Cricket World Cup 2015 Quarter-Finals: Tournament Records and Betting Tips
The first quarter-final of the 2015 Cricket World Cup is in the books, and as we move increasingly closer to the showpiece final, it's time to reflect on the key tournament records set Down Under and whether we're likely to see any more broken before the end of the competition.
South Africa thrashed Sri Lanka by nine wickets in the first match of the last-eight stage, securing their first ever win in a knockout match at a World Cup to set up a semi-final tie against either New Zealand or West Indies.
Here are the latest odds, and some of the notable World Cup records that have been set over the past few weeks:
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| Team | Odds |
| Australia | 13/8 |
| South Africa | 5/2 |
| New Zealand | 4/1 |
| India | 4/1 |
| Pakistan | 22/1 |
| West Indies | 33/1 |
| Bangladesh | 125/1 |
| Highest Team Score | Australia, 417/6 | 4 March 2015 |
| Lowest Team Score | Canada, 36 | 19 February 2003 |
| Most All-Time Runs | Sachin Tendulkar, 2,278 | 1992-2011 |
| Highest Individual Score | Chris Gayle, 215 | 24 February 2015 |
| Most All-Time Centuries | Sachin Tendulkar, 6 | 1992-2011 |
| Most All-Time Wickets | Glenn McGrath, 71 | 1996-2007 |
| Most Wickets in One Innings | (Joint top) Tim Southee, 7 | 20 February 2015 |
Australia the Favourites
At 13/8, Australia are the bookies' favourites to win the competition, while South Africa's win over Sri Lanka has seen them leap to second at 5/2.
The Proteas' outstanding performance to win a knockout game for the first time will give them confidence, as noted by ESPN Cricinfo's Freddie Wilde:
However, with India and New Zealand both unbeaten in the group stage and facing the two easiest quarter-final matches, at 4/1 either would seem a more promising bet and provide a higher return.
If you favour an outside bet, Pakistan are the team to opt for. Outsiders they may be, but the men in green have hit form at just the right time and look tempting at 22/1.
After losing their two opening matches, Pakistan have shown great resolve in bouncing back to win their last four, so they hold plenty of momentum going into the knockout stage.
Records Under Threat
Three of the top four highest totals reached at a World Cup were set in this year's group stage, with Australia setting the pace with 417/6 against Afghanistan.
South Africa have added two scores above 400 of their own, and with plenty of cricket left to play there remains the possibility that we could see this record broken again.
The most likely candidate to break the record is New Zealand. They face West Indies in their quarter-final, against whom the Proteas scored 408/4.
New Zealand are yet to even approach a total of 400 so far at the tournament, though that is in large part due to the Black Caps batting first just once in the group stage. Thanks to their incredible bowling the highest score they had to chase was Bangladesh's 228.
Tendulkar's record of most runs will remain comfortably out of reach for the remaining batsmen of the World Cup. Even Kumar Sangakkara with his four consecutive centuries falls short by over 700 runs.
However, South Africa's AB de Villiers could have his sights set on Chris Gayle's record-high of 215, and should they make the final, Tendulkar's record of six centuries.
De Villiers, the top-ranked ODI batsman in the world, has already managed a high score of 162 earlier in the tournament. Likewise, the heavy-hitter currently sits on four World Cup centuries, just two short of Tendulkar.
Here's what De Villiers needs to beat:
That said, De Villiers will most likely be facing the immense bowling prowess of New Zealand in the semi-final, who boast three phenomenal wicket-takers in Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Daniel Vettori. Against them, high scores may well be hard to come by, even for a batsman as skilled as De Villiers.
Speaking of bowlers, Southee is currently joint-top for most wickets in a single innings on seven, and of those he's tied with, the only currently still active.
When they take on the Windies, Southee will have his best opportunity to make the record his and his alone.
West Indies have had a mixed tournament so far. From the highs of thrashing Pakistan, to the lows of punishing defeats against Ireland, South Africa and India. Freddie Wilde summed up the performance against India neatly:
Southee's ability to break the record will depend largely on which West Indies side shows up. If they repeat some of their lesser performances from the group stage, the 26-year-old could run riot.
There have been plenty of records broken at the World Cup so far, and in the quarter-finals and beyond, we might just see some more.
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