Event of the Day: New Zealand versus South Africa
Our event of the day is the Cricket World Cup fixture between New Zealand and South Africa at Edgbaston in Birmingham. New Zealand are so far undefeated in the World Cup while South Africa have just the one win and have struggled to find their rhythm. This is sure to be an exciting match so be sure you don’t miss it. Today’s Cricket World Cup fixture features two sides having very different tournaments. New Zealand have begun 3-0-1 (with one match called off due to the weather). In their opening match, they held Sri Lanka to 136 runs before successfully chasing without losing a wicket. Martin Guptill hit 73 while his batting partner Colin Munro hit 58. Their second win, this time over Bangladesh, was much closer. They managed to hold their opponents to 244 but were able to hit a winning score of 248 despite losing 8 wickets. The standout performance came from Ross Taylor, who hit 82. They returned to form against Afghanistan. After holding their opponents to 172, the Black Caps only lost 3 wickets in their successful chase. Captain Kane Williamson led by example, scoring 79. They were then due to play India but the match was abandoned due to rain. New Zealand’s 3-0-1 record has put them on track to repeat their undefeated group stage performance from the 2015 World Cup that they co-hosted.
Meanwhile, South Africa have just the one victory. In the tournament’s opening match, they unsuccessfully chased England after electing to bowl and giving up 311 runs to the tournament hosts. This was followed by a second unsuccessful chase against Bangladesh, this time giving up 330 runs. They managed to claw back 309 before running out of overs during their innings. In their third match, they changed tactics and elected to bat first against India. Hitting just 227, they were unable to stymie their opposition, who were able to score 230 with two-and-a-half overs left. After their fourth match against the West Indies was abandoned due to rain, they were finally able to find a win. The South African bowlers came through, holding Afghanistan to 125. They lost a single wicket in their successful chase, led by 68 runs from captain Quinton de Kock. This is a far cry from the 4-2 record their posted during the 2015 group stage. In the World Cup, New Zealand and South Africa have met seven times, with New Zealand winning five of those meetings. South Africa have been well below their best during the competition so far while New Zealand are boasting all round strength. With New Zealand eager to continue their dominance and South Africa looking to turn things around, this is a match you won’t want to miss.
Honourable mentions around the globe go to the FIFA Women’s World Cup, where England face Japan at the Allianz Riviera in Nice. England, with two wins in two games, only need a draw to win the group. Meanwhile, the stakes are much higher for Japan. A win would give them the group, a draw would see them finish second and a loss would see them finish second or third. With the end of the group stage here and every point counting, this will be an unmissable match. Royal Ascot continues at Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire, England. On the ATP Tour, the Queen’s Club Championships at the Queen’s Club in London. In the WNBA, the Atlanta Dream host the Indiana Fever at the State Farm Arena. In MLB, the Pittsburgh Pirates host the Detroit Tigers at PNC Park for the second game of their two-game series.
Whatever you’re watching, enjoy!
Photos by Cricket South Africa; New Zealand Cricket