**Official** New Zealand in Australia

[Athlai]

So is the backyard cricket I partake in against my cousin.

Without wanting to destroy trade relations, this ODI series isn't as important as the matches that follow over the next 8 months.

All exports to Australia have been halted.

 

[Uppercut]

Yep the CH series means nothing... just a series which historically is one of the most evenly balanced affairs in cricketing history...

Test matches in India, tests against NZ, tests against SA, ODIs against SA, ODIs against NZ, tests in SA. Which would you have picked to miss?

 

[Prince EWS]

I know NZ are a traditional rival but this is probably the best time to get the rest in.

I know this is a bit nitpicky, but what was wrong with the fifth ODI against South Africa?

As far as I can tell, Ponting's only being rested for one game, and I can't really think of any reason why that dead rubber was considered more important than the live game against New Zealand. If Ponting had reached breaking point and complained of burnout to the selectors after the first ODI against New Zealand it'd be fine, but this was a planned move that Ponting himself didn't actually even agree with.

The timing obviously isn't as terrible as say, Dhoni's, but I still fail to see the complete logic in it.

Test matches in India, tests against NZ, tests against SA, ODIs against SA, ODIs against NZ, tests in SA. Which would you have picked to miss?

Dead-rubber ODIs against South Africa, IMO.

 

[pup11]

Which again comes back to same old argument. Why not appoint a new captain for this ODI series and rest him altogether then?

What you mean by drop him from the side altogether, Ponting even with his lingering wrist injury has been good without being his usual self, and the second problem is their isn't any viable option to pick as captain to replace Ponting, and most important thing is Ponting might be a poor test captain, but he is ceratinly not a poor ODI captain.

 

[Athlai]

Test matches in India, tests against NZ, tests against SA, ODIs against SA, ODIs against NZ, tests in SA. Which would you have picked to miss?

Tests against NZ, ODI's against SA

 

[Matt79]

Guess we thought NZ would be easier (not easy, just easier) to beat than SA. The Chappell-Hadlee has traditionally been the time that senior players and CA insult NZC by deciding its not worth them getting out of bed for.

 

[Matt79]

What you mean by drop him from the side altogether, Ponting even with his lingering wrist injury has been good without being his usual self, and the second problem is their isn't any viable option to pick as captain to replace Ponting, and most important thing is Ponting might be a poor test captain, but he is ceratinly not a poor ODI captain.

Ponting has been better than any of the likely alternatives. And he's not really a poor test captain in my book, just a mediocre on-field tactician. But there's more to being a captain than that anyway, which he tends to do quite well from the team's point of view.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

I know this is a bit nitpicky, but what was wrong with the fifth ODI against South Africa?

Was for no. 1 ranking.

(Yes, I know the rankings mean little, but iirc they'll make the world cup draws based on them in a couple of months.)

 

[Prince EWS]

Was for no. 1 ranking.

(Yes, I know the rankings mean little, but iirc they'll make the world cup draws based on them in a couple of months.)

Haha. I can cop that I guess. I disagree with the decision but at least it has some form of logic behind it now.

 

[duffer]

I know this is a bit nitpicky, but what was wrong with the fifth ODI against South Africa?

As far as I can tell, Ponting's only being rested for one game, and I can't really think of any reason why that dead rubber was considered more important than the live game against New Zealand. If Ponting had reached breaking point and complained of burnout to the selectors after the first ODI against New Zealand it'd be fine, but this was a planned move that Ponting himself didn't actually even agree with.

The timing obviously isn't as terrible as say, Dhoni's, but I still fail to see the complete logic in it.

Maybe they hadn't decided on giving him a rest until after the SA series? In hindsight the dead rubber was probably the best time but maybe something came up that made them go this way?

 

[Uppercut]

Tests against NZ, ODI's against SA

I'd hate the captain of Australia to miss a test series so he could play an ODI one. The ODIs against SA are on about the same level as the ones against NZ for me. They were playing for the position as number 1 ODI team, remember.

 

[Prince EWS]

Guess we thought NZ would be easier (not easy, just easier) to beat than SA.

The Tests against New Zealand were always going to be the easiest games to win of the summer and we didn't rest him from those. Why? Because despite not being the biggest challenges, those two Tests were still far more important than both the ODI series.

