Australia v New Zealand: Second Test, Hobart

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Australia v New Zealand, 2nd Test
December 9-13, Bellerive Oval, Hobart
Start time: 10:30 local - 23:30 GMT - 07:30 WST

The Second Test in Hobart affords the visitors a climate and playing surface more familiar to their batsmen, whilst Australia will be looking to better their two match winning streak with an unchanged side that performed well in Brisbane last week.

New Zealand have decided to stick with the same XI too and will be hoping for better performances all round and a vast improvement on their mental approach to this match.

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 Mitchell Starc, 11 Nathan Lyon.

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

Lunch should be now, but with NZ 9 down, the extra half hour rule is being used.

Wow, 4 quick boundaries by Boult NZ 224-9.

Boult gone, caught in the deep, but he hit a valuable 21.

NZ ao 226 and a lead of 240.

Pattinson, Siddle and Lyon with 3 wkts each and Hussey bagging the other.

Play delayed after lunch by rain.

Back under way

Martin to Hughes, no run, appeal for caught-behind, Reece Young wasn't confident as he dived to his right, LLong didn't give it out, shortish outside leg stump and he tried to glance it down, it scraped the glove, Hot Spot showed a heat signature on the glove, New Zealand could have won the review had they gone for it, wow

Solid start for Aus, after a nervous start Hughes is starting to look settled.

Aus 30-0.

50 Partnership, NZ trying hard but no luck.

Aus 52-0.

Tea break.

Aus 72-0 Needing another 169 to win.

Rain stops play.

why isnt dan vettori playing? is he injured?

He's done his hammy cf.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia-v-new-zealand-2011/content/story/544466.html

ah right cheers LB.

Lyon has been impressive yet again.

Yes, he hung in there and grabbed a few at the end.

Well that probably is the end of Hughes for a while.

Hughes out caught in the slips yet again without adding to his overnight score.

Hughes 20 cGuptil bMartin

Aus 78-1


Khawaja in the same boat as Hughes, can he save himself?

First Test 50 for Warner

Likely to be an opening partnership of Warner and Watson or maybe even elevate Marsh up to open with Watson. Both openers being so attack minded might be a little bit detrimental to the team.

Hughes looks shot mentally he needs a break or a flat wicket and Bangladesh...

Tough work this morning, NZ look sharp.

Yep very tight bowling, 3 or 4 more wickets before lunch could make this a close finish.
That's what i am hoping for anyway

Looking good for Aus at the moment, just 147 more needed to win. Normally that would be straightforward but this current Aussie team are prone to the odd collapse or two.

Aus 94-1.

Khawaja gone, probably his place against India too.
With Marsh and Watson replacing Hughes and Khawaja.

Khawaja 23 cTaylor bBoult

Aus 122-2

Another typical Khawaja innings, promises the world and gets out to a nothing delivery. Big innings for Ponting, big half hour in this test coming up.

My predicted Aus team to face India;

Watson
Warner
Marsh
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Haddin
Siddle
Pattinson
Cutting/Harris/Starc/Copeland
Lyon

That seems about right. I have to say I haven't been that impressed by Starc, he looks a bit raw to me so far. If Harris is fit he should definitely come back in, if not I'd go for Copeland.

Khawaja will surely come good with time, he has too much class.

I agree, Harris should be fit, so should play.

Both Hughes and Khawaja will i am sure, be back into the reckoning sooner rather than later. Both look to have good potential. Not the first, nor the last cricketers to have had shaky starts to Test careers and have then gone on to have had good careers.
Ponting and Hussey will not be around forever

Speaking of people with shaky starts to test careers... IIRC Ponting was dropped in about 96 with an average of 33, came back into the side against England in 97, made 120odd at Headingley in his come-back test. The rest, as they say, is history.

New Zealand really need a wicket now.

Exactly.

If some had got their way, Ponting would never have been an Aussie great. Some people are too quick to write people off. We can all have our own opinions, but that does not make us right.

Shane Warne is another example of a cricketer who did not have the most auspicious of starts, but someone saw something in him to persevere with.

And they have one. The ball stops on Ponting who scoops it straight to cover. Bit of a lucky break there but NZ have deserved it.

Does that standing ovation for Ponting merely mean he might not play in Tasmania again or something else?

Woahhhhhhh Clarke gone to a juggled catch. Game on.

Aus 159-4

Nah I don't think so. S. Waugh got standing ovations for the whole ashes series in 2002/03 and played on for another series. The ausies have a knack of backing their elder statesmen.

Clarke gone, squeaky bum time...

A review on Hussey?

OMG Hussey gone

Aus 159-5

Hat-trick ball for Bracewell, excitement before lunch.

Have to say not convinced by the hawke-eye on Hussey. Front on look like it hit him on leg-stump and heading down.

Lunch time. I can't call this. Obviously I can't go to sleep either.

Nervous lunch for both teams. Warner will be the big difference. Normally i would back Aus but recently with them you can never tell.

Lunch; Aus173-5 needing 68 to win.

Another close match in Test match cricket, good for the game.

yep. Who is your money on.

I want NZ to come out on top, but i think Aus will win by three wickets.

Hopefully, I will be wrong.

I want Aus to win, but think the collapse will continue. Warner will be out for 97ish and NZ win by about 30.

Warner just booked his spot for sure, good ton.

Ton for Warner, now settle down, you need another 30 or 40 son...

Haddin again

Amazingly stupid cricket given the previous ball. NZ on top.

The ball is still moving about a wee bit, still a big chance for NZ.

Aus 194-6, 45 to win.

Siddle gone, you might be right

Can comeone lend these batsmen a brain? What was Pattinson doing there?

Does Warner now play even more aggressively or play the same unless another wicket goes down.

woahhhhhhh out and a review.

phewwwwwwww for Aus no.