“Semi-final stars for ICC CWC 2015!”

Mar 22, 2015 Sports

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Colin E. Croft
DALE STEYN (South Africa)
Dale Steyn had been struggling for bowling rhythm. Being the consummate professional, he has fought through missing parts of his normally smooth style to produce well, especially against Sri Lanka in quarter-final No. 1.
There are three things that really matter to fast bowlers; (a) full fitness, (b) knowledge of opposing batsmen, and (c) bowling rhythm.
That third aspect is crucial. Steyn has tried to correct that, running in stronger and faster, but lack of cohesion between his usually fluid run-up and explosive delivery had caused loss of pace and shortness of lengths.
Wickets had also dried up.  1-40, 3-30, 2-39, 1-24, 1-55, 1-64, before 1-18 against SL, show how underwhelming he has been, not the accustomed three or four wicket hauls.
Steyn expects to get more success and to overpower batsmen with rhythm, pace, bounce and movements, in the air and off the pitch, so this has been a new phenomenon for him.
While not in crisis, Steyn has tried so hard to correct aspects of his bowling, perhaps making things even worse.  With that effort against SL, though, situations have changed positively!
After that fiery opening spell v SL, SA would be much more worried now about Steyn’s slight back injury, as they wait to face New Zealand.
MOHAMMED SHAMI (India)
Mohammed Shami is India’s, perhaps the world’s, most improved fast bowler, and has taken on that massive mantle of being India’s arrow-head with great alacrity.  He has even developed good “yorkers”, allowing him to get more wickets.
Shami gallops in with intent, using his lengthy approach to gain proper momentum, then transfers that acceleration to his deliveries, keeping his balance well throughout the bowling process.
His low crouch in approach might inhibit his full tilt, but, conversely, that posture helps him cut into opposing wind that retards his approach when bowling into a head-wind; a good compromise.
Shami then transitions well into his upright, straight-armed deliveries, pin-pointing the exact spot where he hopes that each ball would land, a feature that takes much practice and tremendous concentration.
He also does what should be done by all smart fast bowlers, extending that most important part of fast bowling – the follow-through – so that thrust gained in the run-up could dissipate slowly and uniformly, after delivery, so as not to put added stresses on his back area, alleviating the possibilities of injuries.
Defending champions India will continue to look to Shami to lead the attack against Australia!
DANIEL VETTORI (New Zealand)
New Zealand have played so brilliantly, they are now elevated to joint-favorites.
For Daniel Vettori, their wily left-arm spinning veteran, who is 36, this must be his last chance to hold that winner’s trophy aloft, so he is giving one last big effort, contributing excellently to his team’s ambitions.
With big-hitting batsmen and faster bowlers dominating, Vettori’s slowness of delivery has been the antidote for massive run-scoring, holding his own very creditably so far.
He was the highest wicket-taker for spinners in the preliminary stages; 13 wickets from six games, 13.69 runs per wicket; fourth highest wicket-taker overall; while conceding just 3.21 runs per over, from 55.2 frugal overs; by far the best economy rate of any bowler before the quarter-finals.
With guile, bounce and turn, Vettori has caused many teams to struggle. Also, what about that cool catch to dismiss Marlon Samuels in Q-F # 4?
He might look like an accountant, but steely determination has given him and New Zealand their best chance ever at winning CWC 2015.
SHANE WATSON (Australia)
Shane Watson is a tough Aussie boy who has been through the wars this World Cup.
Batting at No. 3 initially, he failed; 00, DNB, 23; enough to be dropped when Australia played Afghanistan.
When he came back for that important game against Sri Lanka, he was demoted, in a sense, but positively so, batting at No. 6 this time, with less stresses, making a useful 67.
Watson’s bowling too had suffered; 0-13 (3) v England, DNB, DNB, before being expensive against Sri Lanka; 1-71 (7).  Against Scotland, Watson was again batting at No. 3, getting 24, and bowling better too; 1-18 (3).
Then came that testy and highly abrasive quarter-final against Pakistan.
Watson, batting this time at No. 5, was given a thorough working over by exciting pace and aggression of Wahab Riaz, ducking and avoiding bouncers, with mishits and edges, but he soldiered on.
Then he was given a “life”, unbelievably badly dropped by Rahat Ali at fine leg from Wahab’s bowling, a top-edged miss that changed the game for Australia, especially Pakistan, and for Watson.
He took that opportunity to recoup confidence, thence playing delightful strokes around the park, driving on the off-side and pulling well, as he, and Australia, destroyed any fight left in Pakistan.
Watson seems better suited for No. 5 or No. 6 these days, when the balls are older and the pace easier to negotiate, but he will be needed if Australia are to beat India in that first semi-final.
Two players of teams represented here would present excitement for that big final.  Enjoy!
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