**Official** New Zealand in Australia 2015

[Moss]

It's not just the length though. Boult had Khawaja looking uncomfortable almost every time he bowled to him, but could never keep him on strike for more than 2 or 3 deliveries because he just kept drifting into the pads. Neesham has the pitch map of a blindfolded drunk. And Craig has bowled with the accuracy of Michael Atherton's occasional leg breaks.

Yeah, Neesham either has to keep up that batting average (against the better sides) or really work on that pitch map. Missing an Astle/McMillian-type fifth bowler like anything.

 

[Spikey]

Here's one from the not-so-recent past.
3rd Test: Sri Lanka v England at Galle, Dec 18-22, 2007 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

don't really like this as an example, because it appears that rain was a threat all match, and Cook played to that. It's not like the rain came out of nowhere to save them. makes it somewhat deserved

 

[Captain_Cook]

I can't imagine the plan was go and bowl short (in fact Southee mostly bowled very well in that first session, Warner did a great job of seeing him off), so I guess we can assume the "preparation" wasn't as great as Neesham claimed it to be.

Warner is absolutely key to Australia in their current incarnation to see off the quality of the opening bowlers. If he gets a good one early then Australia could be 3/30 very often with Smith having to lead a recovery job a lot of the time. Australia will collapse once this series but NZ need to bowl much better.

Boult had Khawaja looking uncomfortable almost every time he bowled to him, but could never keep him on strike for more than 2 or 3 deliveries because he just kept drifting into the pads. Neesham has the pitch map of a blindfolded drunk. And Craig has bowled with the accuracy of Michael Atherton's occasional leg breaks.

I think it might have something to do with the expectation on their shoulders. It may be one away tour too many for this NZ team but I hope they prove me wrong at Perth.

i missed the entire first innings effort but i was blown away by boult at the start of the second. that wasn't just bad, some of that would have been hammered in the Hawke Cup. high 120s short and wide is just begging to be hit by lesser batsmen than Warner and Burns. i couldn't believe i was watching trent boult.

The change was startling, it was like watching Jimmy in 2013/14 again. It's a horrible place to bowl swing if you are not at the peak of your powers.

 

[social]

Been chucking it down all night

Kiwis might escape this one but will be mullered in Perth

Predicting 1-1 with Oz falling in a screaming heap against the pink ball and people somehow proclaiming it to be an evenly contested series

 

[Moss]

I think it might have something to do with the expectation on their shoulders. It may be one away tour too many for this NZ team but I hope they prove me wrong at Perth.

This is an interesting point. They showed a statistic on screen comparing Williamson's home and away record, and the break-up was something like 15 home games and 27 away games, which is quite skewed. Apart from the observation that NZC haven't really gone out of their way to organise home tests in the last 5 years, that's quite a bit of touring (considering it is commonly believed NZ aren't given enough opportunities etc). Though their schedule is hardly as packed as the big three sides, you wonder if that process of regularly touring and acclimatizing gets to the players at some point.

 

[Meridio]

Watling's debut would be up there for the players in this current game, 0-90 chasing 208 and it rains on the last afternoon.

3rd Test: New Zealand v Pakistan at Napier, Dec 11-15, 2009 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

Quiz for the Aussies, without looking at the scoreboard can they guess which part time offie took 3-37 for NZ? (hint, he's playing in this game)

Heh, just looked at that scorecard and read the wicket descriptions. On Misbah's they had: "Is that the last we'll see of Misbah in Tests?"

Six years later, he's still there.

 

[Kippax]

high 120s short and wide is just begging to be hit by lesser batsmen than Warner and Burns. i couldn't believe i was watching trent boult.

Like say Woodcock and Power Papps, three weeks ago. Jeets still really hated it though.

Taking N Wagner for the high wicket-taker on Friday is going to be good value I think, even if it's then claimed with a 3/150. Wagner being the guy who heads back to the Highveld most winters and hits the NZ season at a running start.

 

[Gob]

**** this rain seriously

 

[Kippax]

256 km Brisbane (Mt Stapylton) Radar Loop

Yeah here's some rain heading in now. You're too early tbh. If you're looking to bet and then lay the draw when the day dawns wet in Brisbane, do so now.

 

[SteveNZ]

Gilchrist was never dismissed, he just shut up shop after Warne was run out. And the Gillespie one while obviously out on replay, was one of those leg side strangles that's always a little bit tough for a front-on umpire to rule on. The one earlier in the day when he gave Steve Waugh not out after he smashed the cover off one on the way through to Parore was the real head-slapping moment - but then Waugh got out a half hour later anyway.

That's the one (the Waugh caught behind), I was trying to do it off memory alone. So Waugh must've been the one run out at the bowler's end.

My god, by some miracle I hope we get to Adelaide at 0-0. Then the pink ball nonsense could head any way. Imagine that, a Test match decided on what time of the day you bat.

 

[mr_mister]

put 20 on the draw. come on rain gods

 

[Furball]

That's the one (the Waugh caught behind), I was trying to do it off memory alone. So Waugh must've been the one run out at the bowler's end.

My god, by some miracle I hope we get to Adelaide at 0-0. Then the pink ball nonsense could head any way. Imagine that, a Test match decided on what time of the day you bat.

How's that any different to getting different batting conditions based on whether it's cloudy?

 

[BeeGee]

How's that any different to getting different batting conditions based on whether it's cloudy?

One is caused by a random act of nature, the other is caused by a decision made by administrators.

 

[Furball]

Am I right in saying Adelaide is basically being played in Perth's timezone?

 

[BeeGee]

Looks wet in Woolloongabba.

 

[jcas0167]

As a NZ fan, I'm glad that Williamson has at least shown his class on this stage. Some high praise in the SMH.

It was not just how many, but how Williamson scored. The slightly-built Bay of Plenty product had a boyish air at the crease, his armguard, bulging thighpad, helmet and bat all seeming oversized. Waiting for the bowlers he was crouched and angular, his bat pumping eagerly in the air from ****ed wrists, finding an imperceptible rhythm with the bowlers' approach and load-up.

For all the tight-sprung energy of his top half, what was most noticeable was the stillness of his feet. His toes wiggled in his boots, but Williamson did not move his feet until the ball arrived. Then it was one late movement, forward or back, decisive. No trigger movements, no guesswork, no eccentricities: just textbook cricket shots played as if in front of a mirror.

Every seven balls he faced, Williamson hit a boundary, distributed evenly around the ground as if he was handing out merchandise and making sure nobody missed out. Regardless of which Mitchell he faced, or Josh Hazlewood or Nathan Lyon, Williamson's square cutting, driving, hooking and pulling was so precise that no bad ball went unpunished.

His batting had no limitations, no habitual hitting zones, no particular strengths, no glaring weaknesses. It always loses the argument to invoke the B-word, but Williamson's batting brought to mind what they said about Bradman: no particular flamboyance or flourish, no muscular power, simply a mechanical ability to hit the ball through the gaps. And what's that, he's a hundred already.

Kane Williamson's defiance at the Gabba marks him as the next super batsman

 

[NUFAN]

When the article mentioned the B word I was thinking Burns! ! 200; runs for the test from our Joe, how many did Kane get - just 100 odd..

 

[mr_mister]

it no longer looks like it's gonna rain going by google

 

[Prince EWS]

Heh, just looked at that scorecard and read the wicket descriptions. On Misbah's they had: "Is that the last we'll see of Misbah in Tests?"

Six years later, he's still there.

Man it was hard to be a Misbah fan around that time.

 

[Spark]

it no longer looks like it's gonna rain going by google

Yeah the rain bands on the radar seem to be dissipating well before they reach the coast