New Zealand vs Australia | Feb 20-24, 2016 | 2nd Test | Christchurch | Match Thread

[ChachaCricket]

Nicholls had no chance anyway. Think NZ are about to lineup.

 

[Convict]

The great James Pattinson strikes again.

 

[ChachaCricket]

Bird is a rubbish bowler. Wasting the reversing ball. No pace, no bounce, soft lateral movement.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Can't wait to see Hazlewood/Starc/Pattinson/Lyon. Bird is simply not good enough IMO. I

 

[Adijazz1706]

Countdown for the next wicket begins. No more no balls!

 

[vandokkum]

The great James Pattinson strikes again.

Usually when I watch him bowl, most of Pattinson's wickets seem to be top order batsmen. Quality bowler when on song.

 

[Suleiman]

The great James Pattinson strikes again.

I remember during his comeback late last year, people were ridiculing him for whatever reasons, glad he is getting into rhythm.

Have had a soft spot for him ever since his initial debut in 2011. Always thought he had a higher ceiling than Starc tbh.

 

[ChachaCricket]

Bowling from Pattinson.

 

[Convict]

In for a short time but not the long haul. Sums up McCullum really.

 

[hussain.r97]

This series has been a complete let down. There was so much hype surrounding it, but the Blackcaps have been completely and utterly outclassed against an Aussie attack without Starc.

Most people here in NZ were totally overstating our chances, some to the extent of cockiness.

 

[Convict]

This series has been a complete let down. There was so much hype surrounding it, but the Blackcaps have been completely and utterly outclassed against an Aussie attack without Starc.

Most people here in NZ were totally overstating our chances, some to the extent of cockiness.

Well in tests, especially on this wickets Hazlewood and Pattinson are ahead of Starc.

Can't wait for the dream team of Hazlewood, Pattinson and Starc though when they're all fit

 

[hussain.r97]

Well in tests, especially on this wickets Hazlewood and Pattinson are ahead of Starc.

Can't wait for the dream team of Hazlewood, Pattinson and Starc though when they're all fit

They definitely are ahead of Starc in these conditions, but Starc would have added another dimension to this attack. Imagine where NZ would be if Starc was playing?

 

[Junaids]

McCullum ends his career in typically brainless fashion.

Still 30 behind, 7 wickets left......and he tries to slog consecutive sixes.

This testosterone fuelled rubbish has cost NZ numerous Tests this past year.

 

[ChachaCricket]

Should bring Pattinson back for the last over.

 

[Aman]

Not a good day, our batsmen continuing to bat like retards and Roman Reigns is main eventing a second consecutive WM

 

[Aman]

Nicholls had no chance anyway. Think NZ are about to lineup.

He sucks against pace, never looks comfortable when bowlers are bowling above 140kph.

That's the main reason I don't think he's up to international standard.

 

[Aman]

This series has been a complete let down. There was so much hype surrounding it, but the Blackcaps have been completely and utterly outclassed against an Aussie attack without Starc.

Most people here in NZ were totally overstating our chances, some to the extent of cockiness.

Nothing about cockiness, they simply aren't good enough. Look closely at the series we've won at home, against inexperienced sides, of which none have been comfortable. This side is simply not that good.

 

[hussain.r97]

Nothing about cockiness, they simply aren't good enough. Look closely at the series we've won at home, against inexperienced sides, of which none have been comfortable. This side is simply not that good.

A lot of people I've talked to here have shown a lot of cockiness. Comments like 'NZ are the #1 test side', 'Aussies have no chance', 'We shouldn't be playing sides like Sri Lanka and Pakistan, they aren't good enough', etc. I've even heard such comments on the radio.

NZ are clearly not at the top level yet, but they were really being oversold over here. They have the tools to get there, but there is still a long way to go.

 

[ChachaCricket]

Great test cricket.

Latham would be disappointed with the lapse in concentration.

Fighting innings from Williamson.

Superb spell from Pattinson.

 

[Aman]

A lot of people I've talked to here have shown a lot of cockiness. Comments like 'NZ are the #1 test side', 'Aussies have no chance', 'We shouldn't be playing sides like Sri Lanka and Pakistan, they aren't good enough', etc. I've even heard such comments on the radio.

NZ are clearly not at the top level yet, but they were really being oversold over here. They have the tools to get there, but there is still a long way to go.

The people you must have talked must be casuals, no one in their right mind would call NZ number after how they've performed since the England tour. This is the same side who were dominated by a noob SL side and on the verge of losing a Test to them at home a month back

 

[Junaids]

[MENTION=132373]Convict[/MENTION], I have already admitted the error of my "NZ far, far ahead" thread in the Mea Culpa thread!

