Ross http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 has a realistic chance of making it to World Cup final
New Zealand’s most successful batsman of the World Cup, Ross Taylor thinks that his team has the momentum and pedigree to upset the applecart and qualify for the ICC World Cup 2011 final in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mumbai-c820.
The Black Caps, who have played as many as five semi-finals in the premier ODI tournament, are aiming to go one step ahead and play their first ever final by going past the Sri Lankans in the first semi-final at Colombo tomorrow.
The underdogs who had an extremely ordinary run in the lead-up to the World Cup gave a brilliant performance on the field to send the South Africans packing out of the tournament in the third quarter-final held in Mirpur.
The Black Caps made an ordinary total batting first yet skittled out the perennial chokers of the game the South Africans for 172; recording a 49 run win which booked their place in the last four.
Taylor who hit a sparkling hundred against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 in a group match at Kandy two weeks ago feels that his team has the ammunition to dismantle hot favourites Sri Lanka in their own backyard.
The Lankans are playing their fourth semi-final since making it to the last four for the first time in 1996.
Led by Kumar Sangakkara, they would start the match as firm favourites on a dust bowl at the Premadasa stadium in Colombo a wicket that has helped the spinners in every game played there this season.
The Black Caps were defeated by 112 runs at the same venue in a group match by the hosts and would have to come up with a sharper and more concerted effort if they are to challenge the wiles and guiles of the Sri Lankan spin armoury.
Taylor thinks that his team who would start the match as massive underdogs like being rated second best, he thinks that the underdogs tag relieves pressure and helps them muster better plans for the opposition.
“I don't think too many other people gave us a chance, which probably made other teams take us a bit lighter than they normally would, which played into our hands, but you know it's going to be a tough game on Tuesday, one that we are looking forward to."
Taylor also stated that the Black Caps would be entering the field with a genuine belief that they can upstage the Lankans, he thinks that his team has the momentum after winning against the Proteas and would analyze all aspects of the game in a bid to overhaul
the Lions.
"Watching parts of the game and analysing the way England played and where they went wrong and where Sri Lanka went wrong, but we have got a lot of momentum in our camp. We were happy with the way we fielded, and hopefully we can continue
with that and put http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 under pressure."
The stroke player stressed that his team was proud of New Zealand teams of the past that have regularly made it to the knock out stage of the tournament, yet he wants to go a step ahead and play the final of the biggest cricketing event
in the world.
For that to happen Taylor and the rest of the batsmen in the Kiwi line-up would have to apply them to the fullest and chalk out a strategy that can help them sneak past the hosts who have an eye on the trophy after their outstanding recent
run.
A sell out crowd is expected to turn up at the venue and root for the Sri Lankans as they bid to book their place in the final of the World Cup for the third time in their history.
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