**Official** New Zealand in Australia Thread

[Tim]

Sure Cairns & Nash were good..but when were they ever at their peak? Both of them aswell as O'Connor were struggling with injuries during that tour. Which wasn't unusual considering how many they've had during their careers.

IMO, the attack going this year isn't that much worse than the fragile attack that went in 2001.

 

[tooextracool]

Sure Cairns & Nash were good..but when were they ever at their peak? Both of them aswell as O'Connor were struggling with injuries during that tour. Which wasn't unusual considering how many they've had during their careers.

IMO, the attack going this year isn't that much worse than the fragile attack that went in 2001.

vettori was, cairns bowled pretty well despite coming back from injury. those were the 2 bowlers that took most of the wickets. id certainly rate that attack better than oram,tuffey,vettori(appears to be past prime),martin, mills and butler.

 

[Tim]

What the? you're suggesting Vettori is past his prime at the age of 25? lol. alright then.

 

[Macka]

Going on his form in the last few years it seems like a fair statement.

 

[Mingster]

vettori(appears to be past prime)

Heard of someone being in a bad patch of form who has now recovered slightly?

So is Michael Papps past his prime because he failed in a few innings in the Tests? Is Butler past his prime as well?

 

[ijaz]

I think the series will be a lot closer than people think New Zealand may not have the stars that australia do but they can play well as a team and Flemming is a brilliant tactical captain. Im a true blue ozzi but id rate the NZ team a very close second in my books.

 

[tooextracool]

Heard of someone being in a bad patch of form who has now recovered slightly?

So is Michael Papps past his prime because he failed in a few innings in the Tests? Is Butler past his prime as well?

actually i made that comment on the basis that vettori has been nowhere near as good as he was before injury.i didnt watch any of the games vs b'desh but from what ive seen from vettori until then, sadly he is no longer the same bowler. i do hope he can recover from that injury but personally i doubt it.

 

[anzac]

Going on his form in the last few years it seems like a fair statement.

can't be past his prime when he took how many wickets v BAN??????

and what is the record for a visiting bowler in a 2 match series in BAN??????

I just hope he can keep the faith..............although I don't think Brisbane will offer much for a finger spinner..........

 

[anzac]

I think the series will be a lot closer than people think New Zealand may not have the stars that australia do but they can play well as a team and Flemming is a brilliant tactical captain. Im a true blue ozzi but id rate the NZ team a very close second in my books.

hey that's nice to hear from an Aussie on the subject of Trans Tasman rivalry in cricket...........

however IMO unless they meet on a relatively flat track batting wicket & NZL get first use of it (as in Perth), then NZL's preference for a 5-5 split will always put them on the back foot IMO...........hell if IND couldn't do it with their much vaunted batting order - what makes the NZL selectors think they can do it with a batsman less???????

 

[bryce]

one must remember that the NZ bowling attack was far better then than it is now. cairns,nash, o connor and vettori in his prime is certainly better than their current attack.
regardless, if it werent for the rain, that series might have been completely different.

nash and o'connor only played in the first test, interestingly enough it was both their last test in their career, they were replaced by shane bond, daryl tuffey and chris martin who 4 wickets between them in the whole series.
another point of note is that new zealand only played four specialist bowlers(including cairns) in each of the test matches, mcmillan and astle were the only other two bowlers used.

 

[marc71178]

Heard of someone being in a bad patch of form who has now recovered slightly?

But how long can it be described a a bad patch of form - it's been a fair while now hasn't it (up to the Bangladesh series)?

 

[anzac]

Sure Cairns & Nash were good..but when were they ever at their peak? Both of them aswell as O'Connor were struggling with injuries during that tour. Which wasn't unusual considering how many they've had during their careers.

IMO, the attack going this year isn't that much worse than the fragile attack that went in 2001.

except for experience...............

 

[Tim]

I think his Vettori's back injury had a fair amount to do with his loss of confidence. When he came back, he had to change his action & it didn't really work for him so he's only just started to find some rhythm I believe.

 

[Kent]

cairns bowled pretty well despite coming back from injury.

I've got tapes of that series and I disagree. His speed was down around 130 even on the Ch 9 radar, he bowled too short and with a consistently scrambled seam. Honestly, if Butler recovers from his illess he can do the same and add 10kph to what Cairns was like in that series.

Which brings me back to my fairly hopeful theory. I don't believe you need to have an attack full of modern greats to succeed in AUS - sometimes the Aussies' utter contempt for what you're serving up can hoist them by their own petard.

 

[Kent]

Speaking of illess, I heard on the late TV news that Fleming has picked up some kind of mystery bug and won't be playing NSW.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200411/s1239569.htm

 

[Craig]

So I assume Vettori will be captaining again?

 

[Kent]

Yeah, I guess.

 

[Craig]

Australian squad named tomorrow - Stuart MacGill or Nathan Hauritz?

 

[Slats4ever]

MacGill, Katich and Clarke to make the side. NSW all the way.. hehe

 

[Craig]

Lol, in your dreams