1st Test: New Zealand v Australia at Wellington on Feb 12-16, 2016

[Scott]

I may be wrong but A.Cook has played approx 125 tests, from debut until now.

 

[Pete Cash]

Cooks run is amazing too tbh.

Bird in for Pattinson who has a fitness cloud over him.

The side is

Warner, Burns, Khawaja, Smith (c), Voges, M Marsh, Nevill, Siddle, Hazlewood, Lyon, Bird.

A longish tail and not a lot of pace but should keep it nice and tight if the pitch offers anything. Could actually bring our bowlers back into it.

 

[JW]

AUS

David Warner
Joe Burns
Usman Khawaja
Steve Smith
Adam Voges
Mitch Marsh
Peter Nevill
Peter Siddle
Josh Hazlewood
Nathan Lyon
Jackson Bird

NZ

Martin Guptill
Tom Latham
Kane Williamson
Henry Nicholls
Brendon McCullum
Corey Anderson
BJ Watling
Tim Southee
Trent Boult
Mark Craig
Doug Bracewell

http://www.cricket.com.au/news/aust...ngton-jackson-bird-james-pattinson/2016-02-11

 

[JJ]

I may be wrong but A.Cook has played approx 125 tests, from debut until now.

Nope, bout 125 consecutive but has missed a couple along the way, like Border

 

[hineyrulz]

One thing that hasn't had much (or enough) attention - this is Baz's 100th consecutive test since his debut - phenomenal really, no injury enforced misses, no dropping, keeping for most of it he's a seriously tough little f**ker

Yep that's a fantastic effort, especially when he kept for half of the them.

 

[hineyrulz]

Nope, bout 125 consecutive but has missed a couple along the way, like Border

Border got dropped after his first 2 or 3
And then played over 150 straight. Even more remarkable when you consider he captained for 92 of them.

Doubt a tougher player played the game.

 

[JJ]

Border got dropped after his first 2 or 3
And then played over 150 straight. Even more remarkable when you consider he captained for 92 of them.

Doubt a tougher player played the game.

Right up there - one of the best there's been, loving having him in the commentary

 

[hineyrulz]

Right up there - one of the best there's been, loving having him in the commentary

Agreed, it's great listening to a commentator who doesn't continually talk about their career every couple of overs. Or grind axes against ex teammates.

 

[ANTiLAG]

Agreed, it's great listening to a commentator who doesn't continually talk about their career every couple of overs. Or grind axes against ex teammates.

Border killed quite a few careers I would imagine, but he did it for the team. He was a reluctant captain, but a bloody good one. Pretty sure Greg Mathews was one who was weeded out. There would have been more.

Gavaskar and Border are sadly often underestimated for what they achieved in their careers and what good they did for cricket in their respective nations whereas Imran is still idolised by Pakistani fans - but they've not had a Steve Waugh or a MS Dhoni subsequently lead a team to greater heights. Dhoni is debatable but Gavaskar has been involved in Indian cricket politics both as a player and post playing - so he dimmed his own shining playing record to the Indian fans to a certain extent.

Glad to see Border get his due in this thread. A great ambassador of the game - a phrase often overused, but with Border, he is worthy of it.

 

[Hutty1986]

Bird in is terrific. Siddle, on the other hand...

For us to compete, need Warner, Smith and Ussy to score heavily. Nevill will actually value his wicket (still strange to have a keeper do that in recent years). Not expecting much from blokes like Burns, Marsh, etc

 

[ANTiLAG]

No Pattinson??!@?@?@?@

Guptill will think his prayers have been answered.

This must be a plan to starve Williamson of runs.

Fielders in close on the off and nothing short.

 

[ANTiLAG]

Bird in is terrific. Siddle, on the other hand...

For us to compete, need Warner, Smith and Ussy to score heavily. Nevill will actually value his wicket (still strange to have a keeper do that in recent years). Not expecting much from blokes like Burns, Marsh, etc

Unfortunately, I think Marsh may surprise you. I hope not. But I think his "heads up" match up with Anderson for game effectiveness will go a long way in determining the outcome of this series.

Whoever bats first morning, NZ or Aus, will need the number 6 to make runs if early wickets fall like they have in recent years. His approach to score freely when the ball is swinging about, may just pay dividends where others scratch around before being dismissed for not many - ala Guptill in the past.

 

[Pete Cash]

We shall have to see how we go lol.

I think if everything comes in just right we will be pretty good but there is a lot that can go wrong. I just want to see the guys value their wickets. If they get done by a good ball what can you do. Like if a ball pitches on off and nibbles away a bit and takes the edge well thats cricket....if the ball pitches 3 stumps outside off and a guy chases it with no footwork well thats annoying.

 

[Twizzle]

why the f**k pick Siddle ahead of Pattinson ?

Do these selectors never learn ?

I would love us to just once pick our strongest team

 

[hineyrulz]

why the f**k pick Siddle ahead of Pattinson ?

Do these selectors never learn ?

I would love us to just once pick our strongest team

Patto is not 100% fit mate.

 

[Pete Cash]

Yep he must have picked up a niggle in the shield game. I mean really what is wrong with the lad. Drink more milk Patto lol

 

[Twizzle]

Patto is not 100% fit mate.

bugger

 

[Pete Cash]

Its funny that people have talked about Smith a lot. I don't even think he is the batsman who is in focus here because he has done business overseas. Khawaja has a bit of pressure on him to perform outside of Australia. Will be interesting to see how they all handle it. I know Warner will just be the same happy go lucky lunatic he always is but Khawaja early in his career averages 70 in Australia and 25 away.

Now to be fair he hasn't had an overseas bat since he came back into the side.

 

[JJ]

Think the starving/boring of Williamson had some success in the ODIs purely because of the pressure to move the score along. He likes to get moving in tests too, but not the same pressure, he'll do what he does, the worry is atm that Kiwis expect 100 every time he bats.

Smith similar, I've expressed my thoughts on his technique, but at the end of the day in tests he doesn't have to be so aggressive - the thing with the Aussies is they feel they need to be - that could be the problem as it was in England.

Agree on Khawaja - at the end of the day he's generally been poor in test cricket, until confronted with some roads this summer - he's confident and in good nick, but if Boult can find last summers form I think he'd destroy him tbh (but that Boult has only made sporadic appearances, did do a job on Warner in Adelaide from memory)

 

[ANTiLAG]

Its funny that people have talked about Smith a lot. I don't even think he is the batsman who is in focus here because he has done business overseas. Khawaja has a bit of pressure on him to perform outside of Australia. Will be interesting to see how they all handle it. I know Warner will just be the same happy go lucky lunatic he always is but Khawaja early in his career averages 70 in Australia and 25 away.

Now to be fair he hasn't had an overseas bat since he came back into the side.

Warner is the man NZ want. He gets a start, bowlers go on the back foot. Burns and Khawaja piggy back off him to a large extent. Smith is tissued in the middle order. Get Warner early, bowlers will smell blood.

Not many people like Davey outside of Australia, I am led to believe that it is because he likes Nickelback, but his batting ability is respected.