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*Official* Australia tour of New Zealand Feb-Mar 2024

SteveNZ

Cricketer Of The Year
Partly, but it's also mostly cope

Basically rationalisation to avoid accepting they're a better team, we just always lose to them because mental reasons
We've had this discussion, but we don't lose to them solely because of our mental demons, but we don't compete as hard, we lose big moments and ultimately lose games we should in a large part because of those reasons. Our record v Australia shouldn't be 50% win record, but it sure as **** shouldn't be 1 from the last 33 Tests. We did so much in this series (dropped catches, batting collapses, mindless bowling at the tail at the Basin) that was classic 'I don't think we can win' behaviour.
 

SteveNZ

Cricketer Of The Year
Anyway, this Test is a fork in the road. We can keep moving forward with the lame duck selections like Scott K, picking Will Young as an opener, playing Southee etc, or we can move on from this era and invest in a new feel for this side.

I'd have no issue with saying right, we are embarrassed by another pants down effort v Australia, our absolute focus starts now in investing in a team that will compete with them in 2026-27. We want the right guys - guys like GP, Sears etc who will take the fight to them. Pick guys who are sick to death of being the trans-Tasman biatch - get them to read this site, and TJB's patronising BS posts, watch the last 33 Tests on loop, lock them in a room with Peter Allen on loop, until they get so ****ing tired of it that they do something about it.
 

mackembhoy

International Regular
To think we almost lost this kid to being a ****ing lawyer because Wellington and NZ A weren't sold on him.

Who the **** would want to be a ****ing lawyer instead of a fast bowler? Who would allow that young man to make such a naive error?
A better lawyer might have got the bloke lining up next to him put in jail though
 

Aidan11

International Vice-Captain
Even at 80/5 I had a feeling Australia would win.

They always seem to have at least one player who can step up when required.
 

Bahnz

Hall of Fame Member
Pity that a couple of classic "aw no" moments were spoiled by the catchers in this test, Latham in the third innings and Marnus in the 4th.
 

Bahnz

Hall of Fame Member
We've had this discussion, but we don't lose to them solely because of our mental demons, but we don't compete as hard, we lose big moments and ultimately lose games we should in a large part because of those reasons. Our record v Australia shouldn't be 50% win record, but it sure as **** shouldn't be 1 from the last 33 Tests. We did so much in this series (dropped catches, batting collapses, mindless bowling at the tail at the Basin) that was classic 'I don't think we can win' behaviour.
The problem for NZ with Australia is home conditions and the kookaburra offer very little home advantage, especially against a bowling attack as good as Australia's typically had over the last 30 years.

I still agree to an extent. NZ's been roughly on par - and at times significantly better than - England since 2015, and while England has consistently found ways to win at least half of their home Ashes tests, NZ is looking at a 0-4 scoreline. That's partly down to Australia touring so rarely, partly down to bad luck (KJ Conway injured this time, Taylor injured and Boult not fully recovered from his stressy in 2016 - by comparison if Lyon doesn't get injured in last year's ashes I think Australia probably wins 4-0) partly down to poor selection (playing SP and Southee here, Wagner being out of fashion in 2016), partly down to a negative mentality and yes TJB mainly down to Australia just being a much better team in conditions that offer -comparatively speaking - very little in the way of home field advantage.
 
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Skyliner

International 12th Man

‘On NZ radio SENZ after the loss, Daryl Mitchell said there was more to cricket than the wins and losses.

"We've always said as Black Caps, we're not defined by the outcomes," he said.

"We're defined by how we play cricket and hopefully how we inspire our country to play the game ... we are really proud of the efforts throughout the Test."

That provoked a furious response from Jeremy Coney, who captained New Zealand to a Test series win over Australia in 1985/86, and Ian Smith, his wicketkeeper in that series.

"Give me a break ... winning is actually the key to it all," Coney raged.

"We kind of get what he's meaning, but actually young kids will follow the New Zealand side when they win."

Smith said he needed to "take two or three deep breaths" before responding.

