New Zealand in Australia Nov-Dec 2008 Feb 2009

[aussie1st]

I'm in no hurry to rate Klinger's performances at Adelaide against batsmen grappling with the sporting pitches in every other state. Dave Hussey certainly deserves a call up, but I wonder about the balance of the team. He's certainly very versatile, but I'm not sure he's a panacea for difficult conditions.

angryangy added 2 Minutes and 12 Seconds later...

Also, make a note, the floodlights were on at the Gabba, but stumps was still called due to bad light.

Fair enough didn't realise hes played so many down there. We should get a better indication of how hes going when they play Queensland at the Gabba.

Lee looked alright when he put the ball on the right length. I hope Richie has a word to him as he does look like hes going in too hard. Clark looked alright early then dropped more to the economical line.

 

[Mr.Cricket]

Wouldve loved to get atleast 1 before stumps....Kiwis on top here but they still have to bat on this pitch. If anything the pitch will get little quicker so it will still be hard work. Couple of early wickets and we might just rip though them.

I'm quickly losing faith in Haddin now. If hes going to play like this we might as well play Ronchi. And for crying out loud can we stop putting in these dinky all rounders, we need a proper number 6 not this bits and pieces all rounders. David Hussey should have been at 6 heck I would even go Hodge. Just get a batter in there please.

I think Haddin is still the best wicket-keeper batsmen we got. He has proved himself in the state level so I think he deserve to play atleast for the rest of summer. If hes still struggling after that maybe we should think about others. But hes a class player , just need some time to find his feet in Int. Cricket.

We also need an allrounder in the team just for the team balance. If we play 6batsmen , we would only have 4 bowlers and the workload of the bolwers will be too much (with the amount of cricket we play). We dont have the luxury of playing 4 bowlers and relying on Warney or Mcgrath to get all the wickets, in any case the last thing we need is to see Lee or Clark go down injured.

Its only day 1 of the summer. Theres plenty of cricket left.

 

[smssia0112]

I can't help but feel Hodge and Hussey would just play a loose shot and get out as well. I'd greatly favour Tim Paine in a side that is lacking grit. George Bailey is starting to come of age, long known for power, but has been looking like one of Tassie's most resilient players this year.

I think Hodge is mature enough to adapt, and he has the results in test cricket too. Would be worth a gamble I think.

Klinger isn't ready yet, need to give him a full season first, and maybe some ODI cricket too.

 

[aussie1st]

We also need an allrounder in the team just for the team balance. If we play 6batsmen , we would only have 4 bowlers and the workload of the bolwers will be too much (with the amount of cricket we play). We dont have the luxury of playing 4 bowlers and relying on Warney or Mcgrath to get all the wickets, in any case the last thing we need is to see Lee or Clark go down injured.

Its only day 1 of the summer. Theres plenty of cricket left.

There is lies our problem, picking an all rounder to balance the workload rather than trying to win a series. It cost us in India when we fluffed around with White and now we are doing the same with Symonds and Watson. You have to pick your best 6 batters and 4 bowlers as Hilditch said and neither Watson or Symonds fit the bill. If we need to balance the workload rotate the bowlers, heck we are doing that anyway seeing how Krejza got dropped. Siddle, Bollinger and Hilfy certainly can make the step up.

 

[irottev]

I don't rate us against quick bowling. So hopefully if it is quicker tomorrow it's not too fast for us to handle. Well done to Redmond and How for sticking in their tonight. Wasn't easy but they gutsed it out.

I'm just chuffed that at the end of this series i'll be able to look back and say NZ at least dominated 1 day and that the series wasn't a total whirewash. Now hopefully we can win this game. Would be the first win at the Gabba for an away side for 20 years. Would be amazing!

 

[Mr.Cricket]

There is lies our problem, picking an all rounder to balance the workload rather than trying to win a series. It cost us in India when we fluffed around with White and now we are doing the same with Symonds and Watson. You have to pick your best 6 batters and 4 bowlers as Hilditch said and neither Watson or Symonds fit the bill. If we need to balance the workload rotate the bowlers, heck we are doing that anyway seeing how Krejza got dropped. Siddle, Bollinger and Hilfy certainly can make the step up.

Yeah but its just part of cricket these days. With back to back games and no breaks between tours and etc you cant risk your bowlers. I dont think rotating bowlers every series will work in long term. We really need some stability at the moment , just pick the best tean and stick with it.

You really need that 5th bowling option these days. Imagine bowling 100-150 overs with only 4 bowlers. Clarke can chip in at times but not too many overs becuase of his back injury.

 

[smssia0112]

If there is an all rounder who is good enough, fine, but the fact is we don't have one at the moment. Long term Henriques seems like an option, maybe even McDonald, but right now we would be doing much better if we weren't wasting so much time on All Rounders.