Similarly, the live ODI against New Zealand which Ponting is resting from is of more importance than the dead ODI he played against South Africa last week (assuming you don't buy into the rankings argument).

And yet here we are.

 

[pup11]

Guess we thought NZ would be easier (not easy, just easier) to beat than SA. The Chappell-Hadlee has traditionally been the time that senior players and CA insult NZC by deciding its not worth them getting out of bed for.

Tbh they thought beating the South African ODI side too would be pretty easy evident from them resting Johnson for the first two games, Australia' plan was to rout South Africa three-zip in the first three games and rest Ponting and other main players for the last two ODI's, but that didn't happen, so their plans were effected.

Though i don't know why this should be such a big issue, its not like Ponting has decided to walk out on his team in difficult times, he still wants to be there, which is a good sign, but its the ****ed up Aussie selectors who are making all these calls, and Ponting can't do much about it.

 

[Athlai]

I'd hate the captain of Australia to miss a test series so he could play an ODI one. The ODIs against SA are on about the same level as the ones against NZ for me. They were playing for the position as number 1 ODI team, remember.

Great time to blood Clarke to some Test match experience if Pontings that 'tired'. NZ are a **** Test team but in ODI's we're quite good. Heck if we beat Aussie, and then India at home we'd be knocking on the top team ourselves.

 

[Prince EWS]

Maybe they hadn't decided on giving him a rest until after the SA series? In hindsight the dead rubber was probably the best time but maybe something came up that made them go this way?

Yeah, I'd like to know what exactly came up in that short space of time, though. If it was Ponting himself deciding he needed a rest it'd be fair enough but he made it perfectly clear that this wasn't the case.

To me it just seems like a lack of planning and a last-minute hack of a decision. Hence, it fully deserves all the criticism it's getting.

 

[Matt79]

The Tests against New Zealand were always going to be the easiest games to win of the summer and we didn't rest him from those. Why? Because despite not being the biggest challenges, those two Tests were still far more important than both the ODI series.

Similarly, the live ODI against New Zealand which Ponting is resting from is of more importance than the dead ODI he played against South Africa last week (assuming you don't buy into the rankings argument).

And yet here we are.

Yeah, but a Test is a different category of thing to an ODI. A test vs. Bangers is more important than an ODI vs. SA or India IMO. Once you get into ODIs and are comparing like with like, then considerations like relative easiness come into account.

 

[Prince EWS]

Yeah, but a Test is a different category of thing to an ODI. A test vs. Bangers is more important than an ODI vs. SA or India IMO. Once you get into ODIs and are comparing like with like, then considerations like relative easiness come into account.

I agree with the bolded.

I think the importance of each game should play an infinitely bigger role than the predicted quality of the opponent though, TBH. Tests are the most important, but live ODIs scale above dead ODIs.

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

Heck if we beat Aussie, and then India at home we'd be knocking on the top team ourselves.

Something like two 4-1 series wins and we're numero uno.

 

[Matt79]

Tbh they thought beating the South African ODI side too would be pretty easy evident from them resting Johnson for the first two games, Australia' plan was to rout South Africa three-zip in the first three games and rest Ponting and other main players for the last two ODI's, but that didn't happen, so their plans were effected.

Though i don't know why this should be such a big issue, its not like Ponting has decided to walk out on his team in difficult times, he still wants to be there, which is a good sign, but its the ****ed up Aussie selectors who are making all these calls, and Ponting can't do much about it.

Think the Johnson thing was probably based on his workload through the test series, and probably the results of his training. They monitor recoveries and training performances pretty closely, and probably were keen to rest him asap after the tests if his performances in areas like recovery were starting to slip. Also, they probably wanted him to have his rest, and then be well back in the swing of things by the time they leave for SA, so the start of the ODIs it was.

 

[duffer]

Yeah, I'd like to know what exactly came up in that short space of time, though. If it was Ponting himself deciding he needed a rest it'd be fair enough but he made it perfectly clear that this wasn't the case.

To me it just seems like a lack of planning and a last-minute hack of a decision. Hence, it fully deserves all the criticism it's getting.

Pretty much how it's been for Aussie management all last year tbh. No surprise to see it continue into 09.