Pre-Match Thoughts

Gordon: So far, these teams have been impressive. This was our pre-cup final prediction so box ticked for that! As far as the teams go, I’m a tad concerned about Sri Lanka. Unlike India who’ve been able to get through quite a few tough games so far this cup, SL are a little different. New Zealand has been the only real game where they’ve had to fight for a result. They failed against Pakistan, but held on in the semi.
Waqas: A great tournament ends with the two best teams, no one can really disagree with that. Both teams have good batting line ups and great spinners with one great seamer. It could well be that battle between Zaheer and Malinga which decide this one. Which out of the two can grab those vital wickets when the ball is reversing?
Johnno: It’s like it was meant to be. The two (strong) co-hosts, dream batting line ups, Mumbai, Murali, Sachin, Sanga, Sehwag. Thankfully NZ shook up that Sri Lankan middle order that has been in hibernation till then. It’ll be interesting if India stick with the three quickies or go with Ashwin. Nehra’s under an injury cloud though, so it might be a forced change in the end.
The Gaff: Got the feeling during last week that the India v Pakistan game was more like the final! Thank goodness we have Murali’s retirement and probably Sachin’s last ever World Cup match to spice up the final, otherwise what else would we have?! The biggest sadness will be that I no longer can use the excuse of late night cricket as an excuse with the wife.
Tyrone: Sri Lanka revolves around Sanga. He’s playing very well and the openers play freely knowing he’s so solid in the middle, they don’t seem to be afraid of losing a wicket early on. India has played well to get to this point. However, they have had some tough games mentally. SL have seemed to have had a fairly ‘easy’ run through to the finals, haven’t had the emotional rollercoaster which India has. Murali is dangerous, but on one leg India should be okay.
Ricky: This game is about the perfect match-up for a sub-continental World Cup and it should be a fascinating game featuring some of the better cricketers who have ever turned out for either country. Both sides had the advantage of playing the bulk of their games at home, but to be fair, both have played some really good cricket too.

The Key Players

Gordon: India > Tendulkar, Raina, Zaks /// SL > Dilshan, Sanga, Murali
Raina is my wild card. Assuming he plays, he’s added those vital 20-30 runs at the end of the innings for India. If the middle order fails he’s the guy India will turn to.
Waqas: India > Tendulkar, Dhoni, Zak /// SL > Sanga, Jayawardene, Malinga
It’s Zak vs Malinga for me. Pressure will be on both of them. Jayawardene has fallen under Sanga’s shadow but he’s still class. Dhoni needs a big one.
Johnno: India > Sehwag, Yuvraj, Zaheer /// SL > Dilshan, Jayawardene, Murali
Yuvraj is of huge importance. If he isn’t already player of the tournament, he now offers something with bat and ball. Murali may be on one leg but he loves playing India.
The Gaff: India > Tendulkar, Yuvraj, Harbhajan /// SL > Dilshan, Sangakkara, Malinga
I think Dilshan will play a role with both bat and ball. He’s better than Yuvi with the bat, but not as affective with the ball. I think that could be different in this game.
Tyrone: India > Tendy,Sehwag,Zak /// SL >Dilshan, Sanga, Mendis
None other than Sachin. As if the stage is not perfect for the greatest batsman ever to score his hundredth international hundred!
Ricky: India > Tendulkar, Sehwag, Yuvraj /// SL > Dilshan, Sangakkara, Malinga
The surprise has been Yuvraj Singh. It just seems now that cricket means a bit more to him than it did. I know it is a World Cup, but he has turned it on at the right time.

