ENG vs WI for 5th place is turning out to be going for hair line finish. After 45 overs, ENG needs more than 9 runs per over in the next 5 overs to win (difficult but do-able). Otherwise, WI gets the 5th spot.

Can't get any better than this. After many ups and downs, now ENG's batsman that could make the remaining 3 runs, gets out with 4 balls left. Now in next 4 balls, will the tail ender batsmen will make the reqd 3 runs or go all out ??
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Update:

Wow! ENG did it. They made the reqd 301 runs (for 9) in 49.5 overs (WI had made 300 all out with the same, just 1 ball remaining).

Nearly all over NZ, looks like Sri Lanka are going into the final

Sri Lanka 289-5 (50 overs) v New Zealand 149-9 (32 overs)

Ali

Bit behind the eighth ball catching up, watching west indies vs Ireland at the moment. Solid knocks from Bray. Saw Bangladesh game, stunning play by Arsraful, this kid is amazingly talented.
hope Lara retires, he has slowed down a lot and lost form, when you hit 30’s it’s just about over the hill. Sarwan looks to be the next WI captain.
Lankan Lions are awesome fierce!

How about Matthew Hayden's performance in this world cup at the age of 36 after recent comeback? I think it's amazing.

And I would like to see SL-SA final.

South Africa Innings
122 for 8 (37.0 overs)

How crap are SA

Ali

This much crap!

South Africa innings (50 overs maximum)
GC Smith b Bracken 2
AB de Villiers c Gilchrist b Tait 15
JH Kallis b McGrath 5
HH Gibbs c Gilchrist b Tait 39
AG Prince c Gilchrist b McGrath 0
MV Boucher c Hayden b McGrath 0
JM Kemp not out 49
AJ Hall c Gilchrist b Tait 3
SM Pollock c & b Hogg 5
A Nel c Clarke b Tait 8
CK Langeveldt b Watson 6
Extras (lb 4, w 13) 17

Total (all out; 43.5 overs; 199 mins) 149

Miraculous stunner by Hayden @(36) who could believe it , also the inimitable Cd’paul relentlessly thrashing Ireland scoring 100 runs at World Cup 2007 at the ripe old age of 32-(lol )

ICCC Final:

AUS walking all over SL. 122 for 0 in 18 overs (38 over match). I expect over 400 for AUS in 38 overs. (Run rate gets wilder in later overs).
Lately they have been making over 10 runs per over. In one over (15th) they even made 19 runs (includes 5 runs off wide ball). Is it a record ??

AUS run rate slowed down a bit, later on, and they made 281 runs in the 38 overs limit.

SL stumbled in the beginning, loosing one wicket and making just 2-3 runs per over as opposed to over 7 runs reqd per over.
But, lately they have been making over 10.5 runs per over (Over # 13 to 17) while they need a run rate of 8.4 in the remaining overs. Let's see how far can they keep up.
SL = 106/1 in 17 overs.

SL faltered later on, making just 1-2 runs per over for 2 overs, when the reqd was 12 runs per over. Rain is another factor that keeps on throwing a monkey wrench. At 28 overs, SL target has been changed to 269 in 36 overs.
For the remainder 8 overs, Run Rate reqd is 11.7 aprox and the current partnership seems to be meeting that. Let's see if they can keep up and Weather allows the 36 Overs ??

If match ends abruptly, AUS wins as per better RR.

for those in the UK don't forget to watch BBC ONE on Monday 8.30pm

PANORAMA

MURDER AT THE WORLD CUP

Undeniably a deserving world cup win for Australia, as one of the commentators said they beat every team by a considerable margin. This world cup was way too long for its own good though, hope they make it bit shorter next time.

Ali