2nd ODI: Australia v New Zealand at Canberra on Dec 6, 2016

[Bazal]

NZ bowled atrociously and that was the game right there. The conditions were there to be used early and they just didn't, there were too many free runs in the field settings and they failed to build any real pressure. Santner bowled well but never really looked threatening. We couldn't believe Neesham only bowled one over...everyone else was getting pasted, he couldn't do any worse. Why not use him for a few? Henry was diabolical but he had a quality spew in the outfield so quite likely he wasn't fit.

For us I thought Warner and Smith were obviously really good, Head was outstanding and Marsh started shaky but definitely put the bad balls away at the end. All the bowlers bowled well, Faulkner definitely looked short of a run but I didn't think he bowled all that badly. Just in comparison to the bloke at the other end he was usually the easier option for scoring.

 

[JJ]

Haters gonna hate,Australia 3 from 3 with Matt Wade in the team

Matt Wade 1
South Africa 0

Matt Wade 2
NZ 0

Yep, Wade is terrific - making Australia great again

Kane is such a nerd lol. I bet he doesn't even own an oled just plays league of legends

LOL

Australia far too good in this series, and deservedly won comfortably - we simply haven't played well - and TBH while the World Cup Final didn't work out, I think McCullum's ultra aggressive captaincy is better against Australia - but as you say Pete, Kane is a nerd, he will study, learn, think, and I reckon in the return series we'll be much better - Taylor back will help, but we're also in a rebuilding stage with the batting - no excuse for the bowling and fielding, Henry was unwell by the look of it, of course then the obvious is why did he play? Boult and Southee were decent, although obviously Boult too a plastering from Levers later, Brayshaw's lounge must be a mess, we've been waiting years to see that

 

[hineyrulz]

How many Wides and No balls did the Kiwi's bowl?? You can't give a team with all our levers so many free hits.

Good to see Cummins find some form, it would be nice to see him play some Shield after this series too bad it's 6 weeks of Big Beat off for him.

 

[Red Bear]

I thought the kiwis bowled ok early and found the edge a few times. track was a belter though and once the batsmen were in it was all too easy.

Henry putting three balls in a row in the slot in that last over was crazy

 

[Twizzle]

Looks like Head may make it very hard for the Toyman to come back in and I'd say Levers made it very hard for Brawshaw last night too

 

[Pete Cash]

Nz made a few critical errors. one was allowing smith to bowl head for so many overs

I think in theory a player should be sensible and getting the red mist up when faced with shitty finger spin is a very Australian trait but one of Williamson or neesham needed to take a risk and just belt him.

Smith basically drew a line in the sand and said I know this pitch is flat which means our all-rounders are especially vulnerable so I'm going to chew up the overs with crap finger spin if you let me and nz let him .

 

[Timbo]

Nz made a few critical errors. one was allowing smith to bowl head for so many overs

I think in theory a player should be sensible and getting the red mist up when faced with shitty finger spin is a very Australian trait but one of Williamson or neesham needed to take a risk and just belt him.

Smith basically drew a line in the sand and said I know this pitch is flat which means our all-rounders are especially vulnerable so I'm going to chew up the overs with crap finger spin if you let me and nz let him .

He got through his overs like lightning too. You can't let a part-time offie do that, suddenly there's only 15 overs left when you thought there were 25.

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

NZ let themselves down in the two areas they're usually very good at - fielding and discipline. Bowlers were ordinary, but they got no backup and that can take its toll on a bowler as the game wears on.

Batting is a bit of a concern in the sense that we haven't replaced McCullum and Taylor missing really highlighted that we don't have anyone coming through demanding their spot.Latham is not an ODI opener, Neesham despite doing well isn't a 4, and Santer has no business batting in the top 7. Watling is even questionable as an ODI player, but at the moment is our best option.

 

[JJ]

Nz made a few critical errors. one was allowing smith to bowl head for so many overs

I think in theory a player should be sensible and getting the red mist up when faced with shitty finger spin is a very Australian trait but one of Williamson or neesham needed to take a risk and just belt him.

Smith basically drew a line in the sand and said I know this pitch is flat which means our all-rounders are especially vulnerable so I'm going to chew up the overs with crap finger spin if you let me and nz let him .

Sure, but to be fair Warner and Smith didn't belt Santner either, and he's really not much of a spinner, and he chewed through his overs quickly and cheaply - perhaps the deck made it easier to attack pace?

At the end of the day Australia has been better in all aspects - Rixon was talking NZ up as the best fielding team in the world, and I think we have been for some time, but that looks to have changed - not just the mistakes, the speed, aggressivness, arm strength etc

Still puzzled by Slater referring to Guptill as Gooptill, what the f**k is with that?

 

[JJ]

NZ let themselves down in the two areas they're usually very good at - fielding and discipline. Bowlers were ordinary, but they got no backup and that can take its toll on a bowler as the game wears on.

