CWC Semi Final - Black Caps v India

Much as I like Ian Smith, he was embarrassing to listen to in this match

He was, but he needed to balance out the pro India crap from the rest of the box.

I didn't hear the TV comms as I was switching between TMS and the ACC but watching the highlights what was so bad about Smithy's commentary?

He has always had a touch of the Bill Lawry's about him and gets pretty excited when it goes to the wire but by no means did he sound like someone had shot his dog when Dhoni and Jadeja were clubbing those sixes.

The last decade has been well deserved for guys like Smithy and Waddle who had to follow this rabble around the world for twenty years.

JC

@booboo said in Black Caps v India - Semi Final:

@junior said in Black Caps v India - Semi Final:

@Bones said in Black Caps v India - Semi Final:

@Bovidae said in Black Caps v India - Semi Final:

So go England?

Surely better off playing a side that hasn't been there, done that before? Would be bloody nice to beat Aus in the final though...

Fair point but do you want to be playing the home side who happen to be the top ranked team also...?

I don't care who we play.

I don't care if we roll over like Melbourne.

Massive bonus to make the final.

We have nothing to lose let's play like it.

But just so we're clear, you'll be in bed eh?

jegga

@Rancid-Schnitzel said in Black Caps v India - Semi Final:

What they won?

Too late to jump on the bandwagon?

Never too late .Get a seat near the door like I have though.

Snowy

@JC said in Black Caps v India - Semi Final:

But just so we're clear, you'll be in bed eh?

Nice work.

Telling Boobs to go to bed is going to be like blaming Deans, sauce, Ardie's height, Hayman to 8, when's the team named, etc.

Years of childish entertainment right there.

antipodean

Currently IM'ing every Indian

Mokey

We're in the final, bitches.
Don't actually care who we play. Last night we showed we can defend a lowish total. Santner and Henry stepped up big time. Boult and Lockie were pretty good, still a bit iffy on the 5th bowler, and they all need to cut that wide shit right out. But it felt like we fielded better, too. Cut off runs, put pressure on. And their huge batting lineup mostly crumbled.

mariner4life

well, i for one never had any doubts...

Wally

@SammyC

And Guptill:

ICC on Twitter

Chris B.

At the start of the game Smithy sounded as nervous as if he was playing. Probably fearing that we would meekly fall over and he'd have to suffer the jibes of many Indians.

Strange as it might sound, I think we've got a better chance of beating Australia than England. We'll be outsiders against either, but I think England have us covered in most places regardless of conditions.

dogmeat

Big ups to everyone who stayed the course. Thank you. I watched until about midnight when internet dropped off my tablet woke a couple of times and checked cricinfo and then caught the last four overs live.

Great team performance and the likeliest way we were going to win. Thought 240 would be competitive if we made early inroads. Actually thought out my dream scenario yesterday. I was too pessimistic only had India 9-3.

Wasn't overly concerned after the fourth wicket. India was always likely to have at least one substantial stand but the way our other bowlers backed up the strike pair was outstanding (big guy excepted).

How good was the plan and execution to Kohli. Loved the field set.

Now in Bonus territory. Still gonna be massive underdogs whoever we face #lightningcanstriketwice

mariner4life

The commentary on Tuesday night was sickening.

Between feeding it to us for battling poorly on a road, to a 20-minute discussion about the 99 world cup, to Mark Nicholas bringing everything back to how good an Australian is, it was shit.

I loved Smithy in the bits i watched lat night, loved him. When he was talking about how good Kane and Rossco's inning looked now i pissed myself, he could have been speaking to us, let alone the sycophants sitting next to him. It was a mix of disbelief that the Indian rock stars had failed, or wanking on about Dhoni (turns out they were nearly right).

Once again NZ cricket has upset the apple cart. And despite that i was as loud as anyone on here about the level of our performance, i think that's awesome. Well done team.

Paekakboyz

@mariner4life while he can fanboy with the best of them Smith is on the whole a pretty measured commentator. I reckon he calls things fairly and is definitely excited about good cricket, no matter who is playing it. Always liked how he genuinely praises good stuff by players from any country. Certainly doesn't shirk on calling out our shit either.

Ohhh if we do play Oz in the final what are the chances he commentates with Slats??

nzzp

@Paekakboyz said in Black Caps v India - Semi Final:

Ohhh if we do play Oz in the final what are the chances he commentates with Slats??

Would be funnier if we're playing England in teh final and he commentates with Slats

mariner4life

@Paekakboyz said in Black Caps v India - Semi Final:

@mariner4life while he can fanboy with the best of them Smith is on the whole a pretty measured commentator. I reckon he calls things fairly and is definitely excited about good cricket, no matter who is playing it. Always liked how he genuinely praises good stuff by players from any country. Certainly doesn't shirk on calling out our shit either.

Ohhh if we do play Oz in the final what are the chances he commentates with Slats??

for cricket yes. Ever watched a rugby game when a Hawkes Bay player was playing? I thought he was coming in his pants when ever Dagg touched the ball.

rotated

and for what it's worth Coney was choking up on the radio commentary after they won, so keep things in perspective for Smithy. Unless Hawke's Bay is playing he is fine by me.

dogmeat

Those guys have to sit there and listen to all the triumphalism from other nations. They also grew up in an era when NZ were pretty much a joke / afterthought in world cricket.

Personally I can forgive a bit of wearing their hearts on their sleeves and / or schadenfreude

edited in the interests of Boo's cardiac health. In return I expect him to have an early night Sunday...

The Silver Fern

CWC Semi Final - Black Caps v India