Now this is where the fun stuff happened. The Blackcaps bowlers began the 2019 World Cup by bowling Sri Lanka out for 136 and then pretty much carried on from there, slicing through a pretty dangerous Bangladesh batting lineup to bowl them out for 244 and then skittling Afghanistan for 172.
Well, if boundary countback was gonna be an issue then no surprises that we struggled there, considering that only three teams hit fewer boundaries than the Blackcaps throughout the entire tournament and they were: Sri Lanka (played three fewer games), South Africa (played two fewer games), and Afghanistan (played one fewer game and was only a single boundary behind our tally).
How do you even begin to comprehend something like that? To have been so close to something so special only to come away empty-handed, it’s excruciating. The Blackcaps gave it a little bit of everything and it wasn’t quite enough, not by the tiniest of margins, and I’m afraid that this one is going to sting for a very long time.
As the Blackcaps came to terms with a famous victory, Tom Latham completing a routine catch behind the stumps off the bowling of Jimmy Neesham to dismiss Yuzvendra Chahal and book a place in the World Cup final, captain Kane Williamson had a look on his face like he couldn’t quite remember if he’d put his phone on charge before he left the hotel.
Somehow the Blackcaps have made eight World Cup semi-finals including four in a row - they’ve even won two of them! - so here’s a bit of a breeze through and a history lesson all in one.
At the time of writing this, England have just won their semi-final against Australia to set up a World Cup final between England and Aotearoa.
There is no plan or script that the Aotearoa vs India World Cup semi-final can fit into, yet in a freestyle sense, everything fell beautifully in favour of the Blackcaps snatching victory.
The hope remains after Aotearoa crawled their way to 211/5 vs India in the World Cup semi-final with play to start again tonight.
Forget the weird blue cheese taste left from the last three games and banish the long list of shenanigans from selectors and NZC, Aotearoa's Blackcaps are in the Cricket World Cup semi-final.
One of the weirdest yarns to be rolled out prior to the World Cup revolved around comparing the 2015 CWC Blackcaps roster to the group of 2019.
Three reasonably big World Cup games and three losses for Aotearoa's Blackcaps after they were smoked by England overnight.
There is no better finals cricket preparation for Aotearoa's Blackcaps than their last round robin fixture against England.
It took all of about fifteen seconds for Joseph Parker to take control of his scrap with Alex Leapai. He came out looking sharp, throwing those quick hands around and looking to hit in combinations. Parker trapped Leapai on the ropes later in that first round and copped him with a few mean hooks while his jab was a constant force from the opening bell.
Two big games with the World Cup hitting a nek level and two losses for Aotearoa's Blackcaps as Australia gave the kiwis a hiding.
Two games left before knockout cricket at this World Cup and we have a typically Blackcaps situation where the strongest Blackcaps playing 11 is still uncertain.
It was supposed to be a clash with Eric Molina, Joseph Parker getting into it on his first Matchroom Boxing card with a scrap against a fella who has fought (and lost) to both Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder. Not the toughest opponent of his career but a respectable one, a solid win for the resume as he looks to build himself back into contention under his new promoters.
Sliding into the business end of the Cricket World Cup, Aotearoa Blackcaps have found a hefty point of difference in an otherwise mundane bowling attack thanks to Lockie Ferguson.
Otago Volts have made a couple key signings in recruiting Dean Foxcroft from Central Districts Stags and Nick Kelly from Northern Districts Knights to bolster their group, while CD Stags have no need for any drastic changes to their contracted list for the upcoming summer.
Some of Aotearoa's domestic cricket teams are ushering in funky new changes, while others are sitting in the luxurious position of a settled cricket group and Auckland Aces definitely fit into that first bracket.
In the grand scheme of things, assuming Aoteaoa's Blackcaps can pick up enough wins from the games they do end up playing, rain at this World Cup in England is exactly what the kiwis need.