"I think their minds were already on the plane home. I am just not sure they were here to play today."
Jamie Siddons on Bangladesh's performance in the last league match of the Asia Cup Jul 4, 2008
I had to await today’s highlights of yesterday’s Australia vs New Zealand fixture due to the fact that I did a ’spur of the moment’ trek into the Australian interior. Drought-breaking rains have flooded the mid-north of South Australia, and that looked more exciting to me then another hum-drum one-dayer between Australia and New Zealand. In any event, I could listen to it on the radio.
An unusual green strip in the SCG pitch gave fast bowlers the edge, and Australia’s pace attack made short work of the New Zealand top order, before Craig McMillan launched a brave revival, after he demonstrated that he’s no more likely to walk then Michael Hussey. Umpires Simon Taufell and Asad Rauf will hope this game is forgotten as quickly as possible because they both had bad games. New Zealand ended up with 218.
And they reduced Australia to 3 for 17 before Michael Clarke stabilised things. He was edgy early and gave a easy chance, only to be dropped. Michael Hussey should have been run out early as well, but survived to see Australia home.
But this was a game New Zealand should have won. They gave Australia vital chances, and this is something they cannot afford to do. There are some talented players in the New Zealand team, and they are skillfully led, but the gap between the New Zealand team and domestic first class cricket is very large. You might think this is unavoidable, but according to one young lady who knows more about domestic New Zealand cricket then I do, the main problem in New Zealand is attitude.
Obviously I am not against having a good time but this sort of larrikin behaviour is standard for a touring cricket team during the domestic NZ competition. They don’t take the whole thing seriously. The players think because they have scored a hundred in some piss arse domestic competition that they are now good enough to play international cricket.
This lack of professionalism filters through to the Black Caps as there literally is no pressure on players in the current squad to perform as there is no one to replace them. Players such as Astle, McMillan and Marshall have been cruising in Black Cap mode for years now. A guy like Matthew Sinclair should be a world class batsman, he’s not. And where the hell is Lou Vincent?
The situation is the reverse in Australia. Guys sit in State competitions for years and score thousands of runs and are still not good enough to break into the Australian side who game after game produces consistent form. Australian players have their share of off field incidents, Shane Warne and Andrew Symonds being the main offenders. The difference between Australian cricketers and New Zealand cricketers is that they seem to perform better on the field than they do off it.
There really is no reason why New Zealand can not punch weight with Australia. Cricket’s not just about talent, it is about attitude. India has a population of over a billion, and by all measures they should be the country with a kick-arse cricket team, not Australia. But India isn’t serious about playing WINNING cricket.
New Zealand is semi-serious. They only need to look at how their rugby side dominates, and bring the same attitude to their cricket.
So, semi-serious England play semi-serious New Zealand in Adelaide tomorrow. I’m semi-seriously considering wandering along to have a look. I haven’t made up my mind yet though. If Bond plays, I will probably go.
Got a question. McMillan was out to a full toss that he was definitely a bit unlucky as it was high.
He mouths off the players and/or umpires when he’s given out. No reprimand. And Mark Nicholas was saying he has a point to be unhappy.
Ok, lets change teams. Ponting does the same thing. What happens? Commentators, especially bloody Tony Greig go off and the Umpire reports him to the match referee.
McMillan, you were out caught behind much, much earlier. Shut your mouth and accept it mate. And you lost, again =)
Don’t worry about Tony Greig. Noone’s listened to him for years. And you didn’t even mention McMillan’s aggressive attack on Hussey for not walking when he missed the last ball of the 49th over by a mile, which should have been called a wide. The reason McMillan should always walk against Australia is that nine times out of ten (Sunday being the exception) he will be out again within a couple of overs, and look a complete fool.
Yep, gotta laugh at Macmillan mouthing off. If he’s so proactive about Aussie’s walking, why doesn’t he give us an example. I think he should concentrate on his own batting. After all the Kiwi cricket team is the only way he’s gonna make money.
It’s not just Greig either though. Some of the most anti-Australian commentators appear to be… Australian.
This is why I will always like Bill Lawry. I cringe to say it (because I am a NSW fan), but at least the guy loves Australia and Australians and shows it.
Regarding New Zealand cricket: what a shame. The one ODI team who is supposed to test the Australians and so often show character against us in big games. They hyped themselves up saying what great cricket they had played against Sri Lanka. The series was tied 2-2. Great cricket?
And we’ve beaten them while playing with our lineup again. Last nights game was interesting, someone questioned why Bell, Strauss and someone else was in the England ODI side? They might play pretty good Test Cricket, but I agree, we Aussies have a Test and ODI team and they are specialist teams. ENG and NZ need to look at adopting a similar approach so we can have a damn competitive game for once.
Mouthing off like a jack*** is not being competitive…
As an England fan the only retort I can offer is that we somehow managed to fluke winning the Commonwealth Bank Series. something that I cannot fathom how was achieved. Having had a 100% record up to the semi-final they seemed to throw it all away in the same way the did with the ashes in 2005. No one in the world would claim that England were anywhere near the level that Australia play at and there is a long way to go before we can even be considered close however there does seem a slight complacency creeping into Australia just prior to the world cup, they seem to be inconsistent. They are either markedly clinical with their best players in the world showing how good they are, or they give their wickets away early and play as badly as Scotland.
As for New Zealand, they may always be the poor relation to Australia in terms of talent but so long as Scott Styris, Hamish Marshall and Craig Macmillan are playing for them they will always win the prize reserved for the ugliest team in world cricket. No wonder Macmillan has such attitude, have you seen the size of his arse, I’m surprised he doesn’t beep like an oil tanker when turning round… As for Styris, Dennis Hopper with a mullet… only a mother could love that face
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