Australia v New Zealand: First Test, Brisbane

First topic message reminder :

December 1-5, 2011 at Woolloongabba Ground, Brisbane

Start time: 1000 (0000 GMT, 1100 EDT)

So it's all about to start here tomorrow morning with Australia still favourites; despite the fact that there will be at least 3 debutants and New Zealand believing they have a very good chance of winning in Australia for the first time in 26 years. Either way it should be an entertaining match given Australia's series levelling performance in Johannesburg and New Zealand's slightly more settled line-up since their recent tour to Zimbabwe.

Pitch & Conditions:
There's always plenty of seam and bounce at the Gabba, and captains can be tempted to send the opposition in. The forecast is for thunder and rain on the opening day, while showers could also fall on the final two days.

Australia:
1 David Warner, 2 Phillip Hughes, 3 Usman Khawaja, 4 Ricky Ponting, 5 Michael Clarke (capt), 6 Michael Hussey, 7 Brad Haddin (wk),
8 Peter Siddle, 9 James Pattinson, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Mitchell Starc

New Zealand:
1 Martin Guptill, 2 Brendon McCullum, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Ross Taylor (capt), 5 Jesse Ryder, 6 Dean Brownlie, 7 Daniel Vettori,
8 Reece Young (wk), 9 Doug Bracewell, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Chris Martin

skyeman wrote:Linebreaker, a replay of the Ashes is on, just for you

Feels slightly better a year down the track.

Looks gloomy now with the rain... oh well, that's it for today then. Have a good rest today mate!

Play will start at 09:30 local time tomorrow, 23:30 GMT

Thanks Lb.


And Cf where were youuuuuuuuuuuuuu, fall asleep watching Bond?

sorry skyeman, stayed up and watched the first session but was shattered and fell asleep, remeber im ill so i done well to stay up that late

also is it gonna rain on the 2nd day?

Clearing showers apparently

http://weather.brisbanetimes.com.au/local.jsp

NZ in trouble if they lose an early wicket, you'd think. Poor batting display.

skyeman are u gonna be around on here tonight?

and also linebreaker are you gonna be around on here tonight, will stay up tonight and be on here...


i think if NZ can get to 300 from here then they have done well.

It´s up to Harry Vettori to cast his spell on the Aussie bowlers and get some badly needed runs. McCullum with his usual premature extractions from the crease. The chance was to put pressure on these Aussies still shell-shocked from SA. Rearguard action is needed and psychological damage can still be made if NZ stick around longer and score runs. Definitely agree 300 would be that barrier to pass. But can´t see it happening.

You think the Aussies are shell shocked from SA? they are probably pretty happy the way it went in the end given how low expectation sunk.

Pattinson was hugely dissapointing, he couldnt get his radar right at all.

Starc on the other hand was very impressive. Bowled with good pace and roughed brendon mccullum right up.

whats happened to Josh Hazlewood!

cricketfan90 wrote:Pattinson was hugely dissapointing, he couldnt get his radar right at all.

Starc on the other hand was very impressive. Bowled with good pace and roughed brendon mccullum right up.

whats happened to Josh Hazlewood!

Very true about Pattinson CF, I was expecting huge things of him and he was a massive let down. Test debuts are known to give bowlers the yips though!

Starc might've closed the the door on Johnson's Test career. Starc swung the ball more on his Test debut than Johnson has in his entire career.

Hazlewood has only just come back from a serious back injury, that cost him all of the 2010-11 Australian season. He's been taking wickets since his comeback though.

Australia seem to had plenty of promising seamers coming through. Cummings, Hazlewood, Starc, Cutting, Pattinson and the dobber Copeland.

Also like to add, have the Aussies forgotten that Dean Brownlie in now a Kiwi? Pup's drop was a dolly, Warner's was far tougher, but you'd expect a fielder of Warner's class to catch it.

He misjudged it, didn't need to launch himself and cramped himself for room. Took a blinder and another fine catch though.

Linebreaker wrote:He misjudged it, didn't need to launch himself and cramped himself for room. Took a blinder and another fine catch though.

I was just messing mate, I know how awesome Warner is in the field.

I keep forgetting our friends up north are an hour behind us... bloody annoying!

Linebreaker wrote:I keep forgetting our friends up north are an hour behind us... bloody annoying!

Question for you LB.

If Harris and Cummins are fit for the second Test, who will miss out from the current bowling attack?

Probably wait and see how this Test pans out.

Our bowlers seem to take turns in having good days, spells, etc. Although you and cf think Pattinson was 'hugely disappointing'... he may well produce something in the next few hours.

So another tricky decision. At the moment I'd like to see Starc remain in the side and Cummins come back. I'm still not so confident about Rhino's fitness though.

Linebreaker wrote:Probably wait and see how this Test pans out.

Our bowlers seem to take turns in having good days, spells, etc. Although you and cf think Pattinson was 'hugely disappointing'... he may well produce something in the next few hours.

So another tricky decision. At the moment I'd like to see Starc remain in the side and Cummins come back. I'm still not so confident about Rhino's fitness though.

I'm maybe a harsh critic of Pattinson, but its because I've seen him bowl better. Also have to factor in rookies nerves, which Starc also showed! Nonetheless Pattinson is certainly very talented. He was clocked at 148KPH as well. Its a shame that Harris' body is soo brittle. Starc somewhat surprised me, I wasn't expecting him to play.

There'll probably be a shower after the lunch session after a relatively fine morning... then fining up again later in the day.

now 21.8, 60% humidity, winds SSW 6km/h

morning: 25 cloudy
afternoon: 22 rain
evening: 20 fine

radar looks OK at the moment though...

50 for New Zealand's star man. Well played Danny Vettori

He went on to make 96 and a fine innings from Brownlie 77*. NZ all out 295.

Warner goes - a decent delivery from Southee... feathered off the glove to the slips trying to let it go. 3/1

30 minutes before tea, Khawaja and Ponting are looking comfortable and scoring at a fair rate. Aus 77-2

Vettori slowing the sr down, being treated with due respect.

Rank bad ball from Vettori, and Ponting crashed the short ball through cover for four.

Last 7 overs only 10 runs, NZ slowing it down.

Ponting four to mid wicket, great timing, he is looking like the Ponting of old.

Tea taken, Aus 91-2.

I fancy Ponting for a long overdue century today.

Khawaja, 38, run out straight after tea. The ball beat Khawaja's dive easy. Ponting's error completely, there was no need for that risky run first ball after tea.

Aus 115-3, 180 behind. A good game in prospect.

Probing passage of play from NZ.

50 for Ponting with a beautiful drive for four.

Two 50s in successive innings for Ponting.

Clarke cuts Bracewell for a cracking boundary.

Aus breaking free a wee bit, four boundaries in the last 3 overs.

That sudden run spurt, brings Vettori back into the attack.

Clarke leans out and smacks a extra-cover drive for four.

Clarke and Ponting looking good, a 44 partnership.

Ponting cuts a four over the top of the infield, classic.

Punter intent on that 100.

Clarke gone, chopped on.

no ball!

Massive moment, umpire goes upstairs to check for a no-ball?????


A NO-BALL, Clarke called back..

Clarke, a lucky boy

Ponting looking good and drives another four.

Bracewell after the no-ball an 9 overs for 46 is replaced by Brownlie.

The partnership upto 54.

A review for lbw????????/

Very close, was hitting, but umps call. Punter not out.

Punter a lucky boy too.