Australia spank South Africa

Australia wins by 83 runs. Hayden scores the fastest ever world cup century (off 66 balls).

Australia 377 for 6 (Hayden 101, Ponting 91, Clarke 92) beat South Africa 294 (de Villiers 92, Smith 74) by 83 runs.

Well, things are looking good for Australia.

Originally posted by Esoteric
Australia wins by 83 runs. Hayden scores the fastest ever world cup century (off 66 balls).

Australia 377 for 6 (Hayden 101, Ponting 91, Clarke 92) beat South Africa 294 (de Villiers 92, Smith 74) by 83 runs.

Well, things are looking good for Australia.

Yes the West Indies next

Originally posted by Esoteric
Australia wins by 83 runs. Hayden scores the fastest ever world cup century (off 66 balls).

Australia 377 for 6 (Hayden 101, Ponting 91, Clarke 92) beat South Africa 294 (de Villiers 92, Smith 74) by 83 runs.

Well, things are looking good for Australia.

Kallis was Australia's best player.

What a monkey, going at a strike rate of 60 odd when we needed 8 an over.

We had some bad luck with Smith getting cramp.

But well done Australia. The bowling was great.

We have no variety in our attack.

Originally posted by ASROMA
Kallis was Australia's best player.

What a monkey, going at a strike rate of 60 odd when we needed 8 an over.

We had some bad luck with Smith getting cramp.

But well done Australia. The bowling was great.

We have no variety in our attack.

Dont make excuses ,the better team won .

I'm looking forward to seeing sri lanks v aust in the super 8's.

Originally posted by boarman
Dont make excuses ,the better team won .

I'm not making excuses.

Well done Australia.

The better team did win.

Originally posted by ASROMA
Kallis was Australia's best player.

What a monkey, going at a strike rate of 60 odd when we needed 8 an over.

We had some bad luck with Smith getting cramp.

But well done Australia. The bowling was great.

We have no variety in our attack.

Australia's batting is looking quite frightening, they were the better team, and they're definitely favourites to win.

But I would take issue with :

But well done Australia. The bowling was great.

South Africa were 154-0 from 20 overs. Great bowling??? They won because they'd put on such a huge score.

It could have been a much different story had de Villiers (a player who I've not seen much of before but who impressed me) not been run out by a brilliant piece of work, and Smith effectively crippled by cramp. The game as a spectacle lost something after that. It was looking like they might have given Australia a run for their money a la The Wanderes and that game where both sides scored over 400...

But full credit to Australia, they played well and 377 was always going to be Mission Almost-Impossible. My pick is Australia vs Sri Lanka for the final (although I would LOVE to see my favourite Black Caps contesting the final). Sri Lanka are the only team I can see really troubling Australia with their bowling line-up at the moment.

Originally posted by mtthw
Australia's batting is looking quite frightening, they were the better team, and they're definitely favourites to win.

But I would take issue with :

[b]But well done Australia. The bowling was great.

South Africa were 154-0 from 20 overs. Great bowling??? They won because they'd put on such a huge score.[/b]

Fair enough.

I was thinking along the lines that the bowling was essentially the difference between the two teams.

South Africa has a very deep batting line up, but we lost 80 runs for 6 wickets.

Australia has a lot more in the bowling department than South Africa.

Tait and Hogg were great (Tait's later spells).

Reverse swing and spin.

We don't have either.

I think that was the difference.

I reckon SA could've made the score if they faced their own bowlers.

I think that was the difference.