***Official*** Australia in New Zealand 2016

[Moss]

This thread already desperately needs the 2nd ODI to begin.

Any changes to either team for Wellington?

The case for Khawaja to be included must be irresistible now. Australia also looked a strike bowler short at Eden Park, so maybe Boland comes in now that Faulkner is out?

NZ very rarely change a winning unit. Can't see Munro or Bracewell coming in unless NZ win the next one and they decide to rest someone in the decider. On a side note, it looks like Watling is struggling with his fitness so NZ ironically might need Ronchi to get more time in the middle before the tests.

 

[Dan]

"strike bowler"
"Boland"

Moss, you're losing it

 

[91Jmay]

I know it works like a treat in Aus, but Aus look a little bit bits and pieces with so many all rounders and a lack of specialists.

 

[kiwiviktor81]

On BetFair right now, Aussie is paying $1.97 and the BCs $2.02. If we win the next match we might be favourites for the third, which would be the first time ever I've seen us be favourites over Aussie.

 

[Moss]

"strike bowler"
"Boland"

Moss, you're losing it

Well, the closest available equivalent :P Not a great choice of word will admit

 

[ajdude]

gonna make a big call here: stoinis to play a game this series and do well and keep his spot for our next ODI after the series.

also NUFAN to talk about him making his debut

 

[honestbharani]

The way Australia have been chopping and changing their LO sides, literally everyone is on debut when playing for them.

 

[Prince EWS]

I know it works like a treat in Aus, but Aus look a little bit bits and pieces with so many all rounders and a lack of specialists.

To be fair I think only Marsh is picked specifically as an allrounder. I don't think they really have anyone better for the roles Maxwell and Faulkner play with their primary disciplines.

 

[Compton]

Maxwell is definitely in the side as an all-rounder. He'd probably play as a batsman regardless, but his spin bowling is certainly considered.

 

[honestbharani]

What about that Steve O'Keefe.. I thought he would be a good LO player. He bats pretty well too, doesn't he?

 

[91Jmay]

To be fair I think only Marsh is picked specifically as an allrounder. I don't think they really have anyone better for the roles Maxwell and Faulkner play with their primary disciplines.

Yeah, you can rightly justify their selections and they are all really good players it just gives the batting line up a somewhat fragile look at times (I'm well aware it also scores 300+ more often than not as well).

 

[Energetic]

Can't wait when Bangladesh tours New Zealand. I feel they are the only ones that can win an ODI series there. New Zealand, England, India and Bangladesh are tough places to win the main series against now. Winning a test series in New Zealand is even harder; they have been unbeaten for a long while now. Amazed how much New Zealand have improved especially with the bat. Guptill, Williamson and Taylor are world-class bats. Latham seems to be getting better. Their fast bowling is almost just as good. Fielding is good as always. Only major weakness is their spin department.

 

[Gob]

Can't wait when Bangladesh tours New Zealand. I feel they are the only ones that can win an ODI series there. New Zealand, England, India and Bangladesh are tough places to win the main series against now. Winning a test series in New Zealand is even harder; they have been unbeaten for a long while now. Amazed how much New Zealand have improved especially with the bat. Guptill, Williamson and Taylor are world-class bats. Latham seems to be getting better. Their fast bowling is almost just as good. Fielding is good as always. Only major weakness is their spin department.

lol

 

[TheJediBrah]

Can't wait when Bangladesh tours New Zealand. I feel they are the only ones that can win an ODI series there. New Zealand, England, India and Bangladesh are tough places to win the main series against now. Winning a test series in New Zealand is even harder; they have been unbeaten for a long while now. Amazed how much New Zealand have improved especially with the bat. Guptill, Williamson and Taylor are world-class bats. Latham seems to be getting better. Their fast bowling is almost just as good. Fielding is good as always. Only major weakness is their spin department.

Yeah because everyone's winning when they tour Australia

 

[TheJediBrah]

Maxwell is definitely in the side as an all-rounder. He'd probably play as a batsman regardless, but his spin bowling is certainly considered.

that's the point

 

[Gob]

Aust OD bowling is pretty gash tbh. Starc was the real weapon and without him there is no fire power. The batsmen has to win the games

 

[veganbob]

I'd take Taylor over Guptill any day of the week. He's scored better runs and been more successful against the top sides while Guptill has pretty much pummeled England, WIndies and Zimbabwe boost his average.

I like Guptill and think he's very good, and has a phenomenal 12 months in the short form of the game but he's behind Crowe, Taylor, Williamson and Astle atm for greatest NZ ODI bat.

Lol astle. He failed miserably at world cups. Guppy is in another class as an odi batsman. Astle was nowhere in the convo with the best odi openers of his time, ever. He was just a good nz opener not that great by world standards. Thats accounting for all the pitches, bats etc. Guppy is one of the best odi openers in the world. All the astle fanboys look silly imo. If guppy is not a better odi opener than astle then taylor is not as good as roger twose either I guess. Imo guppy is every bit valuable as ross taylor in odis. Probably more given hes an opener.

 

[thierry henry]

Love that TH has a fetish all things height and length

Same old story though innit, everyone likes to talk about it ("EP so small, MCG so big, Chris Gayle so tall, TH's wang so wide") but are at the same time allergic to giving any thought as to whether they are completely factually incorrect.

Same deal with banal ("banal") statzzzzz chat I guess.

 

[thierry henry]

.


itsl

Definitely a bit of that...."I'm not really that short, it's not really that small, if you factor in that the width is a solid average then saying it's small is only half true" etc.

 

[thierry henry]

To be fair I think only Marsh is picked specifically as an allrounder. I don't think they really have anyone better for the roles Maxwell and Faulkner play with their primary disciplines.

What's the general perception of Faulkner as a pure batsman then? I must admit I have never really given deep thought to his abilities as a cricketer. I've just seen him as well worth his place in the side given he averages fkn 40 at a strike rate of 110 with the bat and is ideal as a basher at #8 in a strong line-up, and performs pretty well with the ball. Had never really pondered whether (a) he is really a "proper" frontline bowler, or (b) whether he can *really*, seriously bat.

I just thought of this because(ironically given he was one of 2 guys who made some runs) watching him bat at the ground on Wednesday it stood out to me that he kinda stinks. We gifted him runs with bad short bowling but in truth he did look lost against it. He had an opportunity to play a really substantial innings and he didn't really look capable of playing Milne properly at all without backing away from the ball. Some of the shots he played (including his dismissal, but there were others) were literally "close eyes and swing across the line" mows for no apparent reason and which appeared to be pre-determined. I'm not denying that this type of player can be very effective in the right role, I was just a little taken aback that there didn't really appear to be a proper batsman hiding underneath when the situation demanded.