Cricket World Cup 2015 Schedule: New Zealand vs. Australia Fixture Info, Preview
March 26, 2015
Two of the biggest rivals in cricket will go head-to-head in the World Cup final on Sunday, with Australia and New Zealand poised to square off for glory at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The Black Caps booked their place at the showpiece event after a thrilling win over South Africa. Grant Elliott hit the winning runs for New Zealand with just one ball to spare, and after winning all eight of their matches at this World Cup, Brendon McCullum’s men will be bristling with confidence when they travel to Melbourne.
But having beaten one unbeaten side in India, Australia are looking rather immaculate at this point of the competition themselves. Michael Clarke's side were superb in Sydney in their own semi-final, bagging an emphatic 95-run win; Steve Smith led the way with the bat once again, scoring a sublime 105.
Here’s all the information you need on where to catch what’s a simply unmissable encounter and a closer look at a couple of players primed to make the difference in the final.
Date: Sunday, Mar. 29
Time: 4:30 a.m. (BST), 11:30 p.m. (ET), 2:30 p.m (Local)
Forecast: Sunny, 26 C
Live Stream: Sky Go (UK), ESPN Cricket 2015 (US)
TV Info: Sky Sports 2 (UK)
Steve Smith - Australia
Having cemented his status as a world-class Test match batsman with some superb displays this year, Smith is well on his way to securing his legacy as an Australian great with his performances at this World Cup.
The Sydney-born star has grown into this tournament. After notching a succession of half-centuries in the buildup to the semi-final, he went one better against India. Smith seized the responsibility and pushed his team on, bagging his first century of the tournament and giving Australia a wonderful platform to build on.
As noted by OptaJason, so important is Smith that when he gets a score, Australia typically win:
This innings was bristling with all the confidence you’d expect of a player in exceptional form, and the batsman is relishing his talismanic mantle with the final in sight. His knock contained 11 fours and two sumptuous sixes, as he turned in a masterclass in steadying the ship after the loss of an early wicket.
His youthful looks and languid aura seem to imply Smith doesn’t quite appreciate the extraordinary feats he’s achieved this year. That laid-back persona should set him in good stead going into a final that will surely command an eternal berth in the annals of the game; given his form, you wouldn't back against Smith deciding it.
Brendon McCullum - New Zealand
New Zealand have always had a stigma for getting to the semi-final stages of a World Cup and wilting under the pressure the occasion conjures. But under the guidance of captain McCullum, this is a team that no longer seem to toil under tension; this group of players seem to relish it.
Indeed, this Black Caps squad play with the kind of aggression that their skipper oozes every time he comes out to bat. It’s that unrelenting swagger that has helped the co-hosts get over the line in extremely tight matches against Australia and South Africa.
As noted by Freddie Wilde of ESPNcricinfo, McCullum’s men are looking increasingly fearless on the big stage:
McCullum has played a massive part of that with his brash brand of captaincy, but he sets a remarkable example with the bat, too. His ability to shift the pressure onto the opening bowlers is astonishing, and when you combine those instincts with McCullum’s fast hands and brute power, the results can be pretty spectacular.
As noted by Cricket Record, the Black Caps captain typically saves his big performances for the grandest occasion, too:
The onus will be on McCullum to lead from the front again in the final. After all, with the match set to be played before a backdrop of raucous Australia support, New Zealand are definitely the underdogs going into it.
But the captain seems to have introduced an intrepid incision and irrepressible ruthlessness into this team, and as such, they’ll be looking to thrive as they enter the cauldron of noise at the MCG.