**Official** New Zealand in Australia Thread

[Craig]

papps isn't injured, in fact he scored a century today.

At the time of the tour beginning he was?

 

[Arjun]

the only other possible opener michael papps was injured for the bangladesh tour so sinclair(who replaced papps) was the only real choice to open given new zealands shortage of openers, since sinclair performed opening against bangladesh he was given the green light to open against aussie, and papps - who had recovered from injury in time to go to aussie was not selected.

They also need to look at 'how', and not just 'how many'. If he plays the way an opener should, he can go up there, otherwise, he should go back to the middle order. But why not open with Fleming? He too had a good outing once, against England.

i think it is just so they can fit everyone they want in the batting line-up though because they seem to have made something of a 'commitment' to sinclair, there are also no other openers in new zealand who have come close to warranting test selection.

Richard Jones was once selected as an opener. What happened to him?

 

[bryce]

At the time of the tour beginning he was?

no he wasn't, but i think he was at the time the team was actually selected or something like that.

 

[bryce]

They also need to look at 'how', and not just 'how many'. If he plays the way an opener should, he can go up there, otherwise, he should go back to the middle order. But why not open with Fleming? He too had a good outing once, against England.?

yeah the mangement want flem to be a permanent number three, which is also sinclairs favoured position which may be another reason why he is opening, it's peter fulton btw

Richard Jones was once selected as an opener. What happened to him?

yeah he was labelled 'the best opener in new zealand' by former kiwi great glenn turner and never really got a fair go IMO despite that he has never really been too consistent domestically.

 

[Arjun]

peter fulton btw

Sorry...grrrrrr.....I mistook him for the steamboat man!

 

[bryce]

he is a tall, elegant, classy player who some say is a right handed fleming.

 

[Arjun]

yeah he was labelled 'the best opener in new zealand' by former kiwi great glenn turner and never really got a fair go IMO despite that he has never really been too consistent domestically.

He was averaging 25, but isn't that common for NZ FC batsmen?

 

[Mister Wright]

Where abouts were you? I was row JJ seat 70, can't have been too far away.

Can't remember what seat I sat in, I was only in section 67 for about 45 seconds, I was trying to avoid the usher seeing the beer in my hand.

 

[anzac]

Well before you mention the impact of the cracks, keep in mind that at the start of the match, it was a wonderful batting strip, which the Kiwis should have applied themselves much more on. Australia could have been batting last, when the pitch had deteriorated even more on day 5.

The pitch was even starting to open up on day 3, so I'd like to hear complaints about it being hard to bat on when Gillespie and McGrath both made fifties.

Is it so unfathomable that NZ were simply overwhelmed by a much better team?

I agree with everything you have said - NZL were pathetic & if you read my previous posts I think you'll find that I was expecting this sort of caning........

i think the match was lost by end of Day 3 - well b4 the cracks in the pitch started to play a part, and certainly they should have made more use of it both when suitable for batting & then when it started to open up...........

I was just stating my personal preference in relation to Test pitches in general when I said that I thought it had opened too much too early..........I don't think the pitch (cracks) had any influence on the outcome - certainly less so than the 2 umpiring decisions I have referred to earlier.......

 

[anzac]

Ian Chappell made a comment that he thinks NZL's batting problems stem from the top of the order not doing it's job, as opposed to the players in the middle order..............

while this is true I also think that the middle order needs to show some responsibility & accountability for their innings & not just pass the buck to the failure of the top order...............

however - talking of the top order, what future does anyone hold for Sinclair particularly as he is a converted opener??????????

just to play Devil's Advocate - this is a lineup I'd be really curious to watch on a decent wicket - Fleming, Sinclair, Fulton, Vincent, Styris, Astle, McCullum, Oram, Vettori, Franklin, Sherlock - I'd also include the likes of Taylor & Stewart as cover for the middle order...............Bond if he makes it back, Butler if he learns to do something other than bang it in short, Davis if he can match Sherlock.............

I know that the top order are all #3's, but IMO I do not think we can afford to not utilise their respective talents..............eg Boof was/is an opener for SA yet plays down the order for AUS...........If Fulton's early footwork & defence is better than Sinclair's then I'd change them, but I'd definately utilise Flem's experience & leadership to lead from the front & set the tone..........

perhaps I may get my wish closer to the next WC................although Astle may well be missing by that stage.............

 

[anzac]

I must admit I am bemused that no one has commented on my earlier post re the numbers for NZL batting.................particularly the NZL supporters

does that mean that the figures are irrelevant & that the so called 'batting collapses' are not an issue??????????

or have I got the whole thing out of proportion??????????

