South Africa and Australia contest the second of the Cricket World Cup semi finals in Kolkata on Thursday and “The Don” nails up his picks with @Olimp_SA
South Africa and Australia meet in the second Cricket World Cup Semi-Final on Thursday at the magnificent Eden Gardens Stadium.
Despite losing to South Africa in the group stages, Australia start the game as marginal favourites.
BETTING
South Africa 2.07
Australia 1.71
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SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa finished 2nd on the table behind India and like Australia they won 7 matches and lost 2. Those defeats came against the Netherlands and India in their penultimate match.
Quinton de Kock has been the top South African batsman scoring 591 runs and he starts the semi-final 3 runs behind leading run scorer, Virat Kohli. De Kock has averaged 65.66 at a strike rate of 109 and next best batsman for South Africa is Rassie van der Dussen averaging 55 at a strike rate of 88 and scoring 442 runs in his 9 innings.
Gerald Coetzee has been the top South African wicket taker and he currently sits on 18 with the best of 4 for 44. Wickets have come at an average of 19.38 runs at an economy rate of 6.4. He takes a wicket every 18.16 deliveries. Marco Jansen is second of the South Africans on 17 wickets, striking every 22.82 deliveries with an economy rate of 6.41.
AUSTRALIA
Australia finished 3rd on the log with 7 wins and 2 defeats. Those 2 defeats came in their opening games against India and South Africa and they subsequently ran off 7 successive victories.
David Warner has been the Top Australian batsman scoring 499 runs at an average of 55.88 and a strike rate of 121.49. Mitch Marsh has also made a late move up the batting tables, he was 177 not out in the last match and he has averaged 60.85 at a strike rate of 109 in his 8 matches.
Despite the fact that those two batsmen have scored more runs than him, there is no doubt that the star of the show has been Glenn Maxwell who has only played 7 matches, but scored a miraculous 201 not out in the run chase against Afghanistan and he had a strike rate of 152.69.
In the bowling department, Adam Zampa is currently the leading wicket taker with 22 wickets and best bowling figures of 4 for 8. He has bowled at a brilliant economy rate of 5.26 and averages a wicket every 18.9 runs in every 21.54 balls.
THE DON’S PLAY – Top South African Batsman, Quinton de Kock at 4.00
De Kock has been in exceptional form and simply put, South Africa need him to fire if they are going to beat Australia and book their spot in the Final. He is a man who seems totally at ease with himself at the crease and I am looking for another big knock.
To Score the Most 6’s, South Africa at 2.28
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Both of these sides have players who have scored amongst the most 6’s in the Competition and Maxwell is currently 2nd on 22 with Warner in 5th on 20. South Africa though have their fair share of big hitters with De Kock on 21 and Klaasen on 17 and the latter in particular can cut loose if he is given enough time at the crease. If I was pricing up this market I would make it a virtual choice so I am more than happy to back the Proteas as underdogs here.
All prices correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
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