1st Test: New Zealand v Australia at Wellington March 19-23 2010

[shiznit]

Question for our NZ posters. Alot of the NZ top order seem to have very low 1st class averages, mid 30's. Generally in Australia batsman won't get a look in at test level unless their averaging atleast mid 40's. Is there a particular reason why batsman average so low in NZ? Is it the conditions?

alot of reasons really... conditions do play a part, our depth & our Jnr system also.

i think the kids that come through our system seem to start a bit slowly at FC level so there always chasing a good average rather than maintaining one.

career FC averages arent really the be all and end all when it comes to selection. we place a fair amount of emphasis on technique because we have had situations where we had brought in someone who has scored heavily at FC level and had great averages but because of a mixture of rubbish technique and even worse bowling at FC level they turn out to be terrible Test players(eg. Sinclair, Cumming etc).

i think because of our lack of depth we take snapshot averages more important than career averages. so if a guy is averaging 35 for his FC career but in the last 3 seaons hes been averaging over 50... our selectors may take a serious look at him.

 

[Collingwood Storm]

Hughes isn't a test cricketers a-hole, send him back to FC cricket for a couple of seasons.

 

[El Diablo]

Victorian alert

 

[JJ]

Hughes isn't a test cricketers a-hole, send him back to FC cricket for a couple of seasons.

Nothing to argue about there - he's either not up to it at the moment, or just not handling it mentally, because his batting has been bizarre

Fine innings by Clarke I think, whatever people want to say about the NZ attack, at 170/4 we were well in it, and Clarke ground it out, and then dominated. I don't get all the special congrats given his high profile relationship - irrelevant IMO, but an innings of character and skill.

North looks a very mediocre player imo... again, he toughed it out, but his technique looks ordinary, and while he's not Katich ugly, he's not pretty, nor is he Katich effective

 

[TheParraboy]

Good knock by Clarke, Maybe the Bingle issues have re-focused him to what he wants to do and what he wants to become, so concentration levels were at a all time high today

Im not getting carried away just yet. We are expected to spank the kiwis in this form of the game. So far so good

 

[hineyrulz]

Hughes was poorly handled by the selectors, once you pick a young bloke you have to at least give him a decent run. Did well in SA struggled in England and was discarded and has really struggled since then. Must be hard be hard knowing your Captain has no faith in you. While North has been allowed to struggle a whole summer and finally make a score of note, Listen to Ponting and CO cream their dacks.

 

[aussies1st]

Hughes needs to get tapes of his 2nd Test, right now hes no where near that. His cut and drives don't look comfortable.

 

[hineyrulz]

Hughes needs to get tapes of his 2nd Test, right now hes no where near that. His cut and drives don't look comfortable.

Agreed, that shot he played to get out was a nothing shot. Was trying to play a late cut with 3 slips :crazy:

 

[beads6]

Hughes is going to hard too much IMO. He is good enough just needs to scale it back a bit.

 

[Twizzle]

Hughes isn't a test cricketers a-hole, send him back to FC cricket for a couple of seasons.

he has a better international average than half of our batsmen

 

[Twizzle]

Hughes is going to hard too much IMO. He is good enough just needs to scale it back a bit.

he's still only 20 and has a lot of maturing to do, shot selection seems to be a big problem for him atm

bearing in mind most players dont make it into the Ausie team until late 20s

 

[beads6]

he's still only 20 and has a lot of maturing to do, shot selection seems to be a big problem for him atm

bearing in mind most players dont make it into the Ausie team until late 20s

I know, I would never have dropped him in the first place.. He just needs to work on batting out sessions the runs will flow for him/.

 

[Blaze]

terrific knock from Clarke.

Was great to see Arnel finally get a run. He has been on the fringes for a long time and has deserved a crack. Our bowling attack is so toothless though. Once again Vettori has been shown up at Test match level. Would be nice if he turned a couple for a change...

 

[beads6]

Clarke is looking superb today.. Smoking them.

 

[beads6]

LOL NZ getting smoked

 

[aussies1st]

NZ now waiting for the declearation. With our fire power and us batting down to Harris, we could really go on for a bggie.

 

[Meth]

3 more runs and Marcus North is in the record books

 

[Meth]

Was great to see Arnel finally get a run. He has been on the fringes for a long time and has deserved a crack.

Agreed

He has been our best bowler by far in this match

 

[Meth]

3 more runs and Marcus North is in the record books

And there it is- highest partnership for the 5th wicket against NZ

 

[typicalfan]

Consecutive 150's for Michael Clarke, he still looks hungry for runs though.