Jimmy Neesham and Martin Guptill were New Zealand’s last hope for a title.
Two weeks have passed since the ICC Cricket World Cup final, but emotions are still fresh as the taste of victory and defeat still lingers both in England and in New Zealand. The thrill of the game still leaves some players and fans longing for more. The final decision left both teams in disbelief. But in the end, it would be England who would win their maiden World Cup title.
Pressure during the final game was at its peak but Kiwi all-rounder Jimmy Neesham said he wasn’t nervous. In fact, he cherished the moment and the opportunity to play the sport he loved most. He was also contented with how the game panned out.
“I wasn’t nervous at all. It was a feeling of excitement and possibilities. The cards didn’t fall our way that day, but I’m still very proud of how we went out and took the game on and maybe in four years’ time, it will be different,” he said.
It was this mindset that helped him relive Martin Guptill off the pressure and guilt he had after the Super Over. The Kiwis needed 16 runs to lift the trophy but ended up tieing the Brits. However, since the Brits scored more boundaries during the course of the game, they ended up winning.
“Guppy [Guptill] and I sat on the sidelines before we went out for the super-over and we actually played club cricket together in Auckland in about 2009 before I left to go to Otago. I turned to him and said ‘From batting together at Ken Maunder Park 2009, to a World Cup final at Lord’s. How good is this?’ And we had a little laugh and walked out.”
The ICC Cricket World Cup has already come to a close, but memories from “the greatest game ever played” will always be a reminder of the glory of cricket. To find out more about the different cricket leagues, visit Betwala’s page.
READ MORE: Cricket Leagues
