Trans-Tasman Trophy (NZ in Australia), December 2011/12

[Crew of Black]

I agree with Chewie here, we are going to have to persist with the current set-up, as underwhelming as McCullum is as an opener, who are we going to put up top if we move him down to take the gloves again.

The likes of Jeet Raval, Peter Ingram, Jamie How, Brad Wilson, Rob Nicol, and Stephen Murdoch aren't exactly making me excited at the moment.

We'll just have to hope Guptill or McCullum do something soon.

 

[riz7khan12]

McIntosh is always a option, i'm not sure if dropping him for guptill was the right option considering guptill hasn't done much. but then neither has he, i remember he had trouble with hooking and pulling the ball but atleast he could occupy the crease.

 

[stevo1]

Being from Australia, I've naturally been a huge fan of Australia basically all my life, but have also followed the Kiwis pretty closely as well. From the early 00's with the likes of Fleming, Bond, Styris, Astle, Cairns, Vincent etc etc. Loved the way they went about things, always punched above their weight, great to watch. Over the last few years though this kind of bullish attitude has seemed to diminish, their test ranking is awful, which I think is kind of frustrating.

The NZ first-class system probably isn't the greatest standard, and it is being reflected with the performances dished up. Mediocre performances like at the GABBA is particularly disappointing to watch, it's almost as if NZ just accept second rate performances. Ross Taylor's dismissals were just plain woeful, Jesse Ryder too, just very soft. Dean Brownlie couldn't get a game for WA (probably could now), and yet played pretty well I thought.

I know I'm going on a bit, but I hope NZ can turn it around in the 2nd test and most importantly in the future. Hopefully Adam Milne, Trent Boult turn out to be good prospects and a few more batsmen can be found.

----------

The thing is, would the opening batsman that would replace McCullum be any better than Young? I would say not significantly so. And I would think McCullum wouldn't bat as well as he has down the order and while keeping as well. That's my opinion.

Southee didn't create too many chances per se but if I remember he made them play and miss quite a bit.

I rate McCullum, but no way is he a Test opener. Sick of commentators saying that's "the way he plays", it's Test cricket you have to have some sort of technique and control, the way he plays is more suited to number 7. If he can prove that he has control then he is worth sticking with. Just creates pressure when he makes 20 quick runs then goes out, just seems NZ cricket are prepared to accept that mediocrity.

 

[Chewie]

I reckon that any opener we would bring in would stay at the crease for about as long as McCullum does. Might as well get some runs in that time. And Guptill is normally reasonably defensive so having a fast scoring opener with a circumspect one isn't really a bad idea.

 

[ferg512]

Lets be honest it doesn't really matter what happens the results wont change. Its the attitude that really concerns me, once Fleming left things have got significantly worse. They don't really care whether they win or not.

It would make sense for McCullum to keep but hes made it clear he doesn't want to, and what he says goes by the sounds of things, otherwise he'll have a tantrum and do a Gayle/Bravo on us.

 

[VC the slogger]

The last time Fleming captained NZ in ODIs in 2007,they were ranked no.3,now they're no.7,and they were no.5 in Tests but now they're no.8.His successors have been useless guys only helpful in putting NZ down the rankings.
Not bothering to win is a pathetic attitude.And their batting has been so woeful.Most matches i've watched recently of NZ,lower order guys like Vettori and others make most of the runs and McCullum,Ryder etc all go flop.A team like Zimbabwe has a much better attitude towards cricket,at least they want to win but don't have too many talented players and by the way Zimbabwe even beat NZ a month or so ago in an ODI.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

Lets be honest it doesn't really matter what happens the results wont change. Its the attitude that really concerns me, once Fleming left things have got significantly worse. They don't really care whether they win or not.

It would make sense for McCullum to keep but hes made it clear he doesn't want to, and what he says goes by the sounds of things, otherwise he'll have a tantrum and do a Gayle/Bravo on us.

That's what the batting looks like. As if they just don't care. Are they really so demoralised?