But you are aware that earlier today there was briefly a thread about alleged ball-tampering in the 1990s. And I agreed with your comment that everyone does it a bit.

But you and I have both seen, two weeks running, the following pattern.

1. The pitch has flattened out and become a road.
2. The outfield is as smooth and lush as a billiard table, so conditions absolutely do NOT scuff up the ball.

......yet.........

3. Australia - which batted far, far more sensibly in a Test match, and deserves to win - cracks open the Test by obtaining reverse swing in conditions which absolutely do not lend themselves to it.

Are you seeing what I'm seeing?

 

[ChachaCricket]

[MENTION=132373]Convict[/MENTION], I have already admitted the error of my "NZ far, far ahead" thread in the Mea Culpa thread!

But you are aware that earlier today there was briefly a thread about alleged ball-tampering in the 1990s. And I agreed with your comment that everyone does it a bit.

But you and I have both seen, two weeks running, the following pattern.

1. The pitch has flattened out and become a road.
2. The outfield is as smooth and lush as a billiard table, so conditions absolutely do NOT scuff up the ball.

......yet.........

3. Australia - which batted far, far more sensibly in a Test match, and deserves to win - cracks open the Test by obtaining reverse swing in conditions which absolutely do not lend themselves to it.

Are you seeing what I'm seeing?

So what?

 

[ChachaCricket]

Junaids is as delusional as they come.

 

[hussain.r97]

The people you must have talked must be casuals, no one in their right mind would call NZ number after how they've performed since the England tour. This is the same side who were dominated by a noob SL side and on the verge of losing a Test to them at home a month back

Some were casuals, but I was really surprised when some guys in my own team held the same views.

 

[Junaids]

Junaids is as delusional as they come.

Maybe.

But I doubt it. I'm not accusing Australia of anything - and goodness knows, McCullum gifted them his wicket - but it's a strategy of 30 years' standing to try to get around a dead pitch by doctoring the ball to allow reverse swing.

 

[Convict]

[MENTION=132373]Convict[/MENTION], I have already admitted the error of my "NZ far, far ahead" thread in the Mea Culpa thread!

But you are aware that earlier today there was briefly a thread about alleged ball-tampering in the 1990s. And I agreed with your comment that everyone does it a bit.

But you and I have both seen, two weeks running, the following pattern.

1. The pitch has flattened out and become a road.
2. The outfield is as smooth and lush as a billiard table, so conditions absolutely do NOT scuff up the ball.

......yet.........

3. Australia - which batted far, far more sensibly in a Test match, and deserves to win - cracks open the Test by obtaining reverse swing in conditions which absolutely do not lend themselves to it.

Are you seeing what I'm seeing?

Yeah we deliberately threw the ball into the wicket when throwing it to the bowler/keeper.

What of it?

 

[Nikhil_cric]

It wouldn't kill Junaids to admit that Australia are a FAR superior team to NZ Lost 2-0 in Australia and now at home as well.

 

[Zeshan547]

[MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION] give it a rest mate, there are a lot more important and useful things you can do than just winning a random argument on an internet forum. We all are human and we all make false predictions so did you, now don't keep on arguing for the sake of it just accept that your predictions were wrong and aussies are better team fair and square and their overall performance can't be undermined with comments like these. So just move on mate.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Maybe.

But I doubt it. I'm not accusing Australia of anything - and goodness knows, McCullum gifted them his wicket - but it's a strategy of 30 years' standing to try to get around a dead pitch by doctoring the ball to allow reverse swing.

Which team does not do it though? I know England tamper with the ball so that Jimmy and Broad can reverse the ball.

 

[ChachaCricket]

Maybe.

But I doubt it. I'm not accusing Australia of anything - and goodness knows, McCullum gifted them his wicket - but it's a strategy of 30 years' standing to try to get around a dead pitch by doctoring the ball to allow reverse swing.

What of it? No one has a problem with it. Why do you? Stop crying and just watch the game. The commies watched it and they had no problem.

Tampering happens at every level of cricket. You're delusional if you think otherwise.

Like convict said don't make it obvious and nobody will care.

 

[trogger]

Maybe.

But I doubt it. I'm not accusing Australia of anything - and goodness knows, McCullum gifted them his wicket - but it's a strategy of 30 years' standing to try to get around a dead pitch by doctoring the ball to allow reverse swing.

