***Official*** New Zealand in Australia 2011

[Ruckus]

No please...go ahead.

 

[TumTum]

I want to make a sheep joke, but its probably a bit dire to do so.

Use this

There's no good reason that we shouldn't be able produce more fast bowlers, we're not genetically that much different than Aussies & the English are we?

 

[adub]

Media: Would you like Phil Hughes to be in the Australian test team?

Taylor: Actually, I would prefer if he Warner, Khawaja, Ponting, Clarke, Hussey, Haddin, and basically the whole Australian set up were in the NZ team and Australia had gumbies like myself and the rest of my side. That's what I'd really like.

reading between the lines...

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

Gumbies

 

[Spikey]

Usman only twitted the token 'thanks' comment last hour. Meaing Hussey hasn't learnt jack and still waits hours and hours to sing the team song. I predict it's only a matter of time before Warner puts someone in a choke hold against the wall.

 

[straw man]

Speaking of Ross Taylor... 0/10 for the Kiwi skipper. Whatever happened to the captain leading from the front, or when the chips are down the captain steps up?

He comes to the crease with his team in deep trouble and what does he do? Does he dig in and say "you're never getting my wicket"?
No. No he doesn't. Having just seen Williamson get out trying to drive a ball outside off stump that was swinging away, he does the EXACT SAME THING, first ball. Beyond woeful. Our captain, FFS.

Yeah Taylor's performance this match was incredibly poor. After Vettori he's the NZ player most likely to influence the outcome of a match. With an aggregate of 14 runs and dropping Starc he actually contributed negative runs

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Well played Australia, may have found a couple of nice new bowlers over the last few weeks, just need to pray they aren't injury prone in the coming years and can develop into the attack you think they can. Batting still a major problem though as none of the youngsters have totally convinced as yet.

As for NZ, oh dear. Very disappointing display with the bat. Back to the drawing board, or the nets and learn to play properly.

 

[straw man]

What's the Hobart wicket going to be like? I think top cat described it as rolled mud. Is this the regular batsman-friendly but slow-scoring rolled mud or do they put something different in it in Tasmania? Any swing, seam or spin?

 

[Spikey]

usually flat as a tack. Cricket Records | Records | Bellerive Oval, Hobart | Test matches | Match results | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[straw man]

I don't think there is any point in dropping any of our eleven.

However if you forced me at gunpoint the player I would drop is Ryder. Being in and out of the side with niggly injuries due to poor fitness is weak, and in not being able to bowl he's robbing the side of balance. His batting has not looked good and in particular I was shocked by how badly he played Lyon. This may be harsh but I'm also unimpressed with his slogathon vs Australia A - you should practise like you intend to play and that is not how you play in a test match. I'm also starting to get the feeling he's the big bully boy who is tough until he faces the bigger bully boy, at which point he crumbles.

 

[straw man]

usually flat as a tack. Cricket Records | Records | Bellerive Oval, Hobart | Test matches | Match results | ESPN Cricinfo

was hoping for something for the bowlers, as I can't see our batsmen getting us past 250 for the rest of the series no matter how flat the wicket is

 

[flibbertyjibber]

I don't think there is any point in dropping any of our eleven.

Probably not, looks just about your strongest side at present. Just need them to apply themselves more when batting.

 

[Midwinter]

Heard this today

36,4,0,20,2,16,31,12,36,0,9,88,10 - 19.5

First Innings average of his last 13 tests - P.Hughes

As they said the problem with being an opener is that you have to go in first.


How much time do you give someone who has played the last 8 tests ?

 

[straw man]

Clarke won't be able to score runs when he is TURNED TO STONE

 

[BeeGee]

If I was Wright I'd be instituting a new rule for the top 5 batsmen:

Every time you swing your bat at a ball that's not threatening the stumps, in the first hour of your innings, you'll be contributing $100 to a charity of my choice.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Are Australians finally wising up to what we English have said for a long time, Hughes has a crap technique and isn't good enough at test level?

 

[BeeGee]

Clarke won't be able to score runs when he is TURNED TO STONE

I hope he doesn't play, though. Should keep the same team, imo.

 

[Top_Cat]

Bellerive is a pretty slow deck most of the time but if the weather turns, can be a really good ground to be a swing bowler. The only time I've seen it do much in a Test, though, was when OZ played Pakistan in '99. Ball was going through the top on day 1 but flattened out into an absolute road on day 3.

 

[Spark]

Weather looks good for Day 1, **** for Day 2, improving Day 3.

 

[benchmark00]

Nice of North Melbourne to let Cricket Australia use one of their home grounds for a few days.