***Official*** Australia in New Zealand

[social]

^ I agree that just resting McGrath does not necessarily show arrogance. However, I heard that they wanted to rest Gilchrist too and IMO resting arguably your two best players definately smacks of arrogance.

Gilchrist wanted to rest but the ACB would not let him as "he is too big a draw-card" and it would be unfair on the organisers.

If I were the Aussies (or NZers for that matter) I'd rest anyone that wanted to as this series means precisely nothing and is no better than revenue grabbing.

As Ricky Ponting said on leaving Aus, this series has no relevance to the test cricket we'll be playing against SA next week in Perth.

 

[Tim]

Well im sure they wanted to becareful with the relationship between the ACB & NZC.
Let's face it, we don't want to see it go the same way as the current rugby relations.

They want to make this series meaningful and if Australia were to send a weaker team, it would probably send bad signals.

 

[aussie]

If Hayden's playing so well why's he been left out of the OD team, even now when he's scoring hundreds at a clip? It has to be a belated recognition that he will struggle to adjust to NZ conditions. Its all elementary now anyway.

really, kindly give ur reasons????

 

[aussie]

You dont' score great centuries in a vacuum it takes place within the context of the match. A slow and ugly century was not in the interest of the team at that stage of the test

what, this is getting crazy now i cant belive you people are actually blaming Hayden slow hundred for australia drawing the oval test that total nonsense. Australia lost that game because of time which was lost due to rain & bad fielding i.e Warne's drop catch etc, so to blame hayden for the defeat is real silly

 

[James]

Just a reminder guys that the next Cricket Web Fantasy Cricket competition involves the series between New Zealand and Australia.

If interested, see http://www.cricketweb.net/fantasycricket/ for more info

 

[Zinzan]

Hoping Bond's upset stomach is just a 24 hour thing. He didn't train with the blackcaps today. Losing Bond (with Flem already out) would be a huge blow for NZ

 

[Sportsgirl]

It just shows how much depth that Australia have if they are able to rest the world's top pace bowler. I still think the NZ batsman will struggle against Brett Lee. Hopefully Bond can bowl as well as he did when he ripped through the Aussie batting order when he first burst onto the international scene.

 

[Zinzan]

Hopefully Bond can bowl as well as he did when he ripped through the Aussie batting order when he first burst onto the international scene.

Assuming he's fit to play on Saturday. Here's hoping

 

[Jono]

I really hope Bond plays. No Bond or McGrath would just be... well wrong.

 

[Natman20]

I listened to Radio Sports News last night and they said that Bond would deffinately be playing. Bracewell said

 

[age_master]

^ I agree that just resting McGrath does not necessarily show arrogance. However, I heard that they wanted to rest Gilchrist too and IMO resting arguably your two best players definately smacks of arrogance.

i think it was Gilchrist wanting a rest and CA not letting him have one.

 

[shaka]

I listened to Radio Sports News last night and they said that Bond would deffinately be playing. Bracewell said

That is very good news.

 

[Sir Redman]

i think it was Gilchrist wanting a rest and CA not letting him have one.

I heard that it was the other way around - CA wanting him to have a break but Gilchrist overruling them.

 

[Neil Pickup]

i think it was Gilchrist wanting a rest and CA not letting him have one.

That's what I heard

 

[cameeel]

i think it was Gilchrist wanting a rest and CA not letting him have one.

Exactly. The selectors offered Gilchrist the series off to rest, but the CA board overrided them, saying that if both he and McGrath didn't play it would discredit the series.

 

[Sir Redman]

Exactly. The selectors offered Gilchrist the series off to rest, but the CA board overrided them, saying that if both he and McGrath didn't play it would discredit the series.

Ahh ok fair enough.

 

[cameeel]

Is the Chappell-Hadlee series being shown on FTA in Aus? Or just pay-tv?

 

[Gideon]

Is the Chappell-Hadlee series being shown on FTA in Aus? Or just pay-tv?

You'll need to have pay-tv to watch it.

We only get FTA coverage if it's a home game, if the series is in England or if the world cup is being televised.

All other times require pay-tv for viewing unfortunately.

 

[cameeel]

You'll need to have pay-tv to watch it.

We only get FTA coverage if it's a home game, if the series is in England or if the world cup is being televised.

All other times require pay-tv for viewing unfortunately.

Ah, Bugger.

 

[Son Of Coco]

So Aussie media are angry by Mark Richardson comment that Aus cricket team are not taking this series seriously by giving McGrath a rest. I agree with Rigor on this..

rigor comments

This is the bit that I find interesting - "In 2001 New Zealand played on the arrogance of their Australian opponents and nearly pulled off a couple of Test victories,"

I watched this series and it seems to have become a bit of a fairytale in that every year that passes the story is told with NZ having come closer to scoring an upset.

If I remember correctly, rain played a big part in the first two tests, with Australia amassing big scores in their first innings. In the Third NZ did the same, but then it was interesting to watch the Kiwi field spread on the last day as Gilchrist cut loose in his partnership with Waugh (the Aussies WERE trying to get the total at this stage - is that arrogance? I know what I'd prefer to watch...), then Waugh was run out off a Gilchrist straight drive and they shut up shop, falling 60 runs short with 3 wickets in hand at the end of the day.

As the result stands it was a draw, and a good result for the Kiwi's, but as for 'nearly pulling off a couple of victories...I'm sure they're lovely memories for Mark Richardson.