Cricket World Cup Final 2019 – Sunday, July 14th, 2019 at 10.30 am
It is all eyes on Lords on Sunday as England will be gunning for their first-ever Cricket World Cup title. The hosts had a sticky patch in the second half of the round-robin stage, but finished strongly when it mattered most. After a scintillating semi-final win over the holders Australia, England will face New Zealand in the title match. The Kiwis pulled off a shock win over India in their semi-final match, can they upset England too?
England v New Zealand World Cup Final Odds
England 2/7
New Zealand 11/4
* (betting odds taken from bet365 on July 11th, 2019 at 7:21 pm)
England on the brink of history
England started the tournament as favourites and here they are sitting in the final. It has been some journey for them in their home event. Now they are on the brink of landing their first-ever World Cup success. Across the course of the first five editions of the Cricket World Cup, England finished no lower than a losing semi-finalists. In the subsequent six editions, it was a nightmare after nightmare for them, never again reaching the final four.
Getting to the final four of this year’s tournaments looked in jeopardy at one point. That was when they suffered back to back blips against Sri Lanka and Australia. That heaped so much pressure on the English. It looked as if their chance at winning the World Cup this summer on home soil was going to desert them.
It left Eoin Morgan’s men needing to beat India and New Zealand in their last two games to reach the final four. It was in the high-pressure arena of facing India in their penultimate game, it was when the best of England came out. Every single player in the team turned up and performed in that one. The victory over the then-tournament favourites gave England the massive boost. They hammered New Zealand in their last game to reach the final four. When it mattered most, England delivered their best.
No Semi-Final jitters
So England have hit their peak just at the right time and now they will march out at Lords as the red hot 2/7 favourites to lift the title* (betting odds taken from bet365 on July 11th, 2019 at 7:21 pm). England were facing Australia in the semi-finals, one of the teams who had beaten them in the round-robin. There was a different story this go around in a meeting at Edgbaston though. England dominated with the ball after losing the toss and then reducing the Australians to 14-3 as Chris Woakes and Jofra Archer combined to destroy the top order.
Then in chasing just 224 for victory, Jason Roy (who has now passed 50 in 9 of his last 11 innings) and Jonny Bairstow gave them a fantastic start and the job was finished by Joe Root and Eoin Morgan. England did an absolute demolition job on their old rivals, winning by eight wickets. That was England’s first win in a World Cup knockout match since 1992. It was a massive win. Against the holders. Roy, who has made such a difference since returning to the side following injury is 3/1 to top score for England in the Final* (betting odds taken from bet365 on July 11th, 2019 at 7:21 pm)
Are New Zealand capable of another surprise?
The Kiwis went into their semi-final against India as a big underdog. Not only were they facing the powerful India side, but the Kiwis had limped over the finish line in the group stage. The Kiwis had a lot of their easier fixtures up first which left them with a tough finish. They closed out with three straight defeats. But they had really done enough, especially with their net run rate, to always stay in contention, despite their drop in form. They took a fourth-place finish in the end but looked well out of sorts.
However, the Kiwis turned the form book on its head as they took an 18-run victory over India in the semi-final. There was some stunning work done with the ball in hand by the Black Caps. They were defending a low total of 239 as well but just never let the Indians settle into their chase. New Zealand were runners up in 2015 to rivals Australia. They had been to six semi-finals in their other ten World Cup appearances. So they have produced tremendous consistency. They too though are looking for their first-ever title, just as England are. Kane Williamson is the usual 2/1 outright favourite to be their top batsman* (betting odds taken from bet365 on July 11th, 2019 at 7:21 pm).
Head to head
England took a convincing win over New Zealand in their final group stage game. England powered to a win by 119 runs at Chester-le-Street. England had won the toss in that match with Jonny Bairstow top-scoring for them with 106. Mark Wood starred with the ball, producing 3/34.
England have won seven of the last nine meetings with New Zealand. Their win over them in this tournament was their first in a World Cup match since 1983. England claimed a 3-2 series away win over New Zealand in early 2018. England are W12 L9 in their 21 ODI matches with New Zealand in the last decade.
England v New Zealand Predictions
England have really come to the party in their last three matches. That’s India, New Zealand and Australia comprehensively dispatched in that sequence. They are back looking at their very best and there is no reason to oppose them. They have handled some massive pressure in their last three games, each of them have essentially been knockout matches although only one actually was. The top-order batting of England is just supreme.
