Tuesday, May 01, 2007

The Top Five World Cup moments

It may be obvious but a post is necessary to highlight some positives:

1. Adam Gilchrist's blistering World Cup Final century. 149 off 104 balls and I have never seen such clean hitting from one man's blade.
2. Paul Collingwood's catch v the West Indies. A slashed shot from Devon Smith to point looked to be going over the Durham's mans head until he pulls out a high-jump move and catches the ball behind himself.
3. Herschelle Gibbs and his six sixes. You knew he was going to do it and that's not because the highlights have been shown countless times. Rank bad bowling from the hapless Dutchman's last two balls gifted the South African World Cup history.
4. The fielding. I can count how many close games there were in the World Cup unlike the amount of throw-downs, stumps flying and close shaves there were from all teams. Great stuff.
5. Lasitha Malinga's four in four. As match situations stand, a fifth for the slinger and it would surely have been the greatest turn-around ever. I think it was Ntini when he was bowled by a ripping yorker... it reminded me of the classic fast bowler's dismissal from the 80s and then the quick turn-around from the batsman: bat under arm and gloves off before he'd even passed the wicket!