Hi everybody, this is the Cricket Badger podcast This is James Butler for the Cricket Badger podcast and on this special for betting radio back for the second Semi-final this one between Australia and South Africa Anybody that listened to my preview this cricket World Cup will remember that I picked South Africa as potential dark horses to get through To the semi-finals well bet lands happy days, and they've got a chance to really go further and even lift the trophy There's been some brilliant South African teams in the cricket World Cup in previous years the likes of AB de Villiers Alan Donald, Sean Pollock, Jack Callis, and they've never quite lived up to the billing They've come into this cricket World Cup with less expected of them and have been a really good team unit This is the third time in cricket World Cup history that South Africa have met the five-times winners Australia in a knockout stage of the tournament and this is a real chance for the Proteus to rid themselves of that chokers tag They've had in previous incarnations of this tournament in the group stages South Africa beat Australia at Lucknow by 134 runs and it has been a real team affair their bowling has been excellent during this tournament the fielding has been brilliant But it's their batting that has been really stealing the headlines all the way through their team the South Africans have been Performing Joe Garcia the paceman that came in to replace on Rick Norkia that was seen to be a real big miss for the South Africans well he's taken 18 wickets Garcia same as Marco Jansen He was questioned as the all-rounder was he good enough at number seven and to be bowling as well The answer has been yes 17 wickets for Marco Jansen Keshav Maharaj the left-arm spinner 14 wickets for him So it's been a really good team display from the Proteus throughout this tournament But it's been in the batting that they've stolen the headlines 591 runs from Quinton de Kock the keeper at an average of sixty five point six six Rassi van der Dussen 442 runs from him Aidan Markram 396 and Henrik Klaassen has come in blasted at number five for 326 runs himself so South Africa have pretty much got all bases covered But then so have Australia or have they Australia's weakness is probably their two best batters in test cricket Steve Smith and Manos Labashain coming in in the middle order four and five have a Tendency just to slow the pace down a little bit and take the stuffing out of Australia's batting lineup so far in the tournament It's been David Warner and then Travis Head who have blasted Australia out the blocks It's then slowed down a little bit and then the likes of Glenn Maxwell. I mean Wow Glenn Maxwell I mean he can win this match on his own. He's come in and blasted them to a big score further down Maxwell 397 runs from these seven innings he's played in the tournament averaging seventy nine point four It's a double century and another century against Netherlands that have really stolen the headlines and he can be hit and miss So in seven innings Glenn Maxwell has performed brilliantly twice and if it is his day in the semi-final He wins this match on his own.

He has that stardust He has that pixie dust, but it's a big if so the intriguing contest for me in this one Is the Australia batters against a very good? Proteus bowling attack as I said in the other Semi-final the dew factor is starting to become a little bit more of a thing in this tournament And what we've seen is teams batting first getting a decent score on the board are able to put pressure on the chasers in the First-15 overs take a few wickets with the swing as the balls may be nibbling about a bit under lights So if you're looking at the outright prices wait until after the toss back the team batting first in this one because this really is a Pick'em, but the bookies do have South Africa as the marginal outsiders here It's that five times world champion tags that goes with Australia, and they do find a way They found a way this time despite coming into this tournament in terrible form Australia I found a way to get through to the semi-finals, but South Africa have been the better team But then South Africa are known as the chokers so this to me is very much a pick'em But with South Africa 11 to 10 and Australia is 3 to 4 South Africa are the price play Particularly if they bat first they do have the due to contend with if they chase and they're also not the best chasing side They are much better when they bat first to put up a big score And they're able to unleash their bowlers on their opponents with South Africa bat first take that 11 to 10 ahead of the match Starting top batter markets in this one if I'm looking at South Africa Quinton de Kock 15 to 2 Rassi van der Dussen 8 to 1 split your stake across those two Rassi van der Dussen is the more orthodox player Quinton de Kock Graceful at the top of the order gets out the blocks quickly in the power plays if you've got the money riding on those two I reckon you're gonna do okay equally for Australia There's two to pick from but it's a different kind of strategy here David Warner 8 to 1 Glenn Maxwell 13 to 1 David Warner could get them off to a fantastic start and as we've said Glenn Maxwell comes in further down the line and can really hit them home He can score a century faster than you blink go and make a cup of coffee come back and he's got another 40 runs on The board he is incredible Glenn Maxwell So if it's his day that 13 to 1 could look pretty decent I think on your betting slip and equally 11 to 1 for him to win the man of the match He doesn't have to top score to do that to be player of the match in this one Glenn Maxwell He also bowls a little bit of spin as well It could be a quick 50 sees him across the line Glenn Maxwell 11 to 1 to be the player of the match in this second semi-final of the markets I'll take a look at Adam Zampa to be the top bowler in this match No coincidence that when Zampa takes wickets Australia win when he doesn't they struggle He's the leading wicket taker in the competition so far and it might be worth a look ahead of this match starting Take a look at South Africa to have the highest opening partnership South Africa have registered the highest opening partnership in seven of their nine league stage games and then the outsiders bizarrely They're even money as opposed to Australia's 10 to 11 with 40 to 1 being the draw Despite the fact Australia have got off to decent starts They're really big opening partnerships have been far lesser than losing an early wicket and then rebuilding so South Africa unevens to have the highest opening partnership in this Semi-final in six of his last seven ODIs against Australia Quinton de Kocka scored 25 or more and he's been in stellar form in This tournament just brilliant. He always looks like he's about to burst into tears He's got the face of a door mouse, but he's been absolutely awesome in this cricket World Cup So I'd definitely take a look at him alongside Rassi van der Dussen to be the leading run scorer in this match gun to my head. No, you don't do that I'm taking South Africa to win this second semi-final in India.

It's been a brilliant World Cup It's gathered momentum and major tournaments like this are remembered for how they finish rather than how they started So particularly if India lift the trophy There are going to be big big parties in India over the next few days good luck with all your bets Make sure you gamble responsibly enjoy the cricket out there badges I've been James Butler for the cricket badger podcast and on this special for betting radio