***Official*** New Zealand in Australia 2011

[wellAlbidarned]

Yes I love greentops too but my point is in the past batsmen didn't quiver when the cloud cover was there or there was juice in the track. Today when the pitch isn't a road they have a propensity to collapse. My point is that modern day techniques, maybe allied with a healthy dose of patience and judgement isn't always evident.


Look at what's common in Australian collapse and you'll see it's pitches which offer the bowlers something. This happened even in the dominant era. Yet the same players would play like champions on roads, or easier surfaces. It's not good enough for teams to be succumbing like this.

Anyway yesterday afternoon the conditions weren't that difficult, the sun was out, Starc looked benign yet Ryder gifted his wicket to a part-time trundler.

Batsman aren't good in these conditions because they're very rare. You play well on what you encounter regularly. How hard is that to understand?

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Well I'm going to be uncharacteristically optimistic & predict NZ are to get up for an unlikely victory here, just have a feeling things will go our way this time, you watch.

Oi. Zip it.

 

[NasserFan207]

I'm calling NZ winning this. Reckon they have a better bowling line up for this surface.

 

[Zinzan]

Yes I love greentops too but my point is in the past batsmen didn't quiver when the cloud cover was there or there was juice in the track. Today when the pitch isn't a road they have a propensity to collapse. My point is that modern day techniques, maybe allied with a healthy dose of patience and judgement isn't always evident.

I wouldn't buy into that myth that batsmen didn't used to struggle on greentops in the 1970-80s as well.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Southee & Bracewell batted like there's a need for a group lobotomy out there. They need to be slapped upside the head. ****s.

 

[straw man]

It will make such a difference for Australia if a couple of their top 3 can get to 30. NZ really need Australia minimum of 2 down in the first ten overs.

Just have a feeling that Australia will canter this.

 

[NasserFan207]

It will make such a difference for Australia if a couple of their top 3 can get to 30. NZ really need Australia minimum of 2 down in the first ten overs.

Just have a feeling that Australia will canter this.

Not happening. Hughes and Warner won't make more than 25 between them, and will once again expose the middle order early. That will be the key to the chase.

 

[straw man]

Southee & Bracewell batted like there's a need for a group lobotomy out there. They need to be slapped upside the head. ****s.

Dunno about Bracewell - he tried to bat properly for a while and got 4 from about 25 balls. Ugly slog but with the new ball threatening we needed the runs. For all the hanging-around that Bracewell did, Southee's short stay was more worthwhile.

 

[Briony]

Batsman aren't good in these conditions because they're very rare. You play well on what you encounter regularly. How hard is that to understand?

I understand it all right. If batsmen have good techniques the conditions shouldn't worry them though. Sometimes it's application that's missing as well. In any case there have been quite a number of tests in recent years when conditions have favoured the ball both in terms of the cloud cover and the grass covering so they should be becoming more accustomed to these. For e.g. in both England and South Africa there have been quite a number of occasions when the bowling team has been favoured and during last year's Ashes series there were a few times when this occurred and Australia got skittled badly each time. Guys like Punter, Hussey and Clarke have encountered these often enough not for it to be a novelty.

Methinks many of you are providing an alibi for sub-standard batting.

 

[Spikey]

covers on

 

[Zinzan]

Southee & Bracewell batted like there's a need for a group lobotomy out there. They need to be slapped upside the head. ****s.

Disagree HDS, they were always going to be walking wickets on that deck, so better that approach than just pushing & prodding.

 

[Hurricane]

Right - prediction time.

For us to win Tim must perform. Fulfil your potential Tim. (Cue images of Mel Gibson in Braveheart standing before Tim giving him a rev up).

 

[Zinzan]

Showers? that's good news, keep the wicket nice & spicy.

 

[Briony]

I wouldn't buy into that myth that batsmen didn't used to struggle on greentops in the 1970-80s as well.

Of course they didn't all prosper but there wasn't the huge disparity that there appears to be now between performance on greentops and roads, or even relatively flat pitches.

Even if you look at highlights of the 1972 Lord's test when Massie went mad and the ball was swinging like it never has before, you had standout performances like Greg Chappell's chanceless ton which showed you that it was possible to bat well in difficult conditions. Kim Hughes made a brilliant ton against a fearsome attack in Melbourne in tough conditions. Others in matches like that would make half tons or take the shine of the ball.

It just seems today that if there is cloud cover and lots of grass, you don't expect some teams to make that much more than a hundred.

Compare Hussey on the roads in Sri Lanka, and Hughes in that flattest of flat pitches in the last test in Sri Lanka with these sort of tracks.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Disagree HDS, they were always going to be walking wickets on that deck, so better that approach than just pushing & prodding.

Utter bollocks. Bracewell's shot - especially after having got past the early part of his innings was an utter disgrace. Southee, well I've had enough of people saying, "It's okay, it's his natural game." You don't attempt to slog every ****ing ball. He's already taken 10 runs from the first two balls of the Lyon over - see it out and Clarke'd be questioning whether to keep Lyon on FFS. Brainless stuff.

 

[straw man]

Only thing I'd say about Bracewell's heave is that I would rather he'd aimed straighter rather than clearing the front leg and trying to hit to cow corner.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Only thing I'd say about Bracewell's heave is that I would rather he'd aimed straighter rather than clearing the front leg and trying to hit to cow corner.

I'd rather he'd have chosen a ball that wouldn't have crashed into the stumps to have a dirty heave at.

 

[Burgey]

Utter bollocks. Bracewell's shot - especially after having got past the early part of his innings was an utter disgrace. Southee, well I've had enough of people saying, "It's okay, it's his natural game." You don't attempt to slog every ****ing ball. He's already taken 10 runs from the first two balls of the Lyon over - see it out and Clarke'd be questioning whether to keep Lyon on FFS. Brainless stuff.

Yep.

Out of interest, some fat **** has swallowed Ian Smith.

 

[Hurricane]

Bracewell's dismissal was poor. But only because it didn't come off. It was time to get a move on. Southee's 6 or out shot seems a little high risk agreed.

But I like Tim's quick fire 13 or whatever it was overall. Reece Young tried to bat sensibly and didn't make as many.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Out of interest, some fat **** has swallowed Ian Smith.

Yep. I believe IDS Smith ate the former Rhodesian premier.