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

[Bazal]

Yeah, finger painting is probably more your pace.

Seeing as you're offering, if you do a really good one, I'll stick it on my fridge.

Would you like it to show you utterly missing the point, crying about ad hominem attacks, or just generally having no idea what's going on....?

 

[Bazal]

Come on lads, can we talk f**king cricket?

Apparently not while AntiCricket is around. He won't have it.

 

[JJ]

Big mental block with Australia it seems, or they were distracted by the Bz retirement - I'd have thought the test series in Aust and the ODI series would have had them focused for a good performance here - but Australia got them on the ropes early, and their fight back has been piss weak tbh

Miss Taylor hugely, that means Aust can focus on Williamson prett much exclusively - Guptill's a passenger, McCullum has another innings in him, that lbw last night was the killer (and perhaps indicative of what could have happened re Voges), Anderson is M Marsh (better bat, poorer bowler) and Watling is low on confidence.

Hazelwood has been impressive, and shown the NZ bowlers that you don't have to produce miracle balls, keep to plans and be patient - tbh I think Bond is a huge loss for the bowling group, Dmitri seems a pleasant bloke, but I really don't think he offers anything

 

[JJ]

:lol: Dougie gone

While his bowling is humorous, Craig should be batting 8

 

[ANTiLAG]

Would you like it to show you utterly missing the point, crying about ad hominem attacks, or just generally having no idea what's going on....?

This isn't a commission.

Just paint whatever you want to paint.

 

[ANTiLAG]

:lol: Dougie gone

While his bowling is humorous, Craig should be batting 8

Craig could think about playing as a batting allrounder... (or a batsman) higher in the order than 8.

At some point, it will get suggested to him.

 

[8Ball]

Commentators make a good point.

Australia were robbed 4 runs when the no ball was called on the first evening and the ball went to the fence off the stumps.

 

[jargan83]

I agree with the commentators.

Australia scored 567 not 562, hopefully the score will be updated with the extra 5.

 

[Bazal]

Big mental block with Australia it seems, or they were distracted by the Bz retirement - I'd have thought the test series in Aust and the ODI series would have had them focused for a good performance here - but Australia got them on the ropes early, and their fight back has been piss weak tbh

Miss Taylor hugely, that means Aust can focus on Williamson prett much exclusively - Guptill's a passenger, McCullum has another innings in him, that lbw last night was the killer (and perhaps indicative of what could have happened re Voges), Anderson is M Marsh (better bat, poorer bowler) and Watling is low on confidence.

Hazelwood has been impressive, and shown the NZ bowlers that you don't have to produce miracle balls, keep to plans and be patient - tbh I think Bond is a huge loss for the bowling group, Dmitri seems a pleasant bloke, but I really don't think he offers anything

Without wanting to start an AntiRant from the other bloke, I really do think NZ have a mental weakness in their approach. Whether it's the nice guy tag, or whether that's maybe a symptom of the mental slackness, I couldn't say. But when faced with poor decisions twice against us NZ have absolutely fallen apart. And when hit with the blowtorch they haven't had an answer. I think the squad is a good one, with a few exceptions but every test nation has those now, but I think that NZ could be a lot better with a more ruthless approach...?

What's the feeling on the coaching over there? I don't know enough to comment on it specifically but you do often find that mental approaches are shaped by coaching

 

[ANTiLAG]

The arm is not raised until after stumps fly.

There was no audible call.

Why did he not let the third umpire do his job?

 

[The Charlatan]

Yeah, the kiwis normally have a fightback of sorts in them somewhere along the line, so it's unusual for them to be completely crushed like this.

Especially against Australia, I suppose it's why it is all the more disappointing that they've run up the flag.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

Was just having a bit of a read on Stephen Fleming.

I cannot believe it's almost 9 years ago since his last test. And he was only 31 (sure, he'd played 111 tests and compiled 7172 test runs) but that seems relatively young to retire in this era.

Had he been injured or just called time?

 

[The Charlatan]

Big mental block with Australia it seems, or they were distracted by the Bz retirement - I'd have thought the test series in Aust and the ODI series would have had them focused for a good performance here - but Australia got them on the ropes early, and their fight back has been piss weak tbh

Miss Taylor hugely, that means Aust can focus on Williamson prett much exclusively - Guptill's a passenger, McCullum has another innings in him, that lbw last night was the killer (and perhaps indicative of what could have happened re Voges), Anderson is M Marsh (better bat, poorer bowler) and Watling is low on confidence.

Hazelwood has been impressive, and shown the NZ bowlers that you don't have to produce miracle balls, keep to plans and be patient - tbh I think Bond is a huge loss for the bowling group, Dmitri seems a pleasant bloke, but I really don't think he offers anything

It worked for McGrath.

 

[8Ball]

Who was that? Richardson?

"Hazlewood has some advice but..have a look at the scorebook pal."

:lol:

 

[Pete Cash]

The arm is not raised until after stumps fly.

There was no audible call.

Why did he not let the third umpire do his job?

Because the rules dont allow it

 

[Pete Cash]

hahah Southee what a thicko.

Still plenty entertaining.

 

[vvvrulz]

Southee with yet another innings of hard pure graft

 

[The Charlatan]

Good knock Southee.

 

[Pete Cash]

Now the man who brings the crowds to watch his batting....the boultster

 

[vvvrulz]

I think it's time we told Southee to f*ck off and get his game in order. he can't be an automatic selection based in this past year anymore, in any format