You're a pakistan fan pretending to be a pom so either way what moral high ground do you have when those are your teams?

You're trolling is getting boring, why not just go back to accusing us of fixing matches instead?

 

[Convict]

What of it? No one has a problem with it. Why do you? Stop crying and just watch the game. The commies watched it and they had no problem.

Tampering happens at every level of cricket. You're delusional if you think otherwise.

Like convict said don't make it obvious and nobody will care.

During the Perth test Dirk Nannes was legit telling everyone listening on the ABC radio about the best lollies to use and how to use them to make the ball swing more.

 

[Aman]

During the Perth test Dirk Nannes was legit telling everyone listening on the ABC radio about the best lollies to use and how to use them to make the ball swing more.

Explains why you got it to reverse so early at the Basin and now here. I'm done with us being the nice guy, if other teams are tampering, we may as well do it too. We're only putting ourselves at a disadvantage by choosing not to do it.

 

[Convict]

Explains why you got it to reverse so early at the Basin and now here. I'm done with us being the nice guy, if other teams are tampering, we may as well do it too. We're only putting ourselves at a disadvantage by choosing not to do it.

Your boys do it as well though.

Go to a game and watch the fielders and watch where the ball goes and how the ball gets passed.

Happens in competitive club cricket let alone tests.

 

[trogger]

Explains why you got it to reverse so early at the Basin and now here. I'm done with us being the nice guy, if other teams are tampering, we may as well do it too. We're only putting ourselves at a disadvantage by choosing not to do it.

You guys aren't so i wouldn't worry about nz like every team use every trick in the book to get ahead, a sense of moral superiority from nz players fans and media doesn't actually make you guys the nice guys of cricket.

 

[Convict]

Pretty sure Craig McMillan instructs your fielders to 'accidentally' run across and disrupt batsmen.

 

[Convict]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/opinio...andon-spirit-of-cricket-as-tv-calls-the-shots

Previously in the series, Nathan McCullum, a guest commentator, had observed how batting coach Craig McMillan would have been annoyed because a New Zealand batsman had not got in the way of the bowler trying to save a run.

Apparently that is something the team practises.

Do you remember McCullum writing in a newspaper column, "One day he'll (Steve Smith) look back at the Ben Stokes dismissal at Lord's (for obstructing the field) on Saturday and realise he missed a great opportunity to strike a blow for the spirit of cricket … Don't get me wrong: winning is important. But the longer you play this game the more you realise that some things are too valuable to spoil."

And now we know that this New Zealand side is coached to obstruct the field. So much for the spirit of the game. My hunch is that the Black Caps would still have found a way to win against the edgy Aussies, but this was not the way to do it.

Found the article and makes a bit more sense than what I was thinking.

But yeah. The fair sportsmanlike Kiwis in action

 

[Junaids]

You're a pakistan fan pretending to be a pom so either way what moral high ground do you have when those are your teams?

You're trolling is getting boring, why not just go back to accusing us of fixing matches instead?

You do realise that I've had a thread removed today in which I outlined to youngsters all the allegations of Pakistani ball tampering?

I do wonder whether the current fetish for flat tracks is going to unleash a new era of systematic ball doctoring.

 

[trogger]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/opinio...andon-spirit-of-cricket-as-tv-calls-the-shots



Found the article and makes a bit more sense than what I was thinking.

But yeah. The fair sportsmanlike Kiwis in action

Almost cultish the way kiwis have so enthusiastically bought into this mythical rubbish about their team being saints standing up against the villains and demons of the cricket world, guess you chant a mantra long enough you will believe anything.

 

[Aman]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/opinio...andon-spirit-of-cricket-as-tv-calls-the-shots



Found the article and makes a bit more sense than what I was thinking.

But yeah. The fair sportsmanlike Kiwis in action

I was going to look into this, then I saw the writer and stopped there. You just need to look back at his other articles to know the guy absolutely hates McCullum. Most of the stuff ihe writes is utter rubbish, I feel sorry that you wasted your time reading one of his pieces.

 

[trogger]

Not sure i understand, you're saying the writer made up what he quoted Nathan McCullum as saying? Or that McCullum lied?

 

[Aman]

[MENTION=132373]Convict[/MENTION] if you want to waste your time, here's a few more pieces you'll probably want to read.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/opinion/9471270/Reason-McCullum-has-no-business-leading-NZ

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricke...during-Chris-Cairns-case-should-be-questioned

No one in NZ takes anything he says on McCullum seriously, he hates McCullum for some reason.

