Rhino Richards

Its an appalling contradiction even by your standards. The pitch did dry out. The scores in the 2nd innings validate that. And why would you put a batting line up "that was too old or sadly out of form" on the worst of the pitch. Remember Brownlie got 56 out of their 150. Given the pitch was wet, Vettori would not have had any impact. The batting line up was dodgy whether you bat it first or last. The toss was right the batting was not. You dont understand psychology. As Captain he has to say that. Even if they made 50 he would be talking it up. At the post match Taylor sounded generally surprised that they won. to150 was a poor score. Our batting effort was worse. Waugh and Taylor never struggled against NZ in the 4th innings. It took just one batsman just one to stick with Warner. And given you believe Warner has a questionable technique then if he can hit 123 no in his second test then there were no demons in the wicket. Definitely earlier.

To be fair Starc > Johnson when it comes to bowling. But in this Test there was not alot in it. And Johnson is a proven performer with the bat at this sort of stuff. We were 2/159...... Its a very poor performance. I'd like to see the Vodafone ad with all the batting line up (sans Warner) saying where they can improve a la Bollinger. Problem is the ad could go for at least 10 mins.

What alot of rot. TUs right. You're comments are full of contradictions that lynch your argument. And its not an issue batting a 4th innings when the Kiwi's lynchpin spinner is out. The issue was not the toss but two appalling batting performances. By batting second we actually got the best of the conditions to bat in. We would have got rolled for less if we batted on the pitch first. Agree. Hughes should go. I would be holding our experience players accountable more than Khawaja. If a maligned 20/20 player in his 2nd Test can carry his hand through the innings and make a ton then whats the excuse for Ponting and Hussey. Huseey has been great up to the SA tour and has been a key batsman but he is burning credits quickly and Punter must be getting low. Australia has had too many batting collapses over the past 2 years. I am not sure Watson and Marsh will both be fit. I would be prepared to pick Ed Cowan (there you go Nasher) for Hughes. I'd give Khawaja another chance. AoB raises a really good point about the tailenders. Australia has not been used to having such a long tail. The issue is giving a batsman a chance and you didn't but you danced on every failure (and there were only 3) as some reinforcement of your blinkered view and Warner in the past innings made your earlier comments indefensible. WYL is a definite entry in the KFC Classic Comments Competition this year.

We are not there at all ! What an insult to a player who batted through the innings and hit a century....and apparently has very little technique. Absolute awesome effort. I cant work out the love affair with Khawaja and the dismissive attitude to Warner. He was badly let down by other players with better techniques and value their wickets. I would have thought losing a winning test to the 8th ranked Test team is appalling. Well done Bracewell....6 wkts. How long since the Kiwis won a Test without Vettori?

Thank God he values his wicket. He is not making many runs and this technique is still dodgy but he values his wicket. FMD. That is so gobsmacking wrong its laughable. He has shown himself in the toughest conditions to be a very good batsman with sound technique, wonderful concentration.

The only thing that has changed has been the level you unfairly discounted him by earlier and be shown up for it by the events. You havent seen him enough to make the blanket negative assessment of him like you have. Warner has previously shown this capability to bat well but not be subdued by opposition attacks atr Shield leve. This innings is a vintage Warner knock. Could be a valuable Test player with his good fielding, handy leg breaks and seemingly authoritative batting. He deserves his ton. And FWIW, Khawaja does not look like a Test batsman with the right temperament if he continues not to make runs. Cant build on his starts.

I agree about Warner and Hughes. How anyone could have discounted Warner up to this stage has got me beat. Yesterday was a really good Test of attitude and application in conditions ideal for swing. He showed excellent temperament. I know its only early days but Lyon looks the most capable spinner we have in the Test team since McGill's demise. And provided he can stay fit, Pattinson looks an absolute beaut. i thought Siddle bowled the best i have seen him bowl in a long time. He needs to work hard to continually bowl in the corridor of uncertainty. While i think Australia can win here, I think the Indians will be sobering opponent on flatter truer wickets. Should be fascinating

Ha ha! We do have a Mitch Johnson replacement. Hughes was on a hinding to nothing today with the ball moving. Martin should have had nine slips for Hughes.

I can't believe it. What was Clarke thinking when he won the toss and bowled. Doesn't he know the golden rule when you win the toss you bat first? Seriously though, the right call by Clarke. Pattinson's wicket ball to McCullum was an absolute gem. Kiwis right in trouble at 6-83 at lunch with a long tail and no Vettori. Brownlie continues to impress.

I would have thought Hughes would certainly be out too. Right now, we dont know whether Warner is actually good enough to hold his spot against more seasoned players who have had more opportunity to get the runs on the board.

On Warner - I would not write him off at all. The ABC commentators spoke postively of a recent Shield century which was a patient measured knock. He deserves his chance. On the Aust Test team..... Lets not get ahead of ourselves...... There's promise being shown on some reasonably helpful wickets. India will be another Test. Their batting is still awesome but there ability to get 20 wickets in a Test is challenged if H Singh and Z Khan are not fit.

Unless they debut like McGain, I dont write anyone off in their first Test. I hadnt seen enough of Pattinson and Cummins to warrant long term selection then blow me down they did well. Hmmm

Oh and how could I ever forget Devon Malcolm and Phil Tufnell with the bat?????