Watson is neither in our top 8 bats nor our top 6 bowlers. Symonds isn't either. We need to be exploring better options.

 

[aussie1st]

You really need that 5th bowling option these days. Imagine bowling 100-150 overs with only 4 bowlers. Clarke can chip in at times but not too many overs becuase of his back injury.

At the expense of the batting? That is after all what cost us in India and again today. Plus if you are going to pick a 5th bowling option play a bowler that will actually get the job done so they don't have to bowl 100 overs in the first place. Add to that Katich can bowl and if Dave Hussey or North were brought in they too could share 20 overs between them.

 

[King Pietersen]

Brilliant. Australia continuing their good form I see . Nice to see Watson and Haddin proving their batting talents once more. Hayden's in good nick as well . Was good to see Clarke get some runs though, he's one of the few Aussies I actually like atm, alongside Hussey, Symonds and Lee. Great bowling by Southee, he always looked dangerous against England, if he could pick up some extra pace he'd be incredibly dangerous. Love Jesse Ryder's figures as well, what a ledge.

 

[karnog]

Clinical. NZ weren't flash but bowling in right areas, subtle changes in movement, used all types of cutters, slower deliveries, etc. did the job. Well lead by Southee. When i saw the score at 3/23 i thought "gees Vettori bowled early". Fantastic by all the medium pacers. My biggest worry is Ross Taylor. His twenty20 shots might prove effective on this type of pitch and a quickfire 50 from him is trouble. As is Mccullum and don't forget vettori either. Mr. Consistent... yeah its going pear shaped for Australia. Barring Clarke i don't think anyone has their position set in stone. Maybe Hussey.

 

[mattfb]

If there is an all rounder who is good enough, fine, but the fact is we don't have one at the moment. Long term Henriques seems like an option, maybe even McDonald, but right now we would be doing much better if we weren't wasting so much time on All Rounders.

Watson is neither in our top 8 bats nor our top 6 bowlers. Symonds isn't either. We need to be exploring better options.

True, and those options should be coming in Hodge or Dave Hussey. Watson is a dud, he shouldn't be in the team and I would be willing to say Hussey and/or Hodge are better batters then Symonds, and they can both chip in with the ball. Our middle/lower order should look more like this imo:

Hussey
Clarke
D Hussey/Hodge
Haddin
Krejza

Or we play Symonds for Krejza which means our spinners are Katich, Clarke, Hodge, Hussey and Symonds.

At the expense of the batting? That is after all what cost us in India and again today. Plus if you are going to pick a 5th bowling option play a bowler that will actually get the job done so they don't have to bowl 100 overs in the first place. Add to that Katich can bowl and if Dave Hussey or North were brought in they too could share 20 overs between them.

Yeah, we need as much batting as we can. In Symonds, Hussey and Hodge we have players that can all bowl spin as well with Clarke and Katich so we either choose that or Krejza.

 

[angryangy]

Brilliant. Australia continuing their good form I see . Nice to see Watson and Haddin proving their batting talents once more. Hayden's in good nick as well . Was good to see Clarke get some runs though, he's one of the few Aussies I actually like atm, alongside Hussey, Symonds and Lee. Great bowling by Southee, he always looked dangerous against England, if he could pick up some extra pace he'd be incredibly dangerous. Love Jesse Ryder's figures as well, what a ledge.

If aussie_ben comes in with a ten page response to this I will eat your parents.

 

[Mr.Cricket]

At the expense of the batting? That is after all what cost us in India and again today. Plus if you are going to pick a 5th bowling option play a bowler that will actually get the job done so they don't have to bowl 100 overs in the first place. Add to that Katich can bowl and if Dave Hussey or North were brought in they too could share 20 overs between them.

I personally think Symonds is good enough to bat at #6. He is a matchwinner, so we should wait for couple of games atleast before making any changes. I think the Selectors really want an all rounder in the team. So I dont think they will play 6 pure bastmen any time soon.

 

[aussie1st]

I personally think Symonds is good enough to bat at #6. He is a matchwinner, so we should wait for couple of games atleast before making any changes. I think the Selectors really want an all rounder in the team. So I dont think they will play 6 pure bastmen any time soon.

I just don't see Symonds being consistent enough in bowler friendly conditions. In his only real testing tour so far in SA he averaged 25 which is no better than what Watson did in India and Watson is way better with the ball.

 

[Mr.Cricket]

I just don't see Symonds being consistent enough in bowler friendly conditions. In his only real testing tour so far in SA he averaged 25 which is no better than what Watson did in India and Watson is way better with the ball.

He will always be little hit or miss but thats the way he plays I guess (bit like Gilly but not as good). I just love the way he goes about his cricket , you know never a dull moment with Symo. Hes great for the entertainment value. I know that shoudnt have any effect in team selection but I still want him in the team. Anyway we should just agree to disagree on this.