 

[tooextracool]

I must admit I am bemused that no one has commented on my earlier post re the numbers for NZL batting.................particularly the NZL supporters

does that mean that the figures are irrelevant & that the so called 'batting collapses' are not an issue??????????

or have I got the whole thing out of proportion??????????

short partenrships usually happens for all teams against australia because of the quality of their bowling attack.....

 

[bryce]

just to play Devil's Advocate - this is a lineup I'd be really curious to watch on a decent wicket - Fleming, Sinclair, Fulton, Vincent, Styris, Astle, McCullum, Oram, Vettori, Franklin, Sherlock - I'd also include the likes of Taylor & Stewart as cover for the middle order...............Bond if he makes it back, Butler if he learns to do something other than bang it in short, Davis if he can match Sherlock.............

doubt stewart will ever play for new zealand, he would have to improve quite a bit because he hasn't exactly set the world on fire in his domestic career to date to prove he is a potential new zealand player, better you mention someone like neil broom, jesse ryder or even jamie how, i'm not too convinced that lou vincent will ever get back into the new zealand side. i also heard the other day that sherlock was reportedly bowling 150km/h in one of the academy games.

 

[Macka]

I wouldn't mind seeing McCullum pushed up the order in the next test. He got two bad decisions in the first test and he was looking to attack from the start unlike most of our batsman. In my opinion he is technically a better batsman than Astle, McMillan and Styris.

Good on McMillan for giving some back to Gilchrist. I think Gilchrist should keep his views to himself in the future. I'm not giving him any credit for walking, he still appeals when people are obviously not out. He can't be considered a 'good sportsman' if he has it both ways. Langer's edge to McCullum was far more obvious (his bat was the only thing near the ball) and I haven't heard any comment from Gilchrist about that.

The Stuff website has a good picture of Mark Richardson in his Cathy Freeman like bodysuit!

The NZ top-order/middle-order/lower-order batting collapses are just a given anzac. Hopefully Marshall finds his way into the side for MacMillan. It's a pity we don't have another batsman in Australia to replace Astle as well. I can never understand why we only take one extra batsman on tours while there is not much cricket being played at home.

 

[Darrin]

**Official New Zealand in Australia Thread

Gilchrist is a walker, so what. Does he then have the right to instruct everyone else to walk as well? Walking or not to walk is just a personal preference. Gilchrist should keep is mouth shut get on a take catches, score runs, and stop instructing everyone else on what they should do. THAT is holier than thou.

For the record this is not about new zealand's performance(or lack there of). We were always going to get beaten, it was a matter of time really. You aussies have one of the best sides of all-time. I love watching them play, they are incredible, and have been watching perform for about 15 years. and have loved it. If THAT is being a sook, i'll take it on the chin, but i think it is just sticking up for what i believe what i think is right and being a realist.

 

[Darrin]

Could someone explain why Matthew Sinclair is opening a Test innings?

Because the New Zealand selctors are incompetent.

 

[Darrin]

What's your opinion of Robert Fulton? I have not seen much of him in action, but he has good domestic averages, for a NZ batsman, at the domestic level. Not too many who have been considered for the national team have such averages. Where can he bat best?

For canterbruy he tends to play at no's 3 or 4. Martin Crowe rates him highly. He has said he has got good hands through the ball. He has a high score of 300 or so, so can bat for long periods. Definitely a very fine prospect. Was picked for bangladesh but they opened with him in a one-dayer, which at this stage is too high.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Looks like, for all their posturing in India, Ponting has finally spoken up and said the Aussies will continue to try to cheat when they can - it is inane, and typical Aussie hypocrisy, that they should sledge opposing batsmen for not walking while their captain is saying this

What are you talking about?

 

[Son Of Coco]

Im sick of the you aussies trying to become moral guardians of cricket. How many australian batsmen over the years have been given not out after having nicked it? We also have the Martin Sneeden catch in the early 1980's, the underarm from chappell. Mathew sinclair stands his ground because he's wasn't sure it was caught or not and he becomes a leper in the aussies eyes.
Adam cilchrist trying to be holier than thou.

The only hypcrites around here and on this forum happen to be the aussies, and in particular 'the scallywag'. It seems th me that if the aussies do it thats fine, but if it's someone else doing it to them they're a leper, and a 'hypocrite'. come on get real and grow up there's a big world out there that you are missing.

Don't believe everything you read. I don't think quite as much was made of the Sinclair catch as you are being led to believe.....I certainly don't recall that much happening and i was at the ground watching it. The largest reaction was from some of the crowd acting like clowns and yelling 'Walk" but they'd had a few by then.

From what's been written on here McMillan has no problem telling a batsman to walk either when he's bowling, so it's a bit of a case of pots and kettles.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Number of people who have used that zinger to date: 9487098723987.

haha, well actually I said it was missing an 'a', but i guess I fall into the same category.