After all is said and done, first-time Cricket World Cup winners will be crowned at the home of Cricket on Sunday with New Zealand and England contesting the final.
New Zealand produced a gutsy display to nudge out favourites India in a match that straddled two days because of rain, while England blew past Australia in an emphatic triumph at Edgbaston the next day.
Cricket World Cup 2019 | Sunday 14 July 2019 | Lord’s, London | 11:30
To Win Match
England 31/100
Tie 40/1
New Zealand 5/2
England
Before the tournament started England were labelled sure things but they had to struggle to get into the semi-finals after suffering defeats to Pakistan and Australia in the round-robin phase. They have now come full circle and once again look destined to finally lift the World Cup trophy.
England have lost three World Cup finals but the most recent of those defeats came back in 1992 so that will only be a philosophical concern for a team that have made winning a habit in recent times.
Jason Roy pleaded guilty to breaching the ICC code of conduct in the semi-final win over Australia and avoided a ban for the final. Roy couldn’t contain himself when he was given out on 85 with England having already burned their review. The decision was a relief for England who have struggled when the opener has been absent.
Jofra Archer and Chris Woakes are a mean pair of opening bowlers and the Black Caps could just find them too hot to handle.
England have a team full of players who are able to step up when the moment requires it, sometimes with lower-order batting heroics while at others it has been things like Joe Root taking wickets with his part-time off-spin.
Both sides lost their last fixture at Lord’s being gunned down by their mutual foe, Australia. The Lord’s pitch offers a little bit for everyone but the par score batting first should be about 300.
New Zealand
The Black Caps have proven themselves to be a team that are capable of winning the tight contests but they are also a side that has suffered some catastrophic collapses.
New Zealand’s strength has been the terrific form of fast bowlers, Trent Boult, Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson backed up by the spin of Mitchell Santner.
When it comes to batting the Black Caps have been propped up by skipper Kane Williamson who has played some immense knocks through the round-robin phase and chipped in with the top score in the semi-final against India.
New Zealand will need to take wickets early whether they have the ball in hand first or second because if England get going the struggling New Zealand middle-order won’t be able to match their scoring rate.
The Black Caps desperately need explosive opener Colin Munro to play one of his trademark destructive innings but he hasn’t passed fifty since his very first knock of the tournament when New Zealand cruised to a ten-wicket victory over Sri Lanka.
Verdict: England 31/100
The Cricket World Cup is coming home.
Written by James Richardson for Hollywoodbets.
