***Official*** Commonwealth Bank Tri-Series

[MoxPearl]

NZ are always on the improve... yet they still manage to lose virtually every meaningful contest against Australia. It has been happening for years. What NZ do during a defeat is irrelevant because they've been doing this for years, if they do anything in this tournament final then it'll really be worth something.

Here are some examples, Aus have won 19 of the last 21 ODIs against NZ - here are some of the margins:

2 wickets with 3 balls left
2 wickets with 1 ball left
17 runs
10 runs
2 runs
2 wickets with 8 balls left
8 runs (today)

NZ have won two close matches in that time, one was a dead rubber and the other against a significantly weakened side. The 3 Champions Trophy matches there NZ got thrashed by 164 runs, 7 wickets with 76 balls left and by 34 runs. In the World Cup NZ lost by 96 runs. When it's a bit less important Australia just lose a bit of intensity, when it's important Australia throttle NZ til the end.

Ever smiled in your life ?

 

[Bahnz]

Of course he has. Just not since England arrived in Australia.

 

[Fiery]

That's what 15-18 ODIs New Zealand will play in that time? Let's assume he plays 12 innings in that period and gets...hmm... 4 not outs. He would have to score at least 762 runs to average 30 and 763 to get over 30. That's a 95.25 average. Good luck with that.

OK, so I was drunk

 

[vic_orthdox]

McCullum did well in the end, but if you wanted to be a hard task-master, he didn't get off strike well enough early in his innings. Needed to get Oram down the other end more often, and if he did that it might've been 50-55 off the last 30, rather than 60.

 

[Alysum]

This is so fitting for ponting he has paid the price of not selecting hogg. But great performance from kiwis and a special innings from oram , fastest 100 by a kiwi in odi cricket.

Clarke bowled fantastic today and picked up 2 wickets on the Waca...so we didn't need Hogg.
It's a bit strange White didn't bowl at all even if his bowling is crap.

 

[Dick Rockett]

That's what 15-18 ODIs New Zealand will play in that time? Let's assume he plays 12 innings in that period and gets...hmm... 4 not outs. He would have to score at least 762 runs to average 30 and 763 to get over 30. That's a 95.25 average. Good luck with that.

He's made the perfect start then, hasn't he?

 

[Dick Rockett]

Please, a bit more maturity.

He started it.

I know you'll try to pass that off as intentional irony, but no-one will believe you.

Seriously though, I don't know why you always jump on NZ's back about this "big game" nonsense. Why are our boys always singled out for this particular barb? Enjoy picking on the little guy do you? Besides, I don't seem to recall anyone beating Australia at the last World Cup, they won the World Cup before that (interestingly one of their two losses was to New Zealand), and only dropped one game at the recent Champions Trophy (by a measly 10 runs) so your criticism really could apply to any side.

 

[Scaly piscine]

England (or any other nationality I've seen) fans weren't saying their future looked bright and how they're on the up based on a match where they got completely outplayed by Australia (while the game was live) before spectacularly managing to cut the margin of defeat.

 

[Will Scarlet]

England (or any other nationality I've seen) fans weren't saying their future looked bright and how they're on the up based on a match where they got completely outplayed by Australia (while the game was live) before spectacularly managing to cut the margin of defeat.

Maybe not, but NZ were playing a full strength AUS team, in Australia, while resting their best bowler (Bond), and were a chance to win while chasing 344. When you also consider that NZ's fielding was aweful and conceded countless runs - especially considering Hayden's let-offs - even an idiot has to admit that the BCs must be a chance at beating AUS on a neutral ground in the world cup. And if McMillan is replaced by Styris, both the the batting and bowling will be strengthened.

I'm confident in saying that our short-term future is positive, and I'm sure many others will feel the same.

 

[Dick Rockett]

England (or any other nationality I've seen) fans weren't saying their future looked bright and how they're on the up based on a match where they got completely outplayed by Australia (while the game was live) before spectacularly managing to cut the margin of defeat.

A weak response really - especially when you consider how long you've been making the same tired argument - and a patently false one.

 

[Natman20]

No wonder Australia scored so much. Gillespie - New Guy hardly any experience. Mills- Out of form first match back from injury only bowled 2 or 3 innings prior. Patel - Un-proven and tends to be a bit expensive but on his day can claim wickets. Vettori - Highly effective against Australia with 1 or 2 wickets per innings and keeping the runs down. Oram - Only effective on some pitches (effective in champs trophy last year) tends to bowl too short. I highly agree with the exclusion of Franklin but for the next match would like to see Bond for Patel.

 

[Will Scarlet]

I'd like to see Franklin in for Mills too; he did take the first three wickets in the previous match against ENG. Otherwise Gillespie could be rested for one game. Either way, Franklin deserves to play against ENG.

 

[Dick Rockett]

I thought our limp bowling performance was entirely understandable due to the heat. An abberration that needn't be dwelt upon, IMO.

Just glad to see our batting lineup grow a spine.

 

[Natman20]

Overall good batting performances by both teams. NZ might somehow be able to pull off a win in the final. I shouldn't get ahead of myself first we have to beat England. Does anyone else think Bond doesn't look very effective this season or is it just me?

 

[Will Scarlet]

I also think Fleming's captaincy was aweful yesterday. Why didn't he use the power plays when the spinners were strangling the run rate? That mistake cost NZ at least 20 runs. Why did he pull both the spinners off after only five or six overs when AUS had so many wickets in hand and would obviously go after them later? Vettori was creating chances so I can't see how the fast bowlers, who were struggling in the heat, were more likely to make the breakthrough.

However, it is easy to get carried away with hind sight.

 

[Dick Rockett]

Does anyone else think Bond doesn't look very effective this season or is it just me?

I did think that, although there's no real reason why he should be. His pace is still up there, and his line is still good. There's probably a few more wayward balls than there have been in the past, and of course the opposition is able to prepare much better now as they have more footage of him and experience facing him.

The thing is, he's still averaging in the low, low 20s, he's just taking his wickets in batches of 2 or 3, rather than tearing sides apart like he used to. Frankly, that's no big deal, as I think he's got some quality backup these days.

 

[MoxPearl]

Does anyone else think Bond doesn't look very effective this season or is it just me?

agreed

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

his line is still good.

No it isn't.

 

[Dick Rockett]

No it isn't.

Come on man, you can do better than that.

 

[average2poor]

Gotta love the aussie commentators. When McGrath dropped his catch Bill felt a bit sorry for him because of the wind and Slater ( or possibly Healy i can't remember) thought he might have some rain in his eyes. Oh poor old Glen. When Taylor dropped his catch early on it was just terrible fielding and poor technique.
I still enjoy Bill's enthusiasm though.