Sports
Waikato Chiefs in another cliff-hanger
by Rajitha Ratwatte
Friday of the ANZAC weekend (Remembrance Day for Australian and New Zealand soldiers killed in action) began with a ceremony and a perceptible wave of pride and emotion from the players and spectators prior to the commencement of the week 9, Aotearoa super rugby game Waikato Chiefs vs Wellington Hurricanes. Match played at Kirikiriroa (Maori name for Hamilton) a much nicer name than that of an ex-governor from colonial times for Auckland’s closest satellite town.
The Chiefs playing as favourites for the first time in a long time after ending one of the worst losing streaks in the history of the tournament, just a month ago. The Hurricanes without their skipper and hardworking no8 Aardie Savea and Dan Coles (mercurial and irrepressible are some words that spring to mind when describing this All Black and Wellington hooker) captaining in his stead. Damian Mackenzie “D mac” or “clutch” as he is better known starting at no15 and Gatlin getting another chance at no10. The Hurricanes playing in white jerseys as against the accustomed yellow and black.
Gatlin looked very shaky at the start of the game, messing up the initial kick-off sending it out on the full, and having to restart with a scrum on the 50-meter line Hurricanes ball. Under a minute into play, a great offload from Tighthead prop Tyrell Lomax to no four James Blackwell saw him gallop his way over the line for a try that continues to prove that the tight five can do almost a better job than the glory boys in the backs, if only they get a chance! Try converted easily because we thinking forwards always make sure the kicking angle is easy, 0 -7 Hurricanes away to a dream start. The Chiefs got a kickable penalty almost immediately but chose to go for territory instead. 13 minutes into the game a harder penalty around 42 meters out and mid-left was given to Damian Mackenzie to try for three points. This is about the limit of the kicking range for the diminutive D Mack, but he duly obliged, 3 -7. 16 minutes into the game a great bit of running rugby with Mackenzie being involved twice saw the Chiefs no eight Peter Sowakulu misjudge chip kick and drop the ball over the line.
Referee Paul Williams was handling the game well, with clear instructions to players around the rucks and mauls thereby minimizing penalties and ensuring plenty of turnovers and 15 vs 15 rugby, removing the dominance of placekickers, which is as it should be! The 21-year-old youngster Ruben Love playing his second game for the Hurricanes at no10 was playing a defensive role from inside his half with the strapping Jordie Barret playing at first receiver most of the time, although wearing the no15 jersey. 28 minutes into the game All Black and Waikato center, Lennert- Brown went over the line after 14 phases of play only to have the try disallowed for non-grounding of the ball. Waikato was playing under advantage and another scrum was taken instead of a kick at the goal. The Waikato scrum which was given an abject lesson by the Crusaders just a few weeks ago had improved dramatically and the Chiefs no eight went over off a forward-moving scrum to score a try that was easily converted by “clutch” Mackenzie. 10 – 7, Chiefs in the lead for the first time. Seconds from halftime Jordie Barret kicked a 60-meter penalty, this is almost customary now for 6’8″ Hurricanes full-back, to make the scores level 10 – 10 at halftime.
Two minutes after the resumption the Chiefs got a penalty around 27 meters out and mid-right with the angle. Penalty converted Chiefs back in the lead 13 – 10. 46 minutes into the game a long throw from a Chiefs line out saw a rejuvenated Gatlin at no10 fly-hack the ball ahead, an awkward bonce for full-back Jordie Barret saw a knock backward, and one of the defenders being pinged for offside. Although easily kickable a scrum was taken and the newfound dominance of the Waikato pack allowed clean ball to the no10 Gatlin who finally played to his potential, stepped past the rookie opposition no10 who came up too far in defence and scored under the posts. 20 – 10 Waikato Chiefs ahead. The 21-year-old Hurricanes no10 came back into play with a great pass to his no eight Flanders who gained plenty of territory and the Hurricanes kept the ball in play for around 10 phases finally passing to Billy Proctor who scored just left of the posts. Kicks from there no problem for J. Barret and the score 20 -17 and anyone’s game! 55 minutes into the game a penalty awarded to the Chiefs around 40 meters out and mid-right was missed by “D’mac” but he made amends just two minutes later by slotting a harder penalty, further out but in front of the posts, awarded for that textbook error that the rugby governing body is apparently very strict on, players not falling back or standing still until put onside by the kicker. Score onto 23 – 17 Chiefs drawing further ahead. The 64th minute and the 65th minute saw kickable penalties that were awarded to the ‘Canes being turned into attempts to gain territory. It all paid off in the 67th minute when substitute hooker Asafa Amuna powered his way over the line from a penalty “milked” by passing the ball into a Waikato player who was trying to get onside. Trying to stop Amuna from that range was aptly described as like “trying to tackle a cannonball”! Try converted and lo and behold, the Hurricanes back into a one-point lead 23 -24.
