*Official* New Zealand in Australia 2019/20

[Gnske]

I don't get it either. He does the job that was advertised, I see nothing worth complaining about.

 

[Spikey]

Honestly, another average MCG pitch. The bouncy and carry was terrible

yeah, I was surprised at the praise it was getting. assuming kane and co don't do anything stupid I'll be surprised if it's still getting praise by day 3

 

[Bahnz]

Sounds like another frustrating day for NZ. Didn't really understand the decision to bat first. Sounds like CdG and Wagner bowled well, but Santner as ever a total waste of a spot.

Tomorrow morning is last chance to save the series. Here's hoping that Southee and Boult can bring their best.

 

[Spark]

MCG pitch is never ever going to be anything but slow and low I think. The best you can hope for is a reasonable balance between bat and ball.

This is probably the last really good MCG pitch IIRC https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...ndia-1st-test-india-tour-of-australia-2011-12 and it wasn't exactly free-scoring.

 

[Burgey]

NZ fans persistant hate of Santner really baffles me. They must be watching a different guy to me

It bemuses me a bit too. He really bowled one bad over today, rest of the time he was fine. St Kane’s captaincy of him was utter pish tbh.

 

[GotSpin]

yeah, I was surprised at the praise it was getting. assuming kane and co don't do anything stupid I'll be surprised if it's still getting praise by day 3

Warne was ready to defend the pitch from the first over

 

[jcas0167]

Former coach Hesson supported the Santner selection over Astle for this game. Just a shame Sommerville isn't in the squad.

 

[Mike5181]

NZ fans persistant hate of Santner really baffles me. They must be watching a different guy to me

He's just so cool, calm, and collected, isn't he? Never looks overwhelmed by a situation.

 

[vandem]

Frustration about Santner's selection in the test XI is more about team balance than his skills. We don't need two batting all-rounders, especially in Aussie if one of them is vulnerable to short quick bowling. Some of us would prefer 4 specialist bowlers. It may leave the team a little light on lower order batting, but Southee has enough skill to be a useful #8, and Somerville has enough defensive technique and stubborness to be a useful #8/9 and is more likely to take wickets.

 

[thundaboult]

I don't get it either. He does the job that was advertised, I see nothing worth complaining about.

He definitely didn't do that job today. Also, the complaint from us is that the "job" he is there to do, isn't required. That job needs to be replaced by one that advertises a quality, attacking spin or seam option. CDG does the containment thing just fine, alongside getting wickets and even being our best bowler on certain days. The incentive shouldn't be on your no.8 to score runs in AUS. That is the top 7's job. But of course, the 8-11 guys should be prepared to dig in and battle it out for the team's cause. Santner can definitely dig in a bit, but against this AUS attack, his guts won't count for too much.

 

[Gnske]

Did you watch the same game as me? The threat from Santner was so constant it forced out an unnatural aggression from two grindy batsmen.

Shane Warne got spanked at times yet his career turned out okay.

 

[Burgey]

Yeah but because you didn’t mention that warne struggled against India YOU ARE A MASSIVE HYPOCRITE

 

[Mike5181]

Did you watch the same game as me? The threat from Santner was so constant it forced out an unnatural aggression from two grindy batsmen.

Shane Warne got spanked at times yet his career turned out okay.

Agreed, speaking of threats, what happened to Martin Guptill? New Zealand should look at going back to him, he's a fine player.

 

[Gnske]

Agreed, speaking of threats, what happened to Martin Guptill? New Zealand should look at going back to him, he's a fine player.

Guptill should never have set foot on a test match field for one. With Santner he just looks every part a Black Caps Test player.

 

[Mike5181]

Guptill should never have set foot on a test match field for one. With Santner he just looks every part a Black Caps Test player.

Yes, if Santner just changed his last name he wouldn't look out of place alongside Doug in the legendary Bracewell family. John, Doug, Brendon, Michael, Mark. Gosh, those were some players.

 

[Moss]

NZ fans persistant hate of Santner really baffles me. They must be watching a different guy to me

I know it's been suggested before (can't recall if it was you or someone else) that whichever spin option NZ selects is unlikely to make much impact, and that might well be true. However, in the last 1 year Santner has been completely outbowled by Ajaz and Somerville - when all three played together in the first test in Lanka he was by far the least effective. So it's more frustration (rightly so IMO) at the selection policy and management of NZ's spin resources. The other reasons have been pretty much covered in detail above.

 

[stephen]

This Australian side is beginning to gel as a batting unit. I really like that Wade gutsed out a 38 even when he was obviously struggling. It's innings liked those that turn team scores from 250 to 350, which is often three difference between a win and a loss in test match cricket.

It was really only Warner getting out when set that was disappointing. Burns copped a ball that would have got most batsmen first ball and Labuschagne got quite unlucky.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

Santner has got 0/180 off 48 overs in this series @ 3.75rpo, I’m not really too sure what there is to recommend him at this point.

 

[Gnske]

Santner has got 0/180 off 48 overs in this series @ 3.75rpo, I’m not really too sure what there is to recommend him at this point.

Three words

Not Mark Craig

 

[stephen]

Pretty unfair for the kiwis to be complaining that their spinner had been ineffective at Perth. Not even Warne took wickets over there.

In fact Williamson seems to trust his spinner very little, similarly to how Ponting used to treat spinners who weren't Warne.