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chappell-hadlee-trophy
Even Baldrick wasn’t this cunning
By Scott 3 years ago, mid-February, 12 Comments »
“World Cup plans on track: Buchanan”
Ye gods, if this is a plan…
To be fair though, Buchanan never actually is quoted as saying that. It is another case of sub-editors licence. However, if Australia don’t have a markedly improved performance against New Zealand tomorrow in Auckland, the howls coming out of Australia will grow ever more shrill.
Mind you I am confident that things will turn around in time for the World Cup. There’s a lot of water to flow under the bridge yet.
More injury woes for the Australians
By Scott 3 years ago, mid-February, 9 Comments »
Ye gods, the news keeps getting worse.
While New Zealand will field their first choices during the three games, Australia have left their captain and vice-captain at home and Andrew Symonds is recovering from a serious arm injury.
Adding to the visitors’ lack of power is a Brett Lee ankle injury and a hip problem to Michael Clarke, who is second-in-charge after Ricky Ponting decided to have treatment on his back and Adam Gilchrist rested. The changes mean Australia have picked a raw squad, including Adam Voges, Cameron White, Brad Haddin and the on-standby Phil Jaques, and the competition that has been wedged into a crammed itinerary has become an inconvenience, even though they were upended in the CB Series finals.
If Clarke is ruled out, Matthew Hayden will be the only one of Australia’s top four who is batting in his usual position while Brad Hodge, the No. 5, is keeping Symonds’ spot warm. The third-year series that the organisers pipe-dreamed would develop into an All Blacks-Wallabies rivalry is achieving the credibility of a pre-season warm-up.
Well, rivalries take some time to develop. And this particular chapter of the Chappell-Hadlee trophy is suffering because it is caught in a wedge right before the World Cup. There wasn’t time to hold it earlier in the summer though. I like the concept of the annual series though, and given ten years it will be a highlight of the summer.
The injury to Lee gives Mitchell Johnson a chance to strut his stuff as a key strike bowler. When fit, Lee, Bracken and McGrath are just about certain starters, and there is a lot of competition for the fourth bowling slot. Johnson has a chance to take it.
Meanwhile New Zealand have the chance to win back the trophy against an unbalanced Australia which is collectively as out of form and low on confidence as any Australian side has been in limited overs cricket, at least in the last decade or so. I’m looking forward to watching three very keenly contested matches.
9 Comments »England take on New Zealand for a place in the finals
By Scott 3 years ago, at the start of February, 28 Comments »
So, for one of the two sides, it is judgement day, and not a moment too soon. The Australian triangular series drags on forever, and it gets rather stale by the end, don’t you agree?
I’m going to hope that England win, not for the reason that I think Australia can beat them, but rather because if Australia play New Zealand in the finals, we could have a situation where Australia play New Zealand six times in two weeks (for the two sides meet in New Zealand for the Chappell Hadlee trophy straight after this).
New Zealand is a great team, and I’m sure New Zealanders are a swell bunch of people, but six times in two weeks is too much.
One a totally different topic, did you see that South Africa piled on 392 against Pakistan in an ODI game? What’s notable about that is that it isn’t even in the top five ODI scores anymore. But South Africa has gone past 400 twice now as well as this effort in the last 12 months or so. This sort of batting firepower has to make one stand up and take notice at the World Cup.
28 Comments »New Zealand vs Australia, Game 3
By Scott 5 years ago, mid-December, No Comments; be the first!
The Chappell-Hadlee Trophy is decided, but there’s two things to look out for in this game. First, the debut of Mitchell Johnson, who was anoited as a ‘once in a lifetime’ bowler at the age of 17 by Dennis Lillee. He’s a very quick left-arm pace bowler from Queensland.
The second thing is the makeup of the New Zealand team; Stephen Fleming returns, but Daniel Vettori remains in charge. Is there a ‘changing of the guard’ ahead in New Zealand cricket?
I think New Zealand might get over the line in this one- they’ve only won one of the last fifteen meetings, so they are overdue to get a win.
No Comments »The Great Escape
By Scott 5 years ago, at the start of December, 1 Comment »
Phew! That was close!
I thought that Australia were stuffed even before Brett Lee conceded 18 off his last over. So getting out of jail there was something else. And hurray for Mick Lewis who bowled a beautiful over at the death.
No hurray for Ricky Ponting for mismanaging the run chase and giving away a no-ball for having three fielders in the circle, and no hurray for Brett Lee who was as inept as he was splendid in game 1.
Links to the Cricinfo Bulletin, here’s an Australian news report, a New Zealand news report and a New Zealand blog reaction.
But Australia have won the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy and that’s enough for me.
1 Comment »See what happens when you don’t turn up to an ODI game drunk?
By Scott 5 years ago, at the start of December, 3 Comments »
Andrew Symonds scores 156 against New Zealand.
3 Comments »Brendum McCullum will take Lee on
By Scott 5 years ago, at the start of December, 2 Comments »
New Zealanders are worried about their batting line-up’s inability to cope with the pace of Brett Lee. He caused them all sorts of problems in the five ODI games played earlier this year, and in the first game of the Chappell-Hadlee trophy, he caused them considerable problems once again.
Now Brendum McCullum has volunteered to open the batting in a pinch-hitting capacity.
AS New Zealand’s top-order batsmen search for ways to endure the torment inflicted on them by Australian speedster Brett Lee, hobbit-sized wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum has surprisingly volunteered to brave the new-ball.
McCullum, who locked horns with Lee earlier this year after the Australian stunned him with a waist-high full-toss during a one-day international in Auckland, claims he would be delighted to be offered the opening role.
While admitting incumbent openers Lou Vincent and Nathan Astle are better credentialled to perform the role, McCullum has thrown his black cap into the ring should the NZ brainstrust opt for a change of strategy in the current one-day series.
The 24-year-old’s decision to offer his services as pinch hitter and Lee fodder comes a day after NZ coach John Bracewell conceded his batsmen’s deficiencies against sheer pace could be as much mental as technical.
This is a brave move and one to be applauded. There is no doubt that the Kiwis have a problem, and they need to come up with something unorthodox to break the hold that Lee has on them.
2 Comments »Australia vs New Zealand
By Scott 5 years ago, at the start of December, 5 Comments »
Chappell-Hadlee Trophy Time! It is in New Zealand this year, and Australia look resplendent in the new ‘away’ strip with a green shirt and gold pants. They now look half as silly as normal.
New Zealand won the toss, and sent Australia in to bat. And Jeremy Coney is the Master of Pitch Reports! What desire! What hunger! What passion for the pitch! This is a man who knocks on the pitch to see how good it is. He leaves the rest for dead.
5 Comments »