Opening match of the tournament. Remember the opening game from 1992, anyone…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YtBobg5wGQ
A pretty nonsense copy, if truth be told.
The World Cup kicks off at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
Some stats. New Zealand record score by an individual in a World Cup match.. 171 not out by Glenn Turner v East Africa in 1975. No Old Man Pringle in that opposition.
Highest NZ score v Full Test Nations in World Cup cricket – 141 by Scott Styris v Sri Lanka at Bloemfontein in 2003.
Here’s this game in 1992…
http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jNSdvydvwM
Some more stats. Sri Lanka record in the the World Cup is 145 by Aravinda de Silva v Kenya in Kandy in 1996. Against full test nations it is 144 by Tillakaratne Dilshan against Zimbabwe in Pallakele in the last World Cup. The highest score outside Asia is 124 by Marvan Atapattu in Durban. Yes. THAT game, Shaun Pollock….
Comments please when the game commences (all non-match related comments to go on my piece below). More will be added here in the run-up to the game.
Being Outside Cricket 
In the run up – I’m looking forward to this game.
NZ have been looking better and better in the run up to the tournament, it will be good to see how they put everything together.
Will also be very interesting to see how SL fare as well, Malinga is in the squad, so if he’s fit that makes SL quite a bit stronger on a pitch I’d guess will be laid to be seam friendly. Still, intrigue for the tournament seems to centre on: How will SL’s batsmen deal with a pace barrage? Can they adapt enough to stay competitive? Likewise, how will SL’s spinners adapt to flat pitches?
FWIW, my money is on SL finding a way to be competitive in the tournament, although this game may be a bit too soon in the adjustment period. Still, the fight they showed in an ugly (weather-wise) English spring says to me that SL aren’t here to roll over in foreign conditions…
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SL are the dark horses in this tournament, NZ more Desert Orchids.
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Slight delay for drizzle but play under way.
McCullum whacked his first ball for four.
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And his second.
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Now that’s an opening 10 overs (77) that puts the opposition under pressure.
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I watch Mathews bowl and I wonder again if we couldn’t have gotten more out of Bopara as a bowler if we’d have helped him get into a groove, instead of just giving him the odd over.
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Herath taken first wicket of WC – McCullum caught at long-off.
If another commentator says Herath has a “very simple method” I’ll put a big bat through the screen. If it’s so simple, why hasn’t everyone else got a record like his?
Williamson dropped first ball by Sanga.
Guptill looking good for NZ highest run scorer?
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‘Guptill knows he can’t get out now’.
He promptly nicks off. NZ collapse to 136-2.
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Sri Lanka are going to be chasing 300+ here, though.
Doesn’t commentary flow much better when there are two people in the box?
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Call me old fashioned but I preferred it when there was only one commentator. He only had the viewers to talk to and usually only when there was something to say. Now it’s like sitting behind two men at a match wittering on to each other non stop while you’re trying to watch the cricket.
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102 off the last 10 overs. One on-drive by Corey Anderson off Lakmal and a ramp off Malinga are worth trying to find.
Very mixed bag from the Lankans. Good bowling from Herath and Mathews but neither bowled out. Malinga very rusty and Kulasekera maybe over the hill. Some good catches but at least three went down (one – by Jeevan Mendis – a shocker) and the ground fielding was mediocre.
NZ have never lost when they’ve made 300. They’ve won 92% of their matches when scoring 270.
Bold selection of Adam Milne over McClenaghan – looking forward to seeing him.
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