To be fair, he was out to an absolute shocker today. So far this series he's failed twice, was brilliant last Sunday and he wasn't looking too shabby for the short time he was out there this afternoon.Don't know why we keep persisting with Brad Hodge. Fair enough, the guy got 99 the other day, but he averages 22 after 9 games. I really hope Haddin makes big runs in this series and we see the end of Hodge.
The WC squad is picked before this series is played, so the performances in it will be inconsequential. Quite stupid really - I can just imagine Voges getting man of the series and then not going to the World Cup.Don't know why we keep persisting with Brad Hodge. Fair enough, the guy got 99 the other day, but he averages 22 after 9 games. I really hope Haddin makes big runs in this series and we see the end of Hodge.
The guy probably deserves a break anyway and with regards to said "sore back" is the same thing that happens with the England football (soccer) team with a friendly. How a player drops out with a injury but will start for his club the next weekend and play the whole 90 minutes.I'm not sure I understand why a sore back is keeping Ponting out of this series when he's fine to make 75 in the first final of the CB Series today.
Oh well, not complaining at all.
Actually not as ridiculous as it sounds. The media reaction here to our being knocked out of the CB Series has been brutal and I expect (or maybe desperately hope might be a better description) that it will fire up the team and particularly Stephen Fleming, who has copped the worst of it, and inspire them to silence some of the critics against an Australian team that will probably consider the series slightly less important than the NZers will.NZ to Beat Australia 3-0 in Chappell Hadlee .
Isn't that typical of the New Zealand media (sorry if I am wrong Voltman since this is your living), I mean I remember when the All Blacks lost five Tests in a row in 1998 and IIRC the economy might have been going down but the AB's losing seemed like a national crisis and how all older players were instantly useless and any players who overseas was only interested in money etc etc. Well that's their livelihood so they have to earn as much as possible for their families so things will be a lot easier latter on in life.Actually not as ridiculous as it sounds. The media reaction here to our being knocked out of the CB Series has been brutal and I expect (or maybe desperately hope might be a better description) that it will fire up the team and particularly Stephen Fleming, who has copped the worst of it, and inspire them to silence some of the critics against an Australian team that will probably consider the series slightly less important than the NZers will.
If New Zealand could beat Australia 3-0 just by firing up, don't you think they'd do it more often?Actually not as ridiculous as it sounds. The media reaction here to our being knocked out of the CB Series has been brutal and I expect (or maybe desperately hope might be a better description) that it will fire up the team and particularly Stephen Fleming, who has copped the worst of it, and inspire them to silence some of the critics against an Australian team that will probably consider the series slightly less important than the NZers will.
Actually, that's not true.we don't, probably comparable to most teams and less than India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, I'd have said off the top of my head. We've just got a stack run together at the moment, which probably makes sense running into the world cup.
Hmmm, surprising.Actually, that's not true.
ODIs since the World Cup (adding the scheduled matches):
Australia 115
India 109
Pakistan 101
Sri Lanka 98
West Indies 94
Zimbabwe 88
New Zealand 88
England 88
South Africa 85
Bangladesh 82
Part of that is because they play so many finals, but the long VB Series really make them play a lot of matches.
Won't make a difference imo.Ponting and Gilchrist to tour now?
ffs hope we don't feel the backlash.