"Unless I've been so far removed from the game. I don't understand that," he said.’
 

jcas0167

International Debutant
Even at 80/5 I had a feeling Australia would win.

They always seem to have at least one player who can step up when required.
Pitch had flattened out and ball was older so they were always in it. Still, when Head went I thought we pretty much had the game in the bag. People at work don't want to talk about it, too painful.
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator

‘On NZ radio SENZ after the loss, Daryl Mitchell said there was more to cricket than the wins and losses.

"We've always said as Black Caps, we're not defined by the outcomes," he said.

"We're defined by how we play cricket and hopefully how we inspire our country to play the game ... we are really proud of the efforts throughout the Test."

That provoked a furious response from Jeremy Coney, who captained New Zealand to a Test series win over Australia in 1985/86, and Ian Smith, his wicketkeeper in that series.

"Give me a break ... winning is actually the key to it all," Coney raged.

"We kind of get what he's meaning, but actually young kids will follow the New Zealand side when they win."

Smith said he needed to "take two or three deep breaths" before responding.

"Unless I've been so far removed from the game. I don't understand that," he said.’
They're saving Test cricket.
 

jcas0167

International Debutant

‘On NZ radio SENZ after the loss, Daryl Mitchell said there was more to cricket than the wins and losses.

"We've always said as Black Caps, we're not defined by the outcomes," he said.

"We're defined by how we play cricket and hopefully how we inspire our country to play the game ... we are really proud of the efforts throughout the Test."

That provoked a furious response from Jeremy Coney, who captained New Zealand to a Test series win over Australia in 1985/86, and Ian Smith, his wicketkeeper in that series.

"Give me a break ... winning is actually the key to it all," Coney raged.

"We kind of get what he's meaning, but actually young kids will follow the New Zealand side when they win."

Smith said he needed to "take two or three deep breaths" before responding.

"Unless I've been so far removed from the game. I don't understand that," he said.’
He should have borrowed his dad's old mantra about 'the journey'. That would have set them off.
 

Dick Rockett

International Vice-Captain
Darryl Mitchell said:
We've always said as Black Caps, we're not defined by the outcomes
It's precisely this attitude that has killed my life-long passion for cricket.

I had been wavering for a long time, but it was during the 2nd test against South Africa in 2022 that I had finally had enough.

We'd dominated the first test. It wasn't a particularly good SA side. I was looking forward to finally seeing us take a series against them - one of the final frontiers.

Instead, NZ went down meekly. My abiding memory is of watching their bowlers with bats in their hands, hammering ours to all parts while our guys laughed and joked with each other as if it was a social game.

The NZ cricket team looked like they just didn't care, so I thought "why should I?"

Yes, I emerged from my funk to watch this series, partly because I had cabin fever from a bout of covid but mainly because it's Australia.

But nothing has changed. If the NZ cricket team is not defined by outcomes, then what is the point of them?
 

Flem274*

123/5
It's a cope. Nothing Mitchell does on field suggests he doesn't gaf

I can see what they're trying to say, that they worry about controlling the controllables first, but outcomes are ultimately the goal in anything you do. Outcome focus doesn't mean rah rah harden up rah rah put your entire life into work.

Outcomes are the goal but a bad outcome isn't the end of the world (usually). You should still admit to yourself that losses hurt and you want to win games. It's probably healthier.
 

Athlai

Not Terrible
I kind of do agree with the sentiment. Outcomes aren't everything. That second Test was a cracker and I enjoyed how competitive we were (even if I have some issues with how feeble part of our team is).

But like, I expect the players themselves to be doing everything they can to win (or draw).

Fans that only cheer when they win can be miserable spiteful pricks but a team or player that isn't trying is worse.

It's why I love Jeets. In 2007 during the WC semi final when we were totally ****ed, Jeets still went out there and tried to win the ****ing game.
 

honestbharani

Whatever it takes!!!
Happy for Carey. :) And my boi Marnus making the crucial contributions this game. And lol @ NZ. Should have tried Rachin a bit more. Was the rapist injured?


Also, lol @ those Ausssie fans who wanted Carey dropped.
 

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