XPost: uk.sport.cricket, aus.sport.cricket
I prefer the game is played and South Africa beat Australia because
Australia already won ODI World Cup 5 times.
So, the winner of WC2023 will be either India or SA in the finals.
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https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/saved-by-a-cyclone-weather-may-help-south-africa-s-attempt-to-avenge-horrid-history-20231113-p5ejj5.html
Saved by a cyclone? Weather may help South Africa’s attempt to avenge
horrid history
The weather may be shaping up against Australia for their World Cup
semi-final in Kolkata, but it’s the weight of history that is the
problem for opponents South Africa, who go into the match striving to
overcome a miserable reputation for choking on the game’s biggest stage.
A cyclone forming in the Bay of Bengal is threatening to wash out
Thursday’s match, as well as the reserve day on Friday, meaning
second-placed South Africa would go through ahead of third-placed Australia.
But, weather aside, Australia are well aware of the great South Africa
sides that have failed to make a World Cup final, let alone win one,
including the famous Edgbaston semi-final of 1999.
Talking before training on Monday, Australian quick Mitchell Starc
recalled how in 2015 the Proteas had been upset by New Zealand in the semi-final before Australia crushed the Kiwis in the final.
“I think looking back at 2015, we probably thought they were the only
team that could beat us,” Starc said. “Certainly at that stage in the tournament, and we didn’t play them.”
It was a different story, however, early in this tournament, when South
Africa beat Australia by 134 runs in Lucknow in their second match of
this event, leaving Australia winless on the bottom of the table.
That was a month ago and Australia are unbeaten since. They have won
seven matches in a row, and this is finals time.
“Probably both teams have kept a close eye on each other and from a few
games back we knew we’re probably going to face each other in the semi-finals,” Starc said.
“Whether they feel differently, it’s obviously been spoken about outside
of their group. I don’t know whether there’s any inside [talk], but
we’ve had past players talk about it.
“I know they’re a very different group, certainly to 2015. You can
always read into these things as much as you like. For us, it’s
certainly talking and thinking about what we can do the right way or how
we can approach it or our mindset to it rather than in what they’re
going to do so much. So, I’m happy for you guys [media] to make as much
out of that as you like. But for us, it’s certainly what we can do
really well this week.”
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