**Official** New Zealand in Australia

[Precambrian]

I can't see Ponting going before Ashes 2009, even if he does loose lots.

Yeah. However series loss against SA both Home and Away could result in that. Although it looks far away now.

 

[Polo23]

I'm getting increasingly nervous about NZ batting tomorrow..perhaps it is because it is 1.56am and I am getting increasingly tired..who knows. I am praying to god, allah, the aliens who rule our planet, the police, the Australian cricket team, the NZ cricket team that NZ bats well tomorrow. 350 (a pretty modest first innings score in anyones books) and we will go a long way to winning match against AUSTRALIA in Australia. That would be amazing.

C'mon boys!!!!

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

Don't get your hopes up, this is the NZ cricket team you are talking about.

 

[social]

I'm getting increasingly nervous about NZ batting tomorrow..perhaps it is because it is 1.56am and I am getting increasingly tired..who knows. I am praying to god, allah, the aliens who rule our planet, the police, the Australian cricket team, the NZ cricket team that NZ bats well tomorrow. 350 (a pretty modest first innings score in anyones books) and we will go a long way to winning match against AUSTRALIA in Australia. That would be amazing.

C'mon boys!!!!

350 would be a MASSIVE performance considering 250 is probably par

 

[Rant0r]

i don't know if they have it in them, i'd like to think they do, but then it was only this morning i was saying at work that they didn't have it in them to bowl the aussies out, so i'm prepared to be pleasantly surprised.

i'm going to be glued to this test match

 

[Precambrian]

i don't know if they have it in them, i'd like to think they do, but then it was only this morning i was saying at work that they didn't have it in them to bowl the aussies out, so i'm prepared to be pleasantly surprised.

i'm going to be glued to this test match

At the cost of sounding Gilly, that avatar of yours might land you in trouble am afraid.

 

[four_or_six]

At the cost of sounding Gilly, that avatar of yours might land you in trouble am afraid.

Agreed, in pretty bad taste imo.

 

[Rant0r]

thought as much, i had a pre-planned backup already

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Missed play today, hoping to catch it tomorrow though. Love watching test cricket on a seaming wicket.

How well did Clarke bat?

 

[biased indian]

At the cost of sounding Gilly, that avatar of yours might land you in trouble am afraid.

think its ok

 

[Precambrian]

think its ok

He changed it.

Plzzz a Fifer for Johnson, though at a cost of 30 a-piece. And NZ have a 120+ lead tomorrow at close.

 

[Goughy]

Missed play today, hoping to catch it tomorrow though. Love watching test cricket on a seaming wicket.

I know it had rained a lot and I know that Australia are in trouble but, I dont think it seamed around that much. It certainly was not jagging around viciously.

It did a little bit but the Australian batsmen were getting themselves in poor positions. They were playing the wrong lengths (almost like the ball was not where they expected it to be).

They are obviously poorly prepared and conditioned to totally different tracks. Coming straight of a long tour of India, this is almost like an away game.

I wouldnt put my own money on it, but I see no real terrors in the track and if NZ bat well I can see them potentially getting 400+

 

[Nate]

Missed play today, hoping to catch it tomorrow though. Love watching test cricket on a seaming wicket.

How well did Clarke bat?

As Gougheh has said, Australia really didn't pick the length very well, more than the wicket seaming around.

Clarke was good, but did his flash outside off with no foot movement way too often. He won't get away with it for the rest of the series.

 

[Woodster]

There was enough in this track to keep the bowlers interested all day even with the old ball it still doing a bit. It doesn't necessarily have to do a lot to cause trouble, sometimes when it is doing a lot it does too much as consequently misses the edge more often than not.

The ball that Ryder got Clarke with demonstratesthat you're never completely in on this track, judging by what happened on day 1. Clarke did ride his luck at times, but on the whole batted very well, but even on 98, a part-timer nipped one back through bat and pad and cleaned him up.

NZ's bowling was impressive, Southee hit a great length and deceived both Hayden and Katich brilliantly with one that cuts away or at the least holds it line, and induced the outside edge. Martin similarly did for Hussey, after feeding him outswingers from round the wicket, then a ball angled into him that goes straight on with the angle. Excellent and clever bowling from the pair.

Fielding was good also (barring the 8 runs and Redmond dropped catch), took their chances which is obviously crucial if you are to put the Aussies under any real pressure.

Was pleased for How and Redmond to make it through to the close unscathed, despite some pretty decent deliveries from Clark especially.

 

[Uppercut]

350 would be a MASSIVE performance considering 250 is probably par

I don't think 250 is ever a par first-innings score on a test match pitch. Still, given how poor the NZ batting is they'd be delighted with it. The key man for me is McCullum. Similar to the first test in England last summer, his method of scoring quickly in difficult conditions and getting as much runs on the board before the inevitable difficult one to play comes along can either dig NZ out of a hole or fall flat. Still, players like Redmond and Flynn will have to stay in for 250 balls to make a major match-changing contribution, and there's no way they can do that on this pitch.

 

[Dick Rockett]

Well I'm really happy with that first day's performance. It's easy to be cynical about NZ's batting but I really hope that at least two of How, Taylor, Ryder and McCullum justify their talent out there today. Of the four it's Taylor that is the future star - show 'em what you can do Rossco!

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Heath would have enjoyed his favourite writer in the Dominion Rag today.

Was it as good as the article the other day which stated categorically that Matty Bell's century was the first century of this year's first class season.

I know Tim McIntosh and Reece Young are a bit ****, but really.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4764944a10133.html

 

[JBH001]

Pretty pleased with the days effort. I just hope we can be consistent and keep it up for 5 days (usually our Achilles heel against the top sides). But then playing Australia does tend to bring out the best in the Black Caps.

Heh, was working in the labs at Uni, cricinfo tells me its 2/22 and I drop everything and race home to watch the game, and its 3 down with Ponting gone. Get to watch the partnership between Hussey and Clarke and start thinking its all over. Do some other stuff and come back, and its 6 down. Go off again to get some dinner and come back, and its 9 down. Go to the toilet and come back, and its all out. Did not see a single wicket fall live. One of those days!

 

[JBH001]

How well did Clarke bat?

He was alright. A little lucky, especially early on with some edges and near chances.

Still, he gritted it out and stuck in there. And certainly did deserve a 100 for his pains.

 

[Flem274*]

In this mornings paper Clarke is confident, and he probably has every right to be until our batting becomes consistent.

Commentators last night said the reason Lee was all over the place is because he was charging in, whereas he bowls well when he has a measured pace running in. Long may he bowl tripe.