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Guptill's magnificent double ton sends Kiwis to the final four

21st March, 2015
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New Zealand's Martin Guptill smashed his way to 237 against the West Indies. (AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER JOE)
Expert
21st March, 2015
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Martin Guptill set a New Zealand, World Cup, career and unbeaten record of 237 on Saturday to catapult the Kiwis into the first semi against South Africa at Eden Park.

It was a privilege to watch Guptill from the first ball of the innings, on-driving Jerome Taylor for four, to the last ball stroking Andre Russell through midwicket for two.

In between there were no smart aleck shots, no reverse sweeps, no scoops, no ramps, just pure power, precision and placement that netted the opener 24 fours and 11 sixes.

The capacity crowd of 30,268 was treated to champagne cricket. New Zealand clubbed 6-393, and the Wests Indies replied with 250 all out.

That’s 683 runs off just 80.3 overs, that saw a record 31 deliveries sail over the fence. Guptill’s 11, two to Grant Elliott, celebrating his 36th birthday, and one each for Brendon McCullum and Corey Anderson for the Black Caps, and for the Windies, Chris Gayle with eight, two each for Russell and Taylor, and one each for Lendl Simmons, Marlon Samuels, Jonathan Carter and Darren Sammy.

But it wasn’t a happy game for Samuels, dropping Guptill off the third ball of the game when he was only on four, and being caught himself in full flight by ageless Kiwi spinner Daniel Vettori, who leapt high to his left to snare the chance one-handed on the point fence.

Had Vettori been somewhere else in the field, that would have been the 32nd six.

Two other highlights are very worthy of mention.

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Gayle’s lightning 61 off 33 with two fours and those eight sixes gave Windies supporters some early hope, and Kiwi paceman Trent Boult’s 4-44 off 10 shot him to the top of the tournament wicket-takers.

So the World Cup semis are set with the four best teams qualifying – New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and India – and it will be the attacks that will win berths for the decider.

The Black Caps will have Boult and his 19 scalps at 14.63, Vettori’s 15 at 15.73, Tim Southee’s 15 at 23.46, and the under-rated Anderson with 11 at 14.09.

South Africa will look to their leggie Imran Tahir and his 15 wickets at 18.86, Morne Morkel 14 at 17.14, Kyle Abbott nine at 14.44, and Dale Steyn, who is starting to hit his straps, despite poor figures of 10 at 27 for such an elite bowler. Vernon Philander is still on the injured list, explaining his four wickets at 20.75.

Mitchell Starc will spearhead the Australian attack with his 18 at a mere 9.77, with support from Mitchell Johnson with 10 at 24.60 – he’s a more destructive bowler than those figures suggest. Plus Josh Hazlewood with six at 17.50, and James Faulkner with four at 25.50.

India will be served by Mohammed Shami’s 17 wickets at 13.29, Umesh Yadav’s 14 at 17.78, offie Ravi Ashwin’s 12 at 24, Mohit Sharma 11 at 21.72, and Ravi Jadeja’s nine at 33.44, and he’s a far better bowler than that, as well.

Both Eden Park on Tuesday, and the SCG on Thursday, will reward line and length bowlers with bounce. Stray, and the likes of AB de Villiers, Brendon McCullum, David Warner and Virat Kohli will pounce.

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There promises to be many absorbing battles in both semis.

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