s fourth victim in his stylish 4 for 56 was wicketkeeper Tom Latham out cheaply for 12. Meanwhile Ross Taylor put on a steady 69 and Jimmy Neesham chipped in with 28. New Zealand ended on 291 for 8 in 50 overs
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Chasing a fairly undemanding 292 for victory, it was Gayle 87 caught by Boult off Colin de Grandhomme, Shimron Hetmyer bowled by Lockie Ferguson for 54 and Brathwaite eventually out for 101 who comprised the Windies run chase with little support from the rest. Hence, West Indies were reduced to 164 for 7 requiring 33 runs from the remaining 18 balls to snatch what was seemed an unlikely result.
Then Brathwaite, having weathered a storm from the Black Caps pace attack, thrashed three huge sixes off the relatively expensive Matt Henry, brought on to bowl the 48th over, and with his luck still running top edged a four over Latham’s head, reducing the target needed to eight from 12 balls.
Brathwaite reached his battling century in truly dramatic fashion, but with just six runs needed to win he went for one last boundary, to be superbly caught by an almost off-balance Trent Boult, his feet inches from the boundary rope, going for one final big hit. It was a heartbreaking finish for the Windies. West Indies ended up on 286 all out, New Zealand won by a narrow 6 runs.
Wednesday 19th June
New Zealand overcame South Africa, courtesy of a captain’s knock of 106 from Kane Williamson, underpinned by a sizzling 60 from Colin de Grandhomme batting at seven, to win the match by 4 wickets in the final over at Edgbaston.
Just the type of nail biting battle in Birmingham, International Cricket Council organisers might have wished for, other than yet another rain delayed start. It was never destined to be a high scoring match as very wet weather in the run up to the match had precluded any attempts with the heavy roller. Consequently, the ball was not coming on to the bat with any spit and the Edgbaston outfield was grassy and damp.