The Weakness

Gordon: It’s the same thing for both sides; the middle order. Whilst India might argue they’ve had game time in the middle, that middle still looks a bit fragile. Gambhir, Virat and in particular Dhoni, have thrown it away in the last few matches. For Sri Lanka, they rely way too much on Dilshan, Tharanga, Sanga and Jayawardene. After that it’s nothing pretty. We saw against Australia that early wickets halt their progress considerably. Take out Dilshan and Sanga within 20 overs and you’re in dreamland.
Waqas: For India it’s Nehra, Munaf and Sreesanth. Neither of them is really near Zaks in terms of ability right now. They need to step up for the final and really help out, even if it means holding up one end. For SL, I think it’s their reliance on Dilshan, Sanga and Jaya. If those three get out early Sri Lanka will really be tested to their depths.
Johnno: Regarding India, I think it’s their fast bowlers. Zaheer has been amazing right throughout the tournament, but players have bad games. Look what happened to him in the 2003 final. If something goes wrong with him, not sure who will step up for India. Sri Lanka’s weakness lies with the lower order. It’s obvious. They simply need more time on the pitch, they showed this was a weak point during the semi by nearly doing a South Africa.
The Gaff: For me, it’s Harbhajan. He’s been well below his usual best in this WC. If Sri Lanka can get on top of him early, they’ll play him off the ground. But I think this will be an occasion where the Turbinator will unleash. Fielding is a major issue for Sri Lanka. At least India has gotten better with their methods as the cup has gone on. Complete opposite for SL. Some of them just can’t catch and as we saw in the Ind vs Pak semi, you drop catches and you lose matches.
Tyrone: India – Nehra is pretty much out so they will be undecided whether to play another seamer (Sreesanth) or the spinner. The extra paceman from India is the danger – Sree is passionate but costly. Lanka – If Murali has to bowl 10 overs and is severely injured he could be taken to the cleaners by the Indian batsmen provided they get off to a good start. But I think Lanka’s weakness is their middle, they havent really had a bat.
Ricky: It’s that second seamer for India. They need some genuine support for Zaheer Khan who is a great player. They can’t afford for their second or even third pace bowler to be dominated. If I was to criticise Sri Lanka in any way I would suggest that it relies on too few players to get them through. Too much falls on Sangakkara’s shoulders and then how Jaywardene plays through the middle of the innings, but India has a lot more depth on the batting side.

The Pitch

Gordon: There’s only been two games at Mumbai this World Cup and they’ve been thrashings. NZ wacked Canada by 97 runs and SL defeated NZ by 112 runs. Both teams obviously batted first and from what we’re hearing, it’s a track. However, from the four innings so far, the average score is only 259.
Waqas: Win the toss and bat. Quite simple. Both teams have good openers so those opening ten overs will be crucial on this wicket. India has got off to barnstorming starts but fall away as the innings go on. Much of the same could be said about SL, but either way perhaps the best way to combat the track is to try and score at around five-per-over early and consolidate wickets for the end.
Johnno: If we’ve learned anything from these wickets in the Cup, what seems like a great or bad total can be the opposite. The wicket looks good and firm, with a bit in it for the spinners. Seamers might struggle, but like we saw with India against Pakistan, the wicket doesn’t always mean you can produce something special.
The Gaff: Toss will be crucial. Since 2000, there pace has picked up more wickets overall at Wankhede, 57 to spin’s 39. However, the average for seamers is 30, whilst for spinners its 26 and again spinners have a better average economy, going for 4.59 to pace’s 5.12. So it seems as though spin will come into play as the match goes on, whilst if you can play pace, it’s there to whack.
Tyrone: I think it will be flat as a tack. Doubt India would risk playing three seamers again because of Lanka’s spinners. It’ll be batsman’s paradise, if it wasn’t a final I would say need to score 320, but I reckon the extra pressure means you should score at least 280.
Ricky: Quite a good wicket. The toss has been a big thing for many games and I suspect it will be the same here. I have little doubt that whoever wins the toss will bat.

The Impact

Gordon: Will be a huge thing for both. For India it will mean they are probably the best team in tests and ODI’s, it’s something they’ve been working hard for and with the talent they have now it will be a deserved status. For SL, they will prove their worth as the best limited overs side. They tend to win everywhere these days when it comes to ODI’s and a win will prove it. It will also give confidence for them to push on in the test format.
Waqas: Hard to judge the impact till it actually happens. It will be a bit of a body blow for India if they lose considering their team. But if they win, it could be the start of a nice period considering the amount of youngsters in the team. If Sri Lanka gets up I think it will really give them a boost in all forms of cricket. They lost the 2007 final and since then have continued their mixed form in tests. If they win I think they’ll be confident of mixing it with any team in any format.
Johnno: I’m afraid that if India wins, it will start world domination for them in all forms. They might well become the new 80’s Windies or the 00’s Aussies. Will really stamp their arrival. If Sri Lanka wins, I think a lot of emotion will be tied with Murali’s retirement and rightly so. You can see the headlines, ‘Murali’s last hurrah’ all over the papers. I think Sri Lanka have been a great limited overs side for quite a while, so I’m not sure it will do a whole lot for them in the long run.
The Gaff: It’s simple. India wins and they official take over from Australia as the best team in the world. If Sri Lanka win they confirm something everyone already knew – they’re the best at limited overs cricket.
Tyrone: India, it will set off a dominating era for them. They did well in tests in South Africa to draw the series and have been good in tests for a while. The WC will give them confidence to build a dominating era. A win for Sri Lanka will propel them into the top echelon of cricket. I believe India and SA are ahead of the rest right now because they have gone well in tests and ODI’s everywhere. Whereas Sri Lanka always gets thrashed in tests in Australia.
Ricky: Obviously India have been favourites from the start so a win would prove that they can handle the pressure of a nation. Similar could be said for Sri Lanka, although one feels that there is less pressure on them to win this one.