 

[sifter132]

I don't think it's all doom and gloom for NZ. They just need to knuckle down a bit, play out 20 balls before going too hard at the ball. That's why I say Guptill's match was way better than Ross Taylor's. At least Guptill was leaving the ball in the 1st innings. I think the Aussie attack can be worn down with good leaving because they aren't accurate enough.

Irony is the changes Hughes has made to his game since being dropped in the Ashes has brought about a bigger weakness against the short stuff. I watched again the way he got out in the 09 Ashes series and none of them have been like how he has been getting out recently. In the first test he cut at one too close to him then the second test he got a glove down legside and a forward defence edge to slip. While he might have looked weak against the short ball he never really got out to it (all batsmen have been gloved down leg side). Now he's getting out every innings in the same fashion.

Yeah that's right. His weakness then was really anything straight, short ball was a secondary weakness not the main one. He was pretty awful at working it off his body because his feet weren't in the right spot - he was always too side on. Now that his back foot is getting across (well a little at least) which the commentators helpfully highlighted in the first innings, that helps him work it to leg, but I think that extra angle from Martin is negating that back and across movement and recreates those same 'too side on' problems that he had a couple of years back. Anyone remember anyone else who has bowled at him with that has that kind of angle and natural away swing (inswing to righties)?

Pretty funny when the Kiwis are coming out and saying they hope he stays in the team It could be a 2009 all over again, where they drop Hughes as soon as any chinks show so that he can go and work them out again. I wouldn't be opposed to it, Hughes has got a good eye but he strikes me as a guy who will go through a lot of bad trots (and a few good ones of course). I'm not sure we need a guy like that opening.

Long term, I think Hughes gets squeezed out for Marsh and Warner fights Khawaja for the other spot when Watson returns. And Watson to stay opening. There's no evidence that his bowling affects his batting. Look at his stats, in both forms of the game his batting average is better in the 2nd innings of a match than after the 1st ie. after he's had a bowl. I think bowling helps him to get a good sample of the pitch conditions which helps him when he comes out to bat on it.

 

[ferg512]

That's what the batting looks like. As if they just don't care. Are they really so demoralised?

They don't care because they know they'll be selected again so there is no consequences for not making runs or taking wickets. I mean Hughes doesn't get runs he knows theres guys waiting to take his place, McCullum could get 10 ducks in a row he wont get dropped so he doesn't care. I really did think John Wright could change some of the attitude problems but that hasn't worked out so far.

 

[aussie1st]

No changes to the squad apart from Christian for Cutting. Cricket Australia > Latest News > News

If Christian is going to play I'm hoping it's for Hughes. I'd like to see what Warner can do before the injured guys come back in to replace him. Still don't like the idea of picking a player based on 5 matches worth of form over 4 years worth of doing nothing.

 

[alexczarn]

Yeah I'd say Hughes out for Christian and put Khawaja into open Ponting-3, Clarke-4, Hussey-5, Christian-6, Haddin-7, Starc-8, Siddle-9, Pattinson-10, Lyon-11

 

[teamindia]

NZ batting sucks. Their batting seems to begin and end with vettori. They need to improve this if they need to atleast draw the match. Other that that I still feel Ponting needs to be show the door soon. If not Marsh will be another Yuvaraj.

 

[midgetwars]

No changes to the squad apart from Christian for Cutting. Cricket Australia > Latest News > News

If Christian is going to play I'm hoping it's for Hughes. I'd like to see what Warner can do before the injured guys come back in to replace him. Still don't like the idea of picking a player based on 5 matches worth of form over 4 years worth of doing nothing.

Hmm... I must be mistaken, I thought Finch was Christian...

Finch was averaging 10

Christian wasn't. Although, i do think he's a good replacement for Hughes.

 

[Sedition]

Whoa whoa, let's not rush into things. Same side as this test, except Cummins in for Starc. Nevermind, read the article, no Cummins.

 

[swacker]

Just catching the end of the highlights now. Phil Hughes giving catching practice was quite amusing. Good win for the Aussies though.