 

[Aman]

Not sure i understand, you're saying the writer made up what he quoted Nathan McCullum as saying? Or that McCullum lied?

It was probably a passing joke, which he took seriously. The guy is a trash writer who writes some of the worst rubbish you'll ever see, particuraly on McCullum. He's been blasted by media personalities in the past before.

 

[trogger]

We could say that bmac hates our skipper as well for some reason as he has written some utter garbage about him recently.

 

[Aman]

It's embarrassing that foxsports actually made reference to his articles.

Even rugby fans don't like him, he has no idea what he's talking about and only posts nonsense to get attention, to be fair it's the only reason he still has a job.

 

[Convict]

[MENTION=132373]Convict[/MENTION] if you want to waste your time, here's a few more pieces you'll probably want to read.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/opinion/9471270/Reason-McCullum-has-no-business-leading-NZ

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricke...during-Chris-Cairns-case-should-be-questioned

No one in NZ takes anything he says on McCullum seriously, he hates McCullum for some reason.

Yeah but Nathan McCullum still said what he said and Craig McMillan coaches his players to do what they do

 

[Aman]

We could say that bmac hates our skipper as well for some reason as he has written some utter garbage about him recently.

Like?

 

[Aman]

Yeah but Nathan McCullum still said what he said and Craig McMillan coaches his players to do what they do

Where's the actual quote? And why is it McCullums biggest critic is the only one to have picked up on it. I'm not going to buy it till you get a credible source.

 

[Aman]

[MENTION=132373]Convict[/MENTION] did you see his attack on McCullum after that Marsh dismissal, trying to spin it as the Black Caps never appealed (which Henry did, lmao you just need to ask for it to be an appeal, it doesn't matter if it's loud or not). A whole piece dedicated on ripping on McCullum over him saying "Surely the right decision should be made". What a clown that guy is.

McCullum can pretend that Matt Henry and Martin Guptill had appealed, but did they really? Neither umpire heard them, so what constitutes a genuine appeal. We might need a new law on that one.

The crucial point is that no-one on the field really thought that Mitchell Marsh was out. Matt Henry mumbled a half-hearted appeal but did not bother to turn to Ian Gould, the English umpire. Gould wasn't interested. Brendon McCullum wasn't interested.

 

[Convict]

Like?

His Daily Mail columns where St Brendon goes on and on about Smith on the Stokes thing?

Never mind that his argument make no sense whatsoever?

Or his hatchet job on Warner for the crime of not clapping an opposition century?

 

[Aman]

His Daily Mail columns where St Brendon goes on and on about Smith on the Stokes thing?

Never mind that his argument make no sense whatsoever?

Or his hatchet job on Warner for the crime of not clapping an opposition century?

Still waiting for the actual quote or are you going to find another Mark Reason article to back up your claim?

 

[Convict]

Still waiting for the actual quote or are you going to find another Mark Reason article to back up your claim?

He said it during the game obviously.

Given it's a simple matter to disprove Mark Reason why don't you do it?

It's easy enough to test. Watch the Kiwi batsmen during the next few limited overs matches and we'll see the truth.

 

[Aman]

His Daily Mail columns where St Brendon goes on and on about Smith on the Stokes thing?

Never mind that his argument make no sense whatsoever?

Or his hatchet job on Warner for the crime of not clapping an opposition century?

One line is all it took to get the Aussies knickers in a bunch. It was a harmless comment that Aussies took way too seriously, McCullum and Smith have already sorted it out yet here are some fans who still can't get over it.

 

[Aman]

He said it during the game obviously.

Given it's a simple matter to disprove Mark Reason why don't you do it?

It's easy enough to test. Watch the Kiwi batsmen during the next few limited overs matches and we'll see the truth.

Such a big admission would have garnered much more attention, no? I'm not denying it entirely, but I'm skeptical seeing Reason was the only one who reported it. Anyhow, a heads up future not to bother with anything he writes.

 

[trogger]

Bmac launched a painfully obvious pre series sledge on our lot in his columns, i know he was just partly sucking up to the english (by going after the obvious target)so he can try and make some coin in the media after he retires and i get that but the rest was pre series mind games/sledging and i have no issue with that but why the need for the holier than thou act when it just isn't true?

The bloke is a street fighter which i respect but he's a street fighter pretending to be a choir boy and that i most certainly do not respect.

 

[Aman]

Such a big admission would have garnered much more attention, no? I'm not denying it entirely, but I'm skeptical seeing Reason was the only one who reported it. Anyhow, a heads up for the future not to bother with anything he writes.