The Verdict

Gordon: India by 1 wicket / 5 runs – That’s really how much I don’t know which way this one will go! You look at the teams and they’re really blow for blow even. But I think (and hope) it comes down to the last over, SL need 15 to win, 6 off the last ball but only get a single.  No confidence in that!
Waqas: Sri Lanka by 3 wickets / 70 runs – Hope it doesn’t pan out this way, but got a little feeling that Sri Lanka will really let lose for Murali. If they bat first I reckon they’ll dominate and win easily, but if they bat second I think it’ll be much closer.
Johnno: India by 3 wickets / 25 runs – Two very even teams, but I think India’s firepower all round will get them home. Dhoni enjoys playing SL so hopefully he fires. India in a tight one.
The Gaff: Sri Lanka by 4 wickets / 50 runs – Dilshan loves playing India and if SL bats first I think he’ll go mad. SL will also have emotional factor to combat the crowd with Murali’s last game and I think they’ll rally around him and get home.
Tyrone: India by 4 wickets / 30 runs – A lot rides on who bats first. In saying that though, it’s a complete lottery. If India bats first with that home crowd in a final I can see them getting well over 300, perhaps 320.
Ricky: India to win – I have said all the way through this tournament that India was the team we had to beat and I think it is the favourite tonight. I think it has a bit more class, a bit more zest on its side.

Alright lads, home stretch now, impressions of round 2?

Johnno – Another round of teams with leads, some giving them up and others just holding on. Great to watch, but some of the coaches will be pulling their hair out I’m sure *cough*Dessie Hasler*cough*.

Gordon – Yeah, great for the neutrals out there, it’s pretty exciting, but like Johnno said, some teams just lost the plot when they had the lead. Manly, Penrith and even the Broncos, all arguably should have come away with two points.

Okay then first team with a home final then?

Johnno – Well, firstly I must apologize. I haven’t tipped the Sharks yet. But since I don’t want to act like I forgot them, not that I did, as they play such uhh.. wonderful.. rugby league. So I’m tipping them for a top four spot. Yes, top four. I’m so screwed.

Were we go.. Can Parra produce their late form of 09?

Gordon – Unlike Johnno, I’ve always thought the Eels would finish fourth. They’ve started a little lazy in the first few rounds, but they showed promise against Manly last round. Hopefully they can get a win for brave Oscar this week, however they currently trail 8-0 to the Tigers.

Bronze medal, lads?

Johnno – I like the Tigers, and I believe that little score update justifies my statement. Tuqiri is back and he’s showing he hasn’t lost much. I’ll give you an exclusive; Big T for Origin in 2010. With Marshall and Farah holding the backbone, the Tigers’ youngsters can feed of them and will do well in 2010.

Gordon – I think the Titans. They’ve been lacking a little in the first two rounds however, I think it’s only a minor speed-bump. When you have the likes of Campbell, Prince, Rogers, Bailey, Gordon and Zillman coming off the bench most of the time, there has to be results. Combine that with the now fortress Skilled Park and I’m backing the Coast to go close this year.

Dragons.. Can they go all the way this year?

Getting close now lads, who’s the pick for runners up?

Johnno – Dragons. They’re playing wonderful football, and with a mature Jamie Soward marshalling the pack, there is plenty of talent breathing fire. The better Morris brother will be the leading try scorer come end of the season and the Dragons will run riot, but might lose the odd game they’re expected to win.

Gordon – Storm for me. The impressive thing about this side in the first two weeks has been their grittiness. They say in all sports that the sign of a good team is to be able to not play well but still win, and I think they’re doing that. They’ve had two tough away trips and have another one this week, so the draw hasn’t been kind. But I think with the talent they have, they will be right up there come finals.

Well, finally, after weeks of preparation, you’ve both had time to watch games and get a feel for the new season, decision time is here. Who will be the Premiers for 2010, lads?

Johnno – MELBOURNE STORM. Inglis, Slater, Cronk, Smith. The list goes on. With a squad so composed and with so much talent and experience, it’s hard to look past the Melbourne boys. Just wait till they get warmed up as well, cause once they do, I think we’re going to see some teams get a flogging.

High Expectations.. Will the Storm defend their title?

Gordon – ST.GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS. Last year was a learning curve for the Dragons, and one they needed to have. They dominated the competition up until finals, when some lack of experience probably cost them. But now they are wiser, more talented and have some wise heads in the balance. With a good balance of experience/young blood, I’m backing the Dragons to go all the way this year.