**Official** New Zealand in Australia 2015

[Spark]

FOX SPORTS Cricket @FOXCricketLive
Kookaburra: Our balls on are the line j.mp/1OXMFUr #cricket

#outofcontexttweets

 

[Zinzan]

So Wagner bowling his way back into the mix here you'd imagine. Not entirely sure why Boult isn't bowling today, if there's one thing he needs it's overs under the belt.

Also, Craig continues to be pummeled, legitimately starting to wonder whether Santa might be the better option at Adelaide for the spinners role.

I can't imagine Santner could be as erratic as Craig if he tried. Let's be honest, aside from some easy declaration wickets and an touch of bad luck at Perth with Watling's hands, he's been handled so so easily by the Aussies, which we all predicted. Santner just got a 4-fer & provides a point of difference, give the lad a crack.

 

[Flem274*]

Santner probably just bowled himself into a debut. I think it's short sighted since Santner is raw and Craig has contributed to wins all around the world and this situation feels like when we wanted Wagner gone for someone ***ier, but Santner is a balanced allrounder who has a good eye and gets some good turn with accuracy so there's some ability there even though I suspect he's a tad bits and pieces right now. I think he needs 12 months and a promotion up the Northern Districts batting order to steel him.

The selectors and McHesson have been pretty good with their selections recently so I'm sure whatever call they make that they'll nail it.

Looking like Doug and Wagner for Adelaide in the other battle so far.

Sam Whiteman is meant to be a bit of a gun young keeper bat isn't he? This bowling attack is a bit filthy atm but it's another notch in his belt.

 

[Athlai]

Wagner Santner come on dowwwwn

 

[Howe_zat]

Anyone got Wagner fc average this tour compared to everyone else?

 

[BeeGee]

Day 1 is complete here at the WACA Ground, WA finishing 13 wickets down for a total of 345 runs from 90 overs. Keeper/batsman Sam Whiteman was the star today making 117 runs, whilst Neil Wagner picked up 5 wickets and Mitch Statner took 4 for the tourists.

So the two bowlers who couldn't make the XI for the WACA test take 9 of the 13 wickets in the warm up game at the WACA. The two bowlers picked ahead of them took 1 wicket between them. Just saying.

I also like the "Statner" typo. Could come into play when he takes some cheap tail end wickets.

 

[Kippax]

Wagner haul helps NZ cope without Boult as WA makes 13-345

Whiteman, who brought up his century with a straight six off spinner Mark Craig, said he found Southee difficult to face, despite having struck five boundaries across his first five overs.
He also praised Wagner, who coach Mike Hesson confirmed was in the mix to play in Adelaide.

"I'd class him as pretty skiddy. He's on to you a bit quicker than you think, sort of hustle and bustle and gets in your face a little bit as well. He's a good bowler," the 23-year-old said.

Mascarenhas said the main feedback from the bowlers on the pink ball was that it was harder to successfully buff as it deteriorated than a red ball. This made it harder to get the old ball to swing.

All-rounder Mitch Santner, the other player rated by Hesson as a contender to be included for Adelaide, claimed 4-62 with his left-arm finger-spin but was helped by some poor batting against him. In the duel to play in Adelaide the left-arm seamer, Wagner, made a far bigger impression.

http://twitter.com/Jesse_Hogan

@Jesse_Hogan 5h 5 hours ago
Encouraging spell under lights from Wagner: 0-9 off 4o (1m). Got 3 edges in first over and a bit.

 

[Riggins]

Yes like how BMac does.

Lol pls

 

[Riggins]

Another big score against test cricket history's greatest seam attack Sh/c ould really stoke Davey's claim for higher honours.

 

[Tangles]

Slow night and I was bored so here is my:

Spotlight on David Warner

Average 51 - last two years 64

Where do you actually bowl to this guy?
Well not with width outside off stump is the first answer. It doesn't matter how long you wait for him to nick off, it simply won't happen. Why he doesn't nick off is a mystery to me. He doesn't move his back foot close to the ball so that he is playing close to his body, and he doesn't play particulary late. He does though sometimes go with a horizontal blade which may negate some of the sideways movement.

Right now he is simply H4x.

If test cricket were a 1980s video arcade game then Warner could claim to have clocked the challenges given to an opening batsman.

Warner has almost mastered facing right arm over the wicket bowling. At this stage it simply does not present a challenge to him. Anythng outside off stump is four runs, anything at off stump is defended back along the same line of where it came from towards mid on. Anything on his pads is worked away in a useful fashion. He isn't the strongest off his pads but he doesn't get out lbw very often so there is no point in bowling there.

Round the wicket or left arm over are the only two areas of bowling that he is yet to completely negate. The most successful delivery is the one from somewhat wide on the crease angling in to his off stump. Much like Boult's beauty to dismiss him on 250 odd. But you can tie him up as well if you can't bowl outswingers/pearlers to the left hander. Just fire it in at 4th stump from round the wicket every ball and because he isn't used to that angle of delivery he will look to play it to mid on instead of mid off.

