Oceania VB Tri-Series Commentary

Ritchie is the best commentator in cricket, IMO.

Mmmmm, I heard that Shihad have to change their name for US audiences...

R.

 

R.

 

VB Series, 2001/02

Team Pts

New Zealand 17
Australia 9
South Africa 8

Bond, Astle spoil Australia's party
Though this may have been Australia's national day, New Zealanders' cricketers were again the ones with cause for celebration as another enchanting victory came their way in the VB Series today. This one - registered by the margin of 77 runs over an again-disappointing Australia - was a tribute to disciplined batting and excellent pace bowling in front of a large crowd in Adelaide.

[image=http://images.tvnz.co.nz/sport/290/black_caps_nash.jpg] [image=http://images.tvnz.co.nz/sport/cricket/tri-series2002/fleming_happy.jpg]

 

you really know how to rub it in, dont ya JP.

 

Rub it in?

Not at all. I merely cut and pasted some pertinent info from cricinfo.com, in case some Australians were out drinking on Australia Day and had missed the game.

No personal reaction of the match from me at all.

Cool. Calm. Clinical.

 

Yeah I missed it. It was no surprise really. Our bowlers put in one good performance and they think everyhting is back to normal. But as seen, Mark Waugh, Gilchrist, Symonds, Bichel are all out of form. One off games don't count for much.

 

Sorry I missed it as well. I was too interested in my own backyard game.

 

Australia doesn't deserve to win the series now. Our batsmen need to be shot

 

I agree. It'll be a good kick in hte pants for them. But I'll still be cheering for them.

I had the Oz Day cricket going on the beach. It was a great day for it. The girls got to listen to their Triple J too.

 

Somehow i'm thinking that this series as lacked something, it's called excitement.

Given how low the scores are compared to previous series, either the batsmen decided to take a break or the bowlers decided to go nuts to make it easier for the batsmen, which hasn't really worked

 

Even the test series has had a lot less quality then previous years.

 

Given how low the scores are compared to previous series,

That's a direct result of the new bouncer laws. If used to its full potential, an innings can be made up of 250 playable balls, rather than 300. I don't like the new rule for that very reason.

You don't need close games to have exciting matches. A slaughter can be just as enthralling for the winning team. And the bonus point also adds a twist - even if a game is well lost, there's still a secondary tarket / 40 over dismissal or making it within 50 runs of the posted score.

The fascinating thing about this series is that NZ has it all over Australia. Australia has South Africa stitched up, and South Africa seem to be by and large untroubled by the kiwis.

Todays game should be a goodie, though fatigue appears to be setting in on the NZ team. Not surprising given the schedule;

Complicating proceedings for the tourists is the on-going concern over the back injury being carried by Chris Cairns, whose fitness was described as "more go than touch" by manager Jeff Crowe yesterday. But Dion Nash will be available again after being rested for the game against South Africa on Sunday, and Shane Bond will play despite suffering from general soreness.

 

Australia are well on the ropes again. Maybe this will show the selectors they have to make the big choices now, in time for the World Cup.

5 for 76 with Bevan and Harvey already out there. Mark Waugh and Adam Gilchrist looked alright, before both were dismissed in a very wasteful manner.

On another topic, the NRL season is only some 45 days away. Is there any interest in another tipping contest? This will be it's 3rd year running and I'm sure we'll get enough people again. But just leave a little footnote if you are interested and I'll get in touch with you a few weeks out from the season's start.

Only 5 days until the first Rugby League game for Newcastle... the big World Cup Challenge!

 

Harvey gone now. None of the batsmen have any form at all.

BTW, New Zealand were paying an amazing $3.75 online this morning. Australia were at $1.31! I guess betting really is market driven, but that is crazy. I should've made myself time to get a bet on.

 

6 for 88 - w00t!!!



I wish I has SKY. I guess that's a bonus about going to Ui in 11 days - SKY TV in the halls.

wooohooo!

 

I bow to Michael Bevan.

I watched him do the same thing in 96, and just when I thought we were down and out, he knocks up a magnificent century to ensure a victory.

Cheers.

 

I can't believe the Kiwis threw that game away. With five overs to go, it was virtually in the bag, and then your fielders put on the dodgiest display short of Australia's efforts this season.

 

wow, the first time the tailenders play well, and look what happens.

maybe we should just reverse the batting order?

 

I just hope that last night's success won't hide the frail top order's problems.

 

Congratulations!

What an amazing game. Looks like Fleming was finally outsmarted - instead of attacking the final 4 wickets he opted to try to slow the runs creating an impossible runrate in the last 10 for the tail.

Unfortunately he didn't factor in Bevan. You could see Fleming had no idea what to do with his field when the plan came unstuck.

Again, an amazing win. The best thing to come out of it was that again the radio commentators have to eat their words. They're far FAR to quick to predict teams demise. When will they ever learn?


PS: Your top order is still shaky!

 

If you don't post any pictures from last night's game, I will!

 

[image=http://images.tvnz.co.nz/sport/290/bichel_bevan_odi.jpg]



EDIT: Cannot believe Fleming has to face a disciplinary enquiry for pointing out that Australia were breaking the rules by having more than 2 outside the circle before fielding restrictions were lifted!

 

Heheheh

I don't suppose there's a picture of Daniel Vettori falling on his arse, is there?

 

No, but you can laugh your head off at this;

New Zealand left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori could miss Friday's limited overs match against South Africa after suffering concussion in a fielding mishap during Tuesday's defeat to Australia.

Vettori made a diving attempt to catch Australian Brett Lee in the 41st over and landed heavily on his head.

He took none for 36 from his 10 overs but was dazed for his final two overs, captain Stephen Fleming said.

"He's in la-la land at the moment," Fleming said.

"He hit his head with that (attempted) catch...certainly during the two overs that he was bowling, he was on another planet.

"So we're pretty concerned about him, to be honest."

Fleming refused to speculate on Vettori's availability for Friday's match, which has become a must-win for the competition leaders after Australia's surprise comeback victory with three balls to spare at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Only one win, or four points, separates the Kiwis (17) from Australia (13) and South Africa (13) in the triangular series table.

Fleming must also wait for an injury report on all-rounder Chris Cairns, who made 55 off 63 balls on Tuesday but was unable to bowl because of back problems.

The skipper admitted he was wondering how the Kiwis had let the game slip after reducing Australia to 82 for six chasing 246 to win.

"There'd be about 30 things I'd do differently," Fleming said. "You go through it in the heat of the moment, you make the right calls that you think at the time.

"We have to re-group very quickly. We're obviously very dejected now and disappointed.

"When you get a side six down pretty quickly, you rate your chances from there.

"For 90 overs we played reasonably well and we look forward to South Africa in Perth (on Friday). We're still on top of the table, aren't we?"

Source: Reuters