Australia v New Zealand
Toss: New Zealand
Decision: Bat
Ground: Gabba
Welcome to all here at this marvelous ground. The first tri-angular game between Australia, England & New Zealand in what should be fantastic competition. First up today we have the world champs v there friendly neighbours in the black caps.
Lets go down to Ian Botham for the pitch report
Yes thanks Ritchie, this pitch looks in great condition. Its nice and hard and looks like a great batting pitch. Not much grass although i do think that if the bowlers show some good consistency and make the batsmen play in the area of uncertainty they may get a few early break through s however if i was to win the toss i would have batted first.
I haver the captains with me lets get there responses to the toss.
BothamFlemming you won it and decided to bat happy with that mate.
Flemming yer look we are happy, it looks a good pitch and we really need to get of to a great start and set it up for the boys in the latter stages,
obviously not an easy task against this quality side but we know we can do it it will be a great game
BothamRicky mate your thoughts
Rickyyer mate we would have batted first if we won the toss so not to disappointed. pitch looks good so we will just have to show good discipline early and make em play in those dangerous areas but yer we looking forward to a good game.
Bothamwell there you have it from me down here guys, both captains rather happy and we are about to start in ten minutes, back you you in the central commentary position.
Thanks ian know lets have a look at the 2 sides.
New Zealand
L Vincent, S Flemming (c), N Astle, P Fulton, C McMillian, J Oran, J Ryder, B McCullum, D Vittori, J Franklin, S Bond.
Australia
M Hussey, M Hayden, R Ponting (c) , P Jaques, M Clarke, S Watson, A Gilchrist, B Lee, S Warne, N Braken, J Gillespie
Ok out come the players and the umpires so lets get down to the action.J Gillespie is to bowl the first over and Bracken will bowl at the other end. New Zealand had moved to 36 without loss until flemming gave Hussey an easy catch and Gillespie picks up the first wicket. New Zealand 1 - 36 of 8.
N Astle settled in nicely and warne was given the ball, and picked up L Vincent with a lovely caught nd bowled. New Zealand 2 - 47 after 11.
That wicket pushes New Zealand back a little and wont want to loose any more with astle and new comer Fulton at the crease.
The boys where really moving along nicely until watson got the break through and Fulton was out for 21(36), New Zealand 3 - 100 in the 24th over.Astle was looking the goods unbeaten on 36. C Mcmillian was bought into join astle, could he create one of his fine quick knocks. lets have a look.McMillian in his next 6 balls hit 4 fours to get the run rate going and ricky ponting thinking. End of the 25th over New Zealand where starting to show good signs at 3 - 117.The 27th over the umpire had an absolute shocker giving Mcmillian out lbw to gillespie bowling over the wicket. When we look closer at hawkeye it shows it was clearly not out. Dissapointing end to mcmillian 18(10) and looked the goods.
In the 37th over Astle brought up his 50, a well played knock
Oram fell in the 37th over for a suspect lbw decision, New Zealand where 5 - 154. Astle had a lot of pressure on his shoulders.Lee to astle, BOWLED him, great ball from lee, poor shot from astle, New Zealand 6 - 168 astle gone for 56(98), lee with his usual celebration
Watson and lee then went through the tail and left Ryder all alone on 19*(30). New Zealand all out in the 45th over for 192
A poor finish to what looked like they where setting up for something big.
********************lunch**********************
Lets get into the Aussie innings.
Hussey and Hayden opened up whilst Franklin and Bond took the new pill.New Zealand had no answers to the onslaught of hussey and hayden. They both played some remarkable shots all over the ground, and when oram got the breakthrough in the 28th over australia where doing it comfortably at 1 - 133. Hayden still there on 71*(99). Hussey gone for 59(77).
Ponting took off where hussey left us and he and Hayden got the total with 9 wickets and 7 overs to spare. a comfortable win for the home side and a wake up call to the new manager of the black caps, if this keeps up it could be a long summer down under.
New Zealand 192 ao
N Astle 56 S Watson 4 - 36
L Vincent 27 S Warne 2 - 30
Australia 1 - 193
M Hayden 95* J Oram 1 - 46
M HUssey 59
M:O:M: S Watson
We Interview The all blacks captain after the game.
Ian Botham: mate not exactly what you had in mind.? yer mate we where going along nicely but just lost too many wickets close together and had no momentum. to there credit, Australia bowled the lines and channels and we just didn't show enough discipline. There where 2 poor decisions however we wont go there, especially when they happened, really crucial times, But mate we will move on from this and get things moving forward. Along way to go in this tournament.
and the table looks like this
New Zealands next match is against England on the 15th of January(which is Tomorrow)