A wicket fit for good cricket a must:

Kiwis out to send England out

Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting from England

England who have never won a 50-over tournament or the World Cup are striving to win the ICC Champions Trophy and will be determined to beat New Zealand and make it to the semi-finals when they play their last group game in a day game at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff, today.(Sunday).

But New Zealand too will not let up. Any team winning this game is assured of a semi-final fling. So it will be a keenly contested game with no quarter asked or given. England and New Zealand figured in a one-day series after the Test series and the New Zealanders won that series. They will take that confidence into this game knowing full well that they have the men and material who could win them this crucial match.

Scraped to victory

New Zealand scraped to victory over Sri Lanka by the skin of theirteeth. It was a game that could have gone either way. But the Kiwi last pair kept their nerve and with Tillekeratne Dilshan bowling a wide got home. Against Sri Lanka England looked ordinary. Their batsmen obliged but their bowlers were not disciplined and sprayed the ball here, there, everywhere and nowhere.

It was really bad bowling and the Lankan batsmen feasted on it. If the England bowlers have not done their home work and learnt to bowl wicket to wicket, then the fielders will once again be chasing leather like against Sri Lanka in a game that they were thrashed.

Match winning score

England batmen Skipper Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, Jonathon Trott, Joe Root and Ravi Bopara made big runs and helped them to a match winning score of 293 against Sri Lanka. That their main bowlers James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Tim Bresnan could do nothing was a sad indictment on their ability. When the conditions are favourable and the ball is wobbling about they are unplayable. But otherwise they are just up and downers. New Zealand on the other hand has a fine all round side, strong in every aspect in this style of game.

Their batting with leading run scorer Martin Guptil showing the way followed by Ross Taylor, Brendon McCullum, Kane Williamson and Nathan McCullum have made strong totals for their bowlers to defend. The New Zealand bowling will be in the capable hands of Mitchell McLenaghan, Kyle Mills and Tim Souhee for pace and the biting off spin of Kane Williamson and Nathan McCullum for support.

It is hoped that wicket for this style of play will be made available.Slow wickets won't help in this style of hit about cricket. It must also be remembered that spectators flock to see a good contest and not one side game. As such it is paramount that a good wicket is produced.