Batting is a bit of a concern in the sense that we haven't replaced McCullum and Taylor missing really highlighted that we don't have anyone coming through demanding their spot.Latham is not an ODI opener, Neesham despite doing well isn't a 4, and Santer has no business batting in the top 7. Watling is even questionable as an ODI player, but at the moment is our best option.

I think Neesham probably is a #4 in odi cricket, but whether he's really an international #4 is another story. We miss Taylor, but Jimmy hasn't been the problem - we need to rebuild

 

[Iafeta]

Yeah Jimmys done his job with the bat. I wonder given how while he has decent pace he can't hit a line and length to save himself whether he's better off trying to become a top order bat. Kane should have upped the tempo earlier than he did IMO.

So the Kiwis had two gingers and according to Michael Clarke George Bailey has small boy fingers, I wonder what's worse. Being a soulless ginger or having a small twanger?

 

[Bazal]

Yeah Jimmys done his job with the bat. I wonder given how while he has decent pace he can't hit a line and length to save himself whether he's better off trying to become a top order bat. Kane should have upped the tempo earlier than he did IMO.

Was baffled that Neesham only bowled one over tbh. Yeah maybe he isn't the greatest but seriously, if you're getting carved up surely you try everything available? I also though there was an opportunity there for Williamson to maybe try himself for a few overs when Santner was bowling, rush through a few and try and wrestle a little of the momentum away.

I think Williamson was very poor in terms of his captaincy. I have no issue with the decision to bowl first, it was definitely the right conditions to do so albeit a bit of a brave decision. Unfortunately he didn't back up the brave decision with brave captaincy. There were too many easy singles and he didn't attack. When you win the toss and bowl I think you need to show confidence, really rip in and attack the batsmen. He basically had a generic ODI field from ball one. I think Southee should have opened with Boult too, they're the best swing bowlers NZ have (and potentially the best in the world) and he needed to utilise the swing as best he could in the first ten or so overs because it was always going to peter out after a bit. It all just seemed a bit meek after sending a side in.

 

[JJ]

Was baffled that Neesham only bowled one over tbh. Yeah maybe he isn't the greatest but seriously, if you're getting carved up surely you try everything available? I also though there was an opportunity there for Williamson to maybe try himself for a few overs when Santner was bowling, rush through a few and try and wrestle a little of the momentum away.

I think Williamson was very poor in terms of his captaincy. I have no issue with the decision to bowl first, it was definitely the right conditions to do so albeit a bit of a brave decision. Unfortunately he didn't back up the brave decision with brave captaincy. There were too many easy singles and he didn't attack. When you win the toss and bowl I think you need to show confidence, really rip in and attack the batsmen. He basically had a generic ODI field from ball one. I think Southee should have opened with Boult too, they're the best swing bowlers NZ have (and potentially the best in the world) and he needed to utilise the swing as best he could in the first ten or so overs because it was always going to peter out after a bit. It all just seemed a bit meek after sending a side in.

Yep, agree on Kane - the whole approach is a lot more defensive and conventional than under McCullum (who of course at times went too far the other way). The infield was on their heels early for no reason

In hindsight he should have bowled himself, as both Santner and Head were economical - but hindsight is easy

I wonder if Henry opened because he had success in the first game and he also wasn't 100%

 

[Iafeta]

Potentially the best swing bowling combo? Stocks have dropped a lot. Southee has been awful for a couple of years and Boult has lost a lot of late swing.

 

[2 weeks]

Plodtill
Plodtham
Plodiamson
Plodsham
Plodro
Plodhomme
Plodner
Plodling
Plodthee
Plodry
Plodlt

 

[JJ]

Genius

 

[BestHookerFarrah]

Genius

Plodius

 

[vvvrulz]

Potentially the best swing bowling combo? Stocks have dropped a lot. Southee has been awful for a couple of years and Boult has lost a lot of late swing.

As I mentioned earlier losing Shane Bond was everything here, and how in the blue hell did Dimi Mascenaras get assigned as our bowling coach after him. I don't think it's a coincidence we forgot how to bowl right around then. Earlier to that Allan Donald had somehow turned Southee into one of the most dangerous bowlers of the 2011 WC.

I also question Craig McMillan as our batting coach, he wasn't exactly renowned for his nous and skill.

On Neesham, I don't mind him in the squad especially in the absence of Anderson, they're basically the same player. The problem is he's not a #4 at all, he and Williamson played the same type of innings when we desperately needed someone to attack from the other end. It was a good innings in general, but a poor one in the context.

 

[Bazal]

I think people are being a bit harsh on Neesham. Yeah it would have been nice if he could have batted like Guptill but he's just not as good, and the bowling was much better than what Head and Marsh faced. I thought he played really well in very tough circumstances.

 

[JJ]

I really like Neesham - he's done pretty well in tests, and IMO is a better all-round option than either Anderson or Santner - Anderson is better as the power hitter at 6 or 7 in ODIs, but Neesham is a much better bat, as has been demonstrated in tests. Both are all over the place as bowlers

Santner is talented, but his first class record says it all - I know the Aussie media jazzed about him after the Adelaide test, but he shouldn't really be playing international cricket yet