A couple of captain’s challenges from either side were dismissed and even the infallible Damian Mackenzie made a mistake sending the ball out on the full and losing a lot of territory due to scrum having to be held from the point of the kick. A bad throw from a Chiefs line out saw the Hurricanes knock the ball on trying to collect it and a scrum awarded, with loose head to the Chiefs almost on the full-time hooter. The dominance of the Waikato pack came to the fore and they forced a scrum penalty 45 meters out, in front and at the maximum range that even ‘D Mac’ could manage. He stepped up with the full-time hooter echoing around the stadium and what else from this X factor maestro, but straight down the middle! Waikato Chiefs home by 26 – 24 and their hopes to play in the final still alive. Unthinkable from just five weeks ago and due to a great forward pack and “Clutch” Mackenzie who was described by his skipper Brad Webb in a subsequent TV interview as “Jeeze he’s good isn’t he”?!!
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The first truly heavyweight clash of this expanded T20 World Cup format comes freighted with both history and subplots. A rematch of the 2010 World T20 final at Kensington Oval, the match pits Jos Buttler’s defending champions – who are aiming to become the first team to retain the trophy – against the Australian winning machine, victors at the 2021 edition and current world title-holders in Test and ODI cricket. And that’s before you throw in the Ashes for afters.
Already there is added pressure on England, after the rain in Bridgetown led to a share of the points in their opener against Scotland (and that having conceded 90 runs from 10 overs without taking a wicket in a tepid bowling display). Lose to their oldest rivals and it will leave their Super 8 prospects open to being waylaid by the perils of net run-rate calculations, or worse.
The Scotland match was the third abandonment in five suffered by England, after a rain-affected home series against Pakistan, which has clearly hampered their readiness for this campaign after almost six months without playing T20 together. It does not take much for a side to click in this format – and England looked in decent shape when they did get on the field against Pakistan – but Buttler will be anxious for things to go their way on Saturday, if only to avoid further questions referencing the team’s disastrous ODI World Cup defence last year.
Australia, under the laidback leadership of Mitchell Marsh would love nothing more than to add to the English sense of jeopardy – having helped bundle them out of the tournament in India on the way to taking the crown. Their head to head record is less impressive in T20 however, with England having won six of the last seven completed encounters, as well as that 2010 final.
Despite a wobble with the bat, Australia avoided mishap against Oman earlier in the week, the experience of David Warner and Marcus Stoinis shining through in difficult batting conditions. Surfaces in the Caribbean – not to mention those games staged in the USA – have already had teams scratching their heads; rather than the “slug-fest” England had prepared for, following a high-scoring tour of the Caribbean in December, it looks as if boxing smart may be the way to go.
Speaking of Warner, this could be the last time he faces up against England in national colours – and another match-winning contribution would likely reduce the chances of them meeting again in the knockouts. On the other side of the card is Jofra Archer, fresh from an emotional maiden outing at Kensington Oval and ready to take on Australia for the first time in any format since 2020. Can Mark Wood fire up England’s campaign, as he did during last summer’s Ashes? Will Pat Cummins be back to harass the old enemy once again? Seconds out, it’s almost time to rumble.
Cummins is set to return after being rested for the Oman game, which saw Mitchell Starc leave the field with cramp. Starc is understood to be fine and could keep his place – which would likely see Nathan Ellis miss out. Marsh is still not fit to bowl, with Australia likely to continue with the allrounder combination of Stoinis and Maxwell to give them cover.