This very slight error of not hitting it back to where it is coming from will lead to him nicking off. And if it doesn't it could frustrate him out as he can't score off deliveries in that zone.
Progress were made against Gilchrist by coming around the wicket and likewise success will occur against David Warner.
The scary part though is that he is likely to adjust and learn - and then what? He will become h4x at all bowling and he could take things to bradmanesque levels of innings vs centuries during his next purple patch.

The other scary part about him is that he has developed some batting IQ. He used to be just about the dumbest batsman I had ever seen. But now after hitting 4 fours in a row he takes 3-4 singles just to consolidate instead of keeping on charging ahead Sehwag style. He also thinks about who he will target and when to back off, and when to turn on the turbo. Yeah incredible transformation in him from a batsmanship perspective.

He has gone from being a "batter" to a "batsman" (and no I am not going to apologise to the PC brigade who want us to use the word batter - batters are sloggers and people who come in as specialist number 8s for your average beer league and play in black shorts and white t shirts with a tui logo on it. If anyone turns up at your club and asks for a game and admits to being a batter tell them about the better club down the road).

Still and nitpicking here, he doesn't have cricketing pedigree, he doesn't know "cricket". But he is learning and learning fast and his propensity for learning is one I havn't seen before out of any player in the world. He must be an absolute sponge for advice and must actually listen to people who do know cricket. E.g. I doubt he consults with Shane warne for batting advice

"I like Warner because he is busy. I like busy cricketers. There is always something happening when Warner is there because he is busy". The fact you are his fan Shane is a negative for David Warner at this point in his career. Instead when you hear more esteemed commentators start to talk about "a well constructed innings" or "a well paced inning when his team needed him" then he will have arrived. But he is close. And yes Flem I concede my long term bet about him.

I feel teams need to realize he is a quality opening bat and bowl properly in the corridor to him. I'm not saying that's easy because the slightest error in line and length, especially outside off, is punished. Playing at home you have very little time to get at him due to the pitches and the ball. On flat true pitches he knows he can hit through the line and intimidate both opening bowlers and captains.

I do feel that there are a lack of high quality opening bowlers that can ask questions of him. I'm not trying to undercut how good he is I just feel that there's not many quality fast bowlers around right now.

 

[Gob]

I feel teams need to realize he is a quality opening bat and bowl properly in the corridor to him. I'm not saying that's easy because the slightest error in line and length, especially outside off, is punished. Playing at home you have very little time to get at him due to the pitches and the ball. On flat true pitches he knows he can hit through the line and intimidate both opening bowlers and captains.

I do feel that there are a lack of high quality opening bowlers that can ask questions of him. I'm not trying to undercut how good he is I just feel that there's not many quality fast bowlers around right now.

Jesus Christ not this again

 

[Spark]

I feel teams need to realize he is a quality opening bat and bowl properly in the corridor to him. I'm not saying that's easy because the slightest error in line and length, especially outside off, is punished. Playing at home you have very little time to get at him due to the pitches and the ball. On flat true pitches he knows he can hit through the line and intimidate both opening bowlers and captains.

I do feel that there are a lack of high quality opening bowlers that can ask questions of him. I'm not trying to undercut how good he is I just feel that there's not many quality fast bowlers around right now.

Anderson, Broad, Steyn, Morkel, Philander, Boult, Southee?

I mean, this is just manifestly not true in the context of the last ten years.

 

[Howe_zat]

The kookaburra balls falling apart has made a big impact on the last couple of Australian home seasons I think. As if the bowling side needed that on top of the pitches that you typically get in Australian tests.

 

[Tangles]

Anderson, Broad, Steyn, Morkel, Philander, Boult, Southee?

I mean, this is just manifestly not true in the context of the last ten years.

So England, SA and NZ. Yet other than Steyn and Broad the rest are more medium than fast IMO. Most of them rely on movement that they won't get touring Aus. So when we talk about being able to Test Warner it's down to 3 countries when he is touring them. SA touring Aus the exception due to similarity in conditions for Styne and Morkel.

 

[Flem274*]

eh? all those blokes except philander bowl comfortably over 140 clicks if they're really going for a sharp spell. usually they just sit at a comfy 135 for the control, hardly medium pace.

jerome taylor, kemar roach, wahab riaz, umesh yadav, current dhammika prasad and dare i say it....current ishant sharma are also decent opening bowlers.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

good opening bowlers rely on movement to take wickets shocker

 

[Moss]

Boult being off colour has been a factor too, if you consider his track record against key left handers - Cook, Gayle, Sanga.

Not saying an in-form Boult would have owned Warner, but the other bowlers would no doubt have looked to him to lead the way against the Warner threat. From being one of the potential battles of the series to a no-contest, it's probably the mist decisive reason for Australia being in front.

 

[FBU]

Warner

 

[NZTailender]

Don't think Santner will be a great pick at Adelaide. Kid just doesn't have the experience and anyone thinking he'll be a surprise packet or could do a job is dreaming. As crap as Craig has been at times on this tour he has come back and bowled well. I see Santner getting a hiding and then having NFI what to do with things sliding into the abyss for him. Stick with Craig, replace Henry with Wagner.

 

[Howsie]

Um, when has Craig come back and bowled well during this tour?