Fixed.

 

[Convict]

One line is all it took to get the Aussies knickers in a bunch. It was a harmless comment that Aussies took way too seriously, McCullum and Smith have already sorted it out yet here are some fans who still can't get over it.

One line? You mean a few columns where St Brendon, a man whose word isn't good enough for English courts, took it upon himself to be the self proclaimed moral arbitrator of what is good behaviour and what isn't?

 

[Convict]

Such a big admission would have garnered much more attention, no? I'm not denying it entirely, but I'm skeptical seeing Reason was the only one who reported it. Anyhow, a heads up future not to bother with anything he writes.

Nah it wouldn't gather much more attention because it's the sort of thing every team does and it only gets brought up against McCullum by those sick of his self proclaimed status as the moral paragon of cricket.

 

[Aman]

One line? You mean a few columns where St Brendon, a man whose word isn't good enough for English courts, took it upon himself to be the self proclaimed moral arbitrator of what is good behaviour and what isn't?

Well, he has won the Spirit of Cricket award. Must have done something right to win such an award.

 

[Convict]

Well, he has won the Spirit of Cricket award. Must have done something right to win such an award.

Yeah and Smith won test player of the year and you still think he's rubbish.

Spirit of Cricket award is the biggest load of rubbish anyway. Won by who speaks the best game more than anything else.

 

[Aman]

Nah it wouldn't gather much more attention because it's the sort of thing every team does and it only gets brought up against McCullum by those sick of his self proclaimed status as the moral paragon of cricket.

If it was against Australia, don't you think they'd be running this on their front pages? Also, the same case for NZ, it would be a big story. Anyhow McMillian has coached sides other than the Black Caps before, so it could be a passing comment on how he teaches those sides to do it. It explains why not much had been made of it, and Reason reported it whilst not directly linking it to the Black Caps.

 

[Aman]

Yeah and Smith won test player of the year and you still think he's rubbish.

Spirit of Cricket award is the biggest load of rubbish anyway. Won by who speaks the best game more than anything else.

Smith is a great runscoring machine, I wouldn't bother watching him bat though. You'd probably be the same if he played for another country.

 

[Convict]

If it was against Australia, don't you think they'd be running this on their front pages? Also, the same case for NZ, it would be a big story. Anyhow McMillian has coached sides other than the Black Caps before, so it could be a passing comment on how he teaches those sides to do it. It explains why not much had been made of it, and Reason reported it whilst not directly linking it to the Black Caps.

Nah. New Zealand isn't England. Nobody would care enough to bring it up and nobody in Australian cricket really thinks it's a big deal.

 

[trogger]

Smith is a great runscoring machine, I wouldn't bother watching him bat though. You'd probably be the same if he played for another country.

Didn't you say bmacs ton was the best knock you have seen? or your favorite innings you have seen?

If style matters much more than results to you then how could rate that innings very high?

Fair chunk of his scoring shots were wild slogs but ugly runs were ok because it's your team?

 

[Aman]

[MENTION=132373]Convict[/MENTION] one team has had the first new ball to reverse 20-30 overs in each second innings (with the team not battering the ball), the other team has had none reverse or in 40-50 overs in with the 2nd new ball (after a battering). Clearly one team is working the ball harder than the other.

 

[Aman]

Didn't you say bmacs ton was the best knock you have seen? or your favorite innings you have seen?

If style matters much more than results to you then how could rate that innings very high?

Fair chunk of his scoring shots were wild slogs but ugly runs were ok because it's your team?

Conditions, teams position at the time and quality of the bowling.

Smith looks like a fidgety number 11 batsmen at the crease. You may find that harsh to take, but I'm probably not the only one who thinks that. If you think I'm biased, I wouldn't go to watch most of our batsmen barring McCullum, Guptill and KW.

 

[Convict]

[MENTION=132373]Convict[/MENTION] one team has had the first new ball to reverse 20-30 overs in each second innings (with the team not battering the ball), the other team has had none reverse or in 40-50 overs in with the 2nd new ball (after a battering). Clearly one team is working the ball harder than the other.

Sometimes you get a dud ball.

We didn't get it to swing it at all in Perth and we were working on it then.

 

[Aman]

Sometimes you get a dud ball.

We didn't get it to swing it at all in Perth and we were working on it then.

Yet you've got it working fine here and at the Basin. NZ just unlucky with the balls aye?