Australia (probable XI): David Warner, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (capt), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Inglis (wk), Tim David, Pat Cummins, Nathan Ellis/Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
The one change England may consider is Reece Topley coming in for Wood, with the expectation that there will be some rotation among the seamers through the course of the tournament.
England (probable XI): Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (capt & wk), Will Jacks, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Chris Jordan, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley/Mark Wood
[Cricinfo]
Once is coincidence, twice is a clue, and three times is proof.
To paraphrase Agatha Christie, that is the narrative around South Africa’s meeting with Netherlands at this T20 World Cup.
The Dutch beat South Africa at the 2022 tournament and ended their semi-final hopes in a match where South Africa appeared to be sleep walking, and then beat them again at the 2023 ODI World Cup, where they exposed South Africa’s vulnerability in the chase. If they to do the treble, not only will Netherlands take the lead in Group D, but they will offer conclusive evidence of the threat they pose to Full Members, especially South Africa.
Of course, it will take some doing after South Africa’s opening performance against Sri Lanka, where they reduced their opposition to their lowest T20I total and chased it down in fairly straightforward fashion thanks to the most stable middle-order of their white-ball era. In Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller, South Africa have bankers and big-hitters and, for this match, they also have the advantage of experience. They’ve already played at Eisenhower Park, and have first-hand knowledge that run-scoring doesn’t come easily;Klassen said they are prepared to use their “cricket brains” and play “smarter cricket”.
But the conditions could be good news for Netherlands, who are not naturally a line-up of big hitters and build their innings on a foundation of turning ones into twos. In other words, they tend to take a slightly more conservative approach to batting, which may work well here, but they’ll be wary of the uneven bounce of the surface and will have to come up with plans to counterattack especially against South Africa’s seamers. Their own bowlers were exemplary in Dallas and will look to build on that performance against a line-up that will likely be more proactive than Nepal’s, but who they have managed to keep quiet not once, but twice in the past. Third time’s the charm, they say.
Anrich Nortje’s stunning return to form against Sri Lanka means South Africa may not have to tinker with the bowling combination, and Gerald Coetzee and Tabraiz Shamsi may have to wait their turns to get a game. The batting line-up should be unchanged, with no space for Ryan Rickelton yet.
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markam, Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Ottneil Baartman, Anrich Nortje
Conditions in New York may tempt Netherlands to include an extra seamer and they have Kyle Klein in their squad. But it could come at the expense of a shortened batting line-up and they may not want to risk that.
Netherlands: Michael Levitt, Max O’Dowd, Vikramjit Singh, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Scott Edwards (capt, wk), Bas de Leede, Teja Nidamanuru, Logan van Beek, Tim Pringle, Paul van Meekeren, Vivian Kingma
[Cricinfo]
Nuwan Thushara’s last over brought Sri Lanka screaming back into the match,as he first bowled Rishad Hossain, and then nailed Taskin Ahmed in front of the stumps with a pinpoint swinging yorker. This left Bangladesh eight wickets down, with 12 runs still to get.
However, the experienced Mahmudullah was at the crease for Bangladesh, and despite some further nervy moments, pushed Bangladesh across the line off the last ball of the 19th over.
But this was a match chiefly decided by Bangladesh’s own outstanding bowling. Mustafizur Rahman was the best among them, using shorter lengths and his cutters efficiently, to claim figures of 3 for 17. Rishad Hossain’s three-for through the middle overs also kept Sri Lanka quiet.
Mustafizur was instrumental in Sri Lanka’s downward spiral through the middle overs, which culminated in a crash-and-burn end. Ultimately, their inability to find boundaries, or even rotate strike against good Bangladesh bowling resulted in their downfall. A score of 125 for 9 always seemed poor on a decent pitch, even if their bowlers made a match of it in the end.
Brief scores:
Bangladesh 125 for 8 in 19 overs (Towhid Hridoy 40, Litton Das 36; Dhanajaya de Silva 1-11, Nuwan Thushara 4-18, Wanidu Hasaranga 2-32, Matheesha Pathirana 1-27) beat Sri Lanka124 for 9 in 20 overs (Pathum Nissanka 47, Dhananjaya de Silva 21; Tanzim Hasan Sakib 1-24, Taskin Ahmed 2-25, Mustafizur Rahman 3-17, Rishad Hossain 3-22) by two wickets
[Cricinfo]
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