FIRST TEST: OPTUS STADIUM

Well, this could be an interesting affair. New Zealand is the No.2 ranked Test side - not that it is possible to keep up with Test standings - and boast some fine batsmen, batting depth, and three excellent fast bowlers. Australia has Warner, who will struggle if the Kiwis move the ball, Burns and Head, who are yet to establish themselves, and Wade at six, who will be expected to deliver. Ball-wise, Cummins is a champ, Hazlewood diligent and Starc a threat if he lands them. Hazlewood may be the key. Lyon is the best spinner, but is nevertheless prone to bowl well and not take wickets. Therein lies the trick for Australia: pinch wickets when NZ look settled.

Fingers crossed Australia wins the toss, bats, and the pitch deteriorates in the heat and plays tricks on NZ batting last.

Comments

[Tony Tea]

1. Toss won. Tick.
2. Bat. Tick.

[I am Not Trampis]

Looking forward to seeing Ferguson bowl. Wil he be the quickest in the test. I don't rate the others. southee too slow now, Wagoner wheel doesn't swing it and is not fast enough and Satner bowls pies. It is a wonder he doesn't bowl in womens cricket.

Their batting on the other hand is good.

[I am Not Trampis]

How can Ferguson bowl over 159k in pommyland but below it here?

[I am Not Trampis]

Is the reason for the Kiwi's success of late because the Kiwis no longer have their heads in the sand?😂

[I am Not Trampis]

The ABC has found ONE person who can call cricket after Jim Maxwell departs which cannot be to far away. Can't remember his name but it is different.

In terms of TV seven is better than nein was but that is not saying much.
Ponting is outstanding

[I am Not Trampis]

okay Wagner wheel is now swinging the ball. He didn't do that much in Kiwi land but then again he rarely bowled full!

[Tony Tea]

Ponting has them all covered. Bus commentator by so far it's ridiculous.

[Tony Tea]

Errr... best commentator. Not aware of Ricky commentating on the busses.

[I am Not Trampis]

You have been bussted Tonnee

[I am Not Trampis]

ball tracking was shown up as a crock with Anderson against Smith in Adelaide and then Lyon against Stokes at Headinley.

Will these commentators ever learn?

[Carrot]

Does anyone know any good cricket streaming options? I’m going mad, here. Smartcric.com has turned into some sort of news site.

[Carrot]

No chocolate bar for Smith tonight, then.

[I am Not Trampis]

Kiwis no chance of a win with Ferguson unable to play now

[Bruce]

A bowler down on day 1 of the series means too much work for Southee and Wagner from the start which will blunt them for the series. I hope Boult can find fitness for the 2nd test onwards to even things up a bit.

[Carrot]

Yep. Sides bowling in 40-degree heat missing a strike bowler tends to detract from the spectacle somewhat - and now we’re down one, too. Blinders from Smith notwithstanding, this is going to be a long match for both sides, now.

[Carrot]

Just shows what I know, then - three-wicket bursts late in the day can change a lot. Hats off to Koo bowling 150+ in that heat, wow. Cricketers are ridiculously fit these days.

And shout out to Taylor - he’s always been class. It’s a shame the Kiwis don’t play as many Tests. He’d be pushing 10,000 runs and laying the foundation for being a genuine great if only he had the opportunity. I hope he’s got a few more years in him.

[I am Not Trampis]

mpiring today and tomorrow so will miss most of the test in smokey sydaee.

One ironic thing. All umpires have been told not to play cricket if smoke reaches hazardous levels. In the Sheffield Shield match last Tuesday it was !! times hazardous levels but they still played!
Go figure

[Smivvys back]

Two wickets in two balls in consecutive tests - anyone else ever done that. Also wicket in the first over for the umpteenth time. And he played one test in the Ashes FFS. Take a bow Koo.
Also Taylor likes Perth - 290 last time, probably a ton today. Well batted.
I vote for a replacement if a bowler is out for the game, just get another. Simples. Works for concussion for batsman, why not injuries to bowlers. No other sport treats injured players this way. Or if they do I dont follow them.

[Carrot]

It’s a good point about substitutes. Once I managed to see some footage I heard Michael Vaughan talking about it and making the same point, but particularly that no one would have considered it without the concussion substitute thing, which I think is true. They’ve tinkered with a few of these sorts of laws lately - the other was the “no runners” rule - so it’s not out of the realms of possibility that they could do it. They would have to be very careful to maintain the integrity of XI vs XI whenever possible, and make it clear that you shouldn’t be able to take a gamble on someone being half fit and then substitute them whenever you wanted. It would be a bit of a compromise and a lot of purists wouldn’t like it, but there really is nothing worse than sides being a bowler down and seeing part-timers bowling extended spells in Test cricket. I had the same feeling at Edgbaston when Anderson was injured.

[I am Not Trampis]

wow very strange decisions on DRS again.

[I am Not Trampis]

Why is batting against Wagner so hard. bouncers from a 130k bowler should be easy meat.

By the way the game I umpired today finished when a said only lasted 9 overs. They got 14 runs! their opponents got 175

[I am Not Trampis]

time for cricket to update.

An injured player should be replaced. Why is it only for concussed players only???

[I am Not Trampis]

Starc back to his best thus say the TV experts.
No he isn't. His right foot is still not pointing to first slip when bowling to a right hander thus he is opening up.
This means he does not bowl as fast and cannot swing the ball consistently.

Is there not one person who does nit understand fast bowling???

[Carrot]

Three Tests so far this summer, three crushing victories. Are we really that good, or could this be another Summer of Kidding Ourselves?

[Smivvys back]

The basic difference is Marnus. Plus Warner and Smith of course. Actually in descending order the difference is Warner MArnus and Smith. Plus India are better than Pakistan and the kiwis. Plus 2 day/night tests out of 3 to start the season.
I am also confused as to why Wagner is causing us so much trouble. Unless we really cant play short pitched bowling well. I guess the MCG will be more docile, so lets see if the tctics change

[Carrot]

Wagner is basically Flintoff, Stokes or what Siddle when he had pace in “you can have the ball when you prise it from my cold, dead, hands” mode, except that he does it EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. He’s made a career out of bowling that nasty, in-your-face, won’t-leave-you-alone, run-through-a-brick-wall spell time and time again. Some guys do it when it’s needed (Stokes); Wagner does it habitually. I’m sure he’s a nightmare to do anything even remotely competitive with, he’d turn it into a blood sport.

[Tony Tea]

Lyon is a key point of difference.

[BBL Ladder]

The ABC has found ONE person who can call cricket after Jim Maxwell departs which cannot be to far away. Can't remember his name but it is different.

In terms of TV seven is better than nein was but that is not saying much.
Ponting is outstanding

Ref: Optus Stadium