AUS Tour to NZ 2016

[waiopehu oldboy]

Fire Service found out about the fire from TV coverage of the cricket before anyone called it in. Big day for scrub fires, there's a big one behind Upper Hutt that's still burning & one just north of Hamilton that's now been put out.

Oh & Christchurch got a 5.7 quake just after 1300 local. No injuries reported so far but some property damage, more of the cliffs out Sumner way gone (see below) & obviously plenty of shredded nerves with the fifth anniversary of "the big one" only eight days away.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/76868658/live-57-earthquake-hits-christchurch

EDIT: More damage to Christ Church Cathederal, too:

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Oh crap, BMac lbw to what would've been the fourth-last ball of the day. Reviewed it but hitting the top of middle & leg so see ya later, NZ 178/4 & Strayans can start looking for things to do on their day off on Tuesday.

EDIT: four c&b's in the Strayan innings (anyone know if that's a record?) suggests the pitch is slower than the batsmen think, as does the dolly someone hit to mid-on. If I were Smith I'd be giving myself a few overs.

 

[Quick Hands]

NZ 4 down and still 200 adrift of the Aussies - and no Ross Taylor.

 

[Quick Hands]

Fire Service found out about the fire from TV coverage of the cricket before anyone called it in. Big day for scrub fires, there's a big one behind Upper Hutt that's still burning & one just north of Hamilton that's now been put out.

Oh & Christchurch got a 5.7 quake just after 1300 local. No injuries reported so far but some property damage, more of the cliffs out Sumner way gone (see below) & obviously plenty of shredded nerves with the fifth anniversary of "the big one" only eight days away.

View attachment 7429

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/76868658/live-57-earthquake-hits-christchurch

EDIT: More damage to Christ Church Cathederal, too:

View attachment 7430

Geez they've had a rough trot over there in Christchurch. Poor buggers.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Geez they've had a rough trot over there in Christchurch. Poor buggers.

Been 50+ aftershocks, 25 magnitude 2.0 or higher. The people who monitor these things say there's a 19% chance of another quake in the 5.0-5.9 range in the next week. Second Test starts at Hagley Oval on Saturday..........

Lots of public buildings e.g. Schools & Cant'y Uni shut today while they check for structural damage, I'm guessing they'll have people out at AAMI & Hagley doing similar checks. Nothing to suggest either has been damaged as yet.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Anderson lbw Marsh for a 22-ball duck.

BJWatling to the rescue, last two NZ sixth wicket second innings partnerships at Basin have been 300+

 

[Strewthcobber]

Anderson lbw Marsh for a 22-ball duck.

BJWatling to the rescue, last two NZ sixth wicket second innings partnerships at Basin have been 300+

Bird gets one so not this tome. Will have to be the 7th wicket fightback today!

 

[Strewthcobber]

All over, red rover.

Pretty disappointing for BC fans. That wasn't the performance they were looking for, neither with the bat nor the ball.

It's also fairly hard to believe that this Australian side is now just a draw away from claiming the number 1 ranking.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

A very satisfying game all round for our boys. I'm with you though Strewth, I don't think we're anywhere near the No. 1 team yet. If we play like this for the next 12 months then yeah, sure, but not right now.

 

[Brumby Runner]

So who's No 1 in your opinion? SA who have just lost series to India (away) and England (home)? Or England who have to come from a fair way below Australia in the rankings? Or India, who seem to be only able to win at home. IMO, NZ is just about second in the world atm to Australia.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

It's actually hard to say, because I don't think over the last 12 months that any one side has been consistently good enough. If it ends up with us at the top on ranking points then so be it, but the vibe of the thing doesn't sit right. I don't say that lightly either, given that I'm normally one to go with the vibe

 

[barbarian]

There are no great sides in cricket at the moment. No-one truly deserves the #1 title.

I think the best means of identifying 'great' sides is the ability to win consistently away from home. Only a few can claim that in the past 15 years.

England at their peak in 2009-2011 certainly qualifies, as does South Africa in about 2008. Then you are back to our period of dominance from 2002-2007 (with a blip in 2005).

For all their talent India have never gotten there, and our inability to win in England and India since 2007 has hurt our claims to that title as well.

 

[Braveheart81]

On the basis of winning tests away from home, Pakistan must be considered the number one team in the world.

 

[Strewthcobber]

On the basis of winning tests away from home, Pakistan must be considered the number one team in the world.

I reckon on just about any measure they are getting close.

I'd be more scared of them beating Australia at home than any other team (especially if Steyn can't play regularly any more). They have quicks and a leggie, the combo that works here.

 

[Braveheart81]

I reckon on just about any measure they are getting close.

I'd be more scared of them beating Australia at home than any other team (especially if Steyn can't play regularly any more). They have quicks and a leggie, the combo that works here.

5 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss in 2015.

 

[Pfitzy]

I think we'll get a far better idea of the state of Test cricket over the next year, as the Axis of Evil set up by the BCCICC (India, England, Oz) kind of peters out.

We need more Test series across all nations to help the majority of them, let's face it. In the face of T20 being the richest game in the business, per minute played, Test cricket needs to get a shot in the arm.

 

[Strewthcobber]

I think we'll get a far better idea of the state of Test cricket over the next year, as the Axis of Evil set up by the BCCICC (India, England, Oz) kind of peters out.

Jarrod Kimber had a good line on that this week. (Paraphrasing)
"The Big 3 is being retracted.....We're going to go back to the old system where nothing happens unless India wants to do it."

 

[Pfitzy]

Yep. But more time for those nations not directly in their line of sight to organise their own thing under the auspices of the ICC.

 

[Quick Hands]

Unfortunately, there's almost no money in test cricket except in Australia, England and India - even India make more money on the short form stuff.

First 3 days at the Basin Reserve were sold out, which is fairly unusual for countries other than the 3 mentioned. A good sign, but possibly because it was NZ v Australia. Usually when on go on to Fox Sports and watch any test cricket, the ground is usually half empty.

As has been observed above, India can do pretty much what they like as they have all the money. And when you have the calibre of person running cricket in Zimbabwe and West Indies, money talks very loudly. IIRC a few years back it was the votes of Zimbabwe which allowed India to assert greater control of some issue.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Hagley Oval has been checked out by the engineers & declared fit for purpose on Saturday. Not sure the same can be said for the NZ batting lineup...........