Again, I'm fine with the Aussies tampering with the ball, I just want us to be doing the same. It's silly to let the other opposition take an advantage all in the favor of the spirit of the game (nearly every team does it).

 

[trogger]

You said you just wouldn't watch smith bat though based on style, he has made plenty of runs with the team in trouble facing quality bowling and you still wouldn't watch based on the style he makes his runs so rating bmacs chance filled innings so high isn't a cricket style call it's he's one of mine call simple as that.

 

[trogger]

Yet you've got it working fine here and at the Basin. NZ just unlucky with the balls aye?

Well from what i gather from the kiwi comms nz are just unlucky all the time so why not with the balls as well?

 

[Aman]

You said you just wouldn't watch smith bat though based on style, he has made plenty of runs with the team in trouble facing quality bowling and you still wouldn't watch based on the style he makes his runs so rating bmacs chance filled innings so high isn't a cricket style call it's he's one of mine call simple as that.

Care to remind me when Smith last made 140 off 70 odd with your side 30 for 3 on a wicket doing plenty?

 

[trogger]

His ton when we were 4 for down for not many on a spicy centurion pitch facing steyn and co was as good as i have seen in recent years, as you're such a fan of style over the numbers i can tell you there weren't regular slogs over the slips either just quality batting vs quality bowling.

 

[Convict]

Care to remind me when Smith last made 140 off 70 odd with your side 30 for 3 on a wicket doing plenty?

Not 140 for 70 but he did score a few match winning centuries from bad positions including one in a bowler friendly Centurion pitch.

 

[Convict]

Yet you've got it working fine here and at the Basin. NZ just unlucky with the balls aye?

Again, I'm fine with the Aussies tampering with the ball, I just want us to be doing the same. It's silly to let the other opposition take an advantage all in the favor of the spirit of the game (nearly every team does it).

You guys are doing the same.

Every test team works the ball.
Every Shield team works the ball.
Every Grade team works the ball.

Watch your guys when they're fielding.

You do the same thing that we do, that the English do and the Saffers do and everyone else does.

Because it's an accepted part of the game that no cricketer thinks is bad sportsmanship.

 

[Convict]

Well from what i gather from the kiwi comms nz are just unlucky all the time so why not with the balls as well?

We rigged the balls the same way we rigged the coins.

 

[Aman]

His ton when we were 4 for down for not many on a spicy centurion pitch facing steyn and co was as good as i have seen in recent years, as you're such a fan of style over the numbers i can tell you there weren't regular slogs over the slips either just quality batting vs quality bowling.

Like I said, the best one I've seen.

Not many people living in NZ would stay up till the early morning to watch a Test not involving NZ.

It was the best I've seen because of how quickly he scored it. Nothing quite like seeing a batsmen tear apart bowlers on jagging back in and away like it was in the first 2 sessions on day 1, you don't see these innings as frequently as grafted innings where it's survival first then feast once the ball gets older and there's less there for the bowlers.

 

[Aman]

You guys are doing the same.

Every test team works the ball.
Every Shield team works the ball.
Every Grade team works the ball.

Watch your guys when they're fielding.

You do the same thing that we do, that the English do and the Saffers do and everyone else does.

Because it's an accepted part of the game that no cricketer thinks is bad sportsmanship.

Well clearly we're not doing something the Aussies are doing. A massive difference in the two teams abilities to rough up the ball. Maybe we should be keeping bottle caps or nail clippers in our pockets.

 

[trogger]

Like I said, the best one I've seen.

Not many people living in NZ would stay up till the early morning to watch a Test not involving NZ.

It was the best I've seen because of how quickly he scored it. Nothing quite like seeing a batsmen tear apart bowlers on jagging back in and away like it was in the first 2 sessions on day 1, you don't see these innings as frequently as grafted innings where it's survival first then feast once the ball gets older and there's less there for the bowlers.

You really just can't see the issue in what you're saying?

You devalue smiths unbelievably good numbers based on how he makes his runs but you ignore the way bmac makes his and focus only on the end result?

Surely you can see how biased that view is?

 

[trogger]

Maybe we should be keeping bottle caps or nail clippers in our pockets.

If we are using that stuff or lollies on the ball then why throw it into the ground when we return it to the keeper?

That would be nuts.

 

[Adijazz1706]

Care to remind me when Smith last made 140 off 70 odd with your side 30 for 3 on a wicket doing plenty?

Scoring 140 should be key, regardless of it taking 70 balls or 170 balls. McCullum averages <40 for a reason, he plays like an idiot often such as today. 91/3 at stumps is better than 121/4.