My thought was on the fact that Martin and Walsh (in the latter part of his career) were not subject to fierce competition for their position in the team. And a result they were able to build quite a substantial ordinary batting record over a long period of time while they bowled. Maybe that sort of cricketer is fading out of the game. I would have thought for some years in the Australian team that evey tail ender is a potential batsman and are expected to put a price on their wickets. As a result "tailenders" like Lillee, McGrath, Warne, Gillespie, Siddle, Johnson and McDermott all improved as batsman over the course of their career. Many Test tailenders would be very capable state grade level batsman. Martin would be a scratchy tailender at state grade level. It is surprising that the NZ system could not improve his batting over time. I also get surprised that any player can get to Test, ODI level and be either deemed or suspect for throwing. I know the rules are more lenient but there were a number of SAfrican and Sri Lankan spinners up to 5 years ago that were under question.

I guess in countries like NZ you can forge a reasonably long career if you are above capable in one skill but lamentable with the other. FWIW, I always thought Dilip Doshi, Jim Higgs, Bruce Reed and Mike Whitney (yeah I know he blocked a draw) were incredibly poor batsman. Courtney Walsh was similarly poor over a long stretch.

I thought I read in recent reports that Harris is out for a while, so Siddle is not challenged on that front. If Cummins is fit (and I mean fit I would give Starc a rest). Unless Siddle can develop a consistent lethal ball that leaves the right hander he will struggle if Pattinson, Starc and Cummins continue to blossom. When someone is snicking the cordon so often over such a long period of time even Blind Freddie will have an opinion. And T_U, Warner has had one innings at the top level. Blanket comments about his Test capability reflect more on you than the target.

Oops now 5/99. Ryder plays another amateur hour shot. Its abysmal efforts like this almost lose you the Test. Now Vettori in...Kiwis always rely on him.

Not if the Kiwis bat in such a cavalier manner. We handed the first session to them on a plate with some awful bowling and they politely handed it back to us at 4/94. I cant believe Taylor's dumb shot before the break.

No I didnt. I acknowledged it and agree its not good enough.......

That is not in question. Its the reasons put forward for why Can you give me examples where Victoria's anti youth policy has crucified it. They promote Cameron White at a youing age to Shield level and gave him the captaincy at 21! They uncovered Peter Siddle at young age in Gippsland in his early 20s. They have promoted James Pattison. Thats not true. MacDonald, White, Pattinson, Siddle, McGain, Hussey have all represented their country at various times I want the Test team to play its best players...period. I could not give a stuff where they came from. And I am not interested in parochial gratuities

Victoria had Matthew Elliott who had set himself up for a fine Test career only to self implode through no ones fault but his own. The issue of the NSW players making Test teams is the fact that NSW produces the best players through a vibrant metro and country set up. Australia's Test history is littered with the evidence that a strong NSW breeds a strong Test team. I just want the best Test team period. I dont care where they come from. There is nothing more small minded than the ignorant State based parochialism when its comes to the National team interest.

I also love Test Cricket. Great finish as expected. Well done Postman Pat. But I cannot work out why this is only a 2 Test series. Honestly Australia should be playing 3 to 5 Test Series against South Africa, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, WI and England. It should reserve the 2 Test friendlies to countries like NZ, Bangladesh.

Agree Bob. Cummins looks one out of the bag and has lived up to the very strong comments made about him at more junior levels. On the other hand, Harris's phyiscal frailties and Johnson and Siddle's lack of consistent firepower does not augur well for them. i think we will see other young quick prospects get a go this summer like Hazlewood and Starc. Whether its Paine or Wade, Haddin should be feeling the heat well and truly. Mind you if he were to play a pivotal role in the final day at the Wanderers then he gets a possible reprieve. Paine must be cursing his luck with the finger injury. He was close to a call up before the SA tour in my opinion. Haddin's efforts on tour have brought him closer to the cap But Mathew Wade has definitely timed his form beautifully. It would appear that keeping is the one area we appear reasonably stocked in.

Beautifully written Franky. Well done. I have just been informed that a close work colleague of mine (who I would call a friend) has just been diagnosed with breast cancer and now goes into the horrible process of doctor check up, operation and possibly chemo. I can only imagine the inner turmoil she is suffering and only admire her strength at this time. I think the same things could be said about 2 Sheds. I dont know him but I enjoyed his posts and admired his strenght of character in dealing with his battle. I can only hope that science can crack this scourge called cancer. It takes away so much that we value that all other issues are just irrelevant. RIP 2 Sheds.

I think the new Chairman of Selectors John Inverarity needs to have a number of discussions with Ponting leading to an agreed departure at the CA's basis. He needs to be told hook or by crook, you have until the SYD test at most if your form holds. Either SYD is your last Test. If getting dropped is not the end then someone please tell Ben Hilfenhaus that. He is finished at Test level. The McGrath analogy is not a good one. I am not sure being dropped 5 times in 9 tests measures my point. Mitch Johnson has been around for 4 years and nearly 50(?) Tests. We know quite a bit about Mitch. And if he cannot sort out his appalling inconsistency and all too infrequent high points at Shield level for a sustained period, he is finished. The same with Hughes. If he cannot demonstrate an ability to properly address chinks in his technique then he is finished at Test level. Unless Siddle can develop a consistent killer delivery to survive at the top level then he is just honest fodder at Test level and will only appear if there are injuries. All three have been on scene for four years or so. We know what we get from them. What we have seen to date is not good enough. They could well change and improve but I would want extra evidence to suggest that is the case. And they would want to change as cricketers. Some could change but I think a couple could go the way of Hilf and be a handy Shield bowler. For example, I have felt for Ponting and Clarke as captains when your apparent strike bowler serves the sub standard rubbish that he does.