Posted Mar 24, 2015, 11:43 AM UTC
4513
This is the first bit of actual footage I've seen. He fucking crushed that ball. Seriously, that was like the end of The Natural.
6
What is it with the Blackcaps and winning with a 6 on the ball that we really need it the most? Good job boys!!!
4
8
And people wonder why we have a rivalry with Australia. It's shit like that man.
3
gfycat.com/SlightPlushIndianringneckparakeet is gfycat making a prediction?
3
If we are talking about gfycat and the Black Caps it is mandatory on r/cricket to link WanPhysicalGoose, potentially the greatest sporting gif on the internet.
4
Anyone care to explain for someone who doesn't follow cricket at all, why everyones so excited?
3
South Africa batted first and set a total of 281. A clever algorithm set the total New Zealand needed to win at 298, because the match was halted for a while by rain, truncating the SA innings (simplifying a little here).
As play went on, New Zealand inched closer and closer to the magical 298. We'd need 50 runs off 20 balls, then 20 off 10, and then finally we were in spitting distance - 5 runs off 2 balls. With just two more balls remaining it could go either way. If South Africa could prevent us from picking up a boundary then the game was theirs. Hell, they could afford to give away a 4 as long as they only gave us that. And on the second to last ball of the match Grant Elliot smashed the ball to the boundary, on the full, for 6.
Both teams played quite well and the result came down to the wire.
8
Sorry, just gotta jump in. 4 runs would have drawn the match, which would have put us through to the final because we finished higher in the pool matches.
3
No apologies necessary, right you are. Duckworth Lewis had me in the wrong mindset it seems :P
1
In summary, South Africa set quite a high score for NZ to chase, and despite an incredibly strong opening there was no point in the match where it was obvious who would win.
NZ needed to score 12 runs from the last 6 balls in order to win, and then blasted a massive 6 on the second-last opportunity of the match to seal it.
7
There's only been two times I've been this nerveous then been so relieved in the space of a few seconds was during the RWC and this moment.
2
His interview after the match was amusing:
"what was going through your mind on the last ball"
"Nothing, I don't even know where the ball went".
Heh...