**Official** New Zealand in Australia 2015

[Spark]

I hope Steve learns a lesson from this test match because this could have easily happened in the last as well.

When its an absolute road, just bat and bat

Clarke got away with it because he had Harris and because he knew how to squeeze batsmen into mistakes. On this summer's evidence and last summer's thus far, Smith doesn't quite have that yet.

We seriously have got to get rid of this "bat four and a half sessions then declare" mentality regardless of pitch conditions. C9 doesn't help in that regard.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Smith won't risk losing to win here. Going to be a genuine draw.

 

[morgieb]

Yeah but that has nothing to do with the gambler's fallacy argument morgieb was making. That's a perfectly valid point.

I wasn't really making a gambler's fallacy argument, though I can see why it was interpreted that way. I just feel our line-up is prone to collapses and it's also the sort of situation we often have seen collapses from any team (3rd innings after two big scores but not 100% draw city, two minds to stay aggressive or defend and probably do neither).

Though I will admit I sort of feel the gambler's fallacy argument about Warner >_>

 

[thundaboult]

Here's the problem. I think we're starting pay the price for losing bond as our bowling coach. We were somewhat fine in the England tests and got a draw but really should have taken the series including the one dayers. After that it's been all downhill. After bond left, Henry isn't the same young prodigy anymore, mclenaghans lost the fire, southee and boult are weaker and off rhythm, Craig's bowling is just whatever and Milne still can't stay fit for his life. We need bond back. Just his presence alone commands enough respect for these lads to get their **** together.

Surprisingly, the batting seems to be in a good place. Better than our bowling I might add. I don't think that's ever been the case for NZ before! Although I'm surprised that no one really mentions Michael Bracewell here for a deserved call-up as a batsman. Seems like he's only got a bit more to do and he's good to go for the international stage.

 

[Athlai]

Here's the problem. I think we're starting pay the price for losing bond as our bowling coach. We were somewhat fine in the England tests and got a draw but really should have taken the series including the one dayers. After that it's been all downhill. After bond left, Henry isn't the same young prodigy anymore, mclenaghans lost the fire, southee and boult are weaker and off rhythm, Craig's bowling is just whatever and Milne still can't stay fit for his life. We need bond back. Just his presence alone commands enough respect for these lads to get their **** together.

Surprisingly, the batting seems to be in a good place. Better than our bowling I might add. I don't think that's ever been the case for NZ before! Although I'm surprised that no one really mentions Michael Bracewell here for a deserved call-up as a batsman. Seems like he's only got a bit more to do and he's good to go for the international stage.

Far out at least wait till these guys are able to bowl in home conditions.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Well done NZ, great fightback after a dreadful opening day. Who knows what scoreboard pressure may do if they get a lead of 100 tomorrow.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Far out at least wait till these guys are able to bowl in home conditions.

Come to New Zealand? .


To be honest, for most part Boult and Southee have bowled well away from home as well which is why New Zealand have won a fair few tests overseas including in Asia. They haven't always had to go the Rohit Sharma way and say "come to New Zealand"

 

[GotSpin]

On this, one thing I did find interesting was the constant criticism of the Kookaburra's. I can see the balls changing at least, and that might help a little bit. Also in England I remember a lot of criticism about the Trent Bridge pitch last year due to how flat and slow it was, since then the pitches have been a lot more bowler-friendly IIRC and a pretty good contest between bat and ball.

Now traditionally Australian wickets are a fair bit flatter than English ones (or at least it rains less so there's less swing on offer), but it wouldn't surprise me if assuming there's a draw here we start to see more even sort of wickets, like what we saw around 2011-2013. Especially given post-Harris Australia's bowling isn't that amazing (still our strength, but not to the extent that it was a couple of years ago).

Something has to give with the ball. There have been so many problems and complaints already

 

[Black_Warrior]

I know it's common to conclude that it's going to be a draw when both teams have 500 plus on the board, but every time this happens around Day 3 or halfway mark on Day 4, I always feel there is one twist left in the tale. You just never know. Happened more times than people give it credit for to be honest.

 

[Gnske]

Something has to give with the ball. There have been so many problems and complaints already

It was interesting that Warner said the other day that he couldn't say anything more on the ball other than he was surprised with how **** it was.

 

[GotSpin]

Clarke got away with it because he had Harris and because he knew how to squeeze batsmen into mistakes. On this summer's evidence and last summer's thus far, Smith doesn't quite have that yet.

We seriously have got to get rid of this "bat four and a half sessions then declare" mentality regardless of pitch conditions. C9 doesn't help in that regard.

Always pretty concerning to see Smith miked up to the Ch9 broadcast during play.

 

[Athlai]

Come to New Zealand? .


To be honest, for most part Boult and Southee have bowled well away from home as well which is why New Zealand have won a fair few tests overseas including in Asia. They haven't always had to go the Rohit Sharma way and say "come to New Zealand"

Na it's not that it's saying that losing Bond has drastically changed the way we bowl despite Bowling in conditions that Bond was never with us before.

Way too little information to make that call, particularly with the niggles Southee and Boukt are carrying.

 

[thundaboult]

starc is the quickest left armer of all time no question

Indeed without a doubt. Starc is now officially the fastest left armer EVER. In fact, when it comes to strictly the speed of one individual ball..no one even comes close. Starc 160.4 followed by Johnson at 156.8.

 

[Bahnz]

Yeah that last point is particularly important. Boult had sfa prep in the run-up to this series, and Southee's actually bowled pretty well without much luck in batsman friendly conditions.

 

[Bahnz]

Starc's pace increase over the past 2 seasons has been stunning. Until last summer I thought of him as being towards the quicker end of fast medium, maybe a shade quicker than Boult but nothing extraordinary. Now he's pretty comfortably the fastest bowler on the planet with daylight in 2nd and a constantly crocked Milne in 3rd.

 

[Howe_zat]

Ftr it was the fastest reading ever in a Test. Broke the record set by Andy Roberts in 1975 who was clocked at 159.5, again at the WACA.

 

[Burner]

Really happy for Taylor. Couldn't have happened to a nicer bloke, except maybe Williamson but he's had his moment as well..

 

[GotSpin]

Ftr it was the fastest reading ever in a Test. Broke the record set by Andy Roberts in 1975 who was clocked at 159.5, again at the WACA.

My dad has already managed to tell me that Thomson was faster

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Is your dad Jeff Thomson?

 

[Stapel]

Ftr it was the fastest reading ever in a Test. Broke the record set by Andy Roberts in 1975 who was clocked at 159.5, again at the WACA.

I was thinking Shoaib Akhtar was the only one ever to have bowled faster than 100 miles/h (161 km/h)?

Anyway, I think there's loads of rather not-so-officially calibrated ways to determine speed. Andy Roberts' 40 year old record doesn't really tell us that much, I guess.