GABBA, Brisbane, Queensland, 5th November 2015, Channel 9, from 10am AEST
THE seemingly endless 2015 sporting rivalry between Australia and New Zealand extends into the test cricket arena this week with the Black Caps visiting our shores for a three-test series.
The Australian preparation has been less than ideal with the proposed Bangladesh tour cancelled due to security fears within the Asian nation.
New Zealand’s recent tour of South Africa ended with the Black Caps losing the series 3-2 in some of the most competitive cricket seen at the international level since the World Cup.
The Trans-Tasman rivalry is always a fiery affair and, with Australia relegated to second on the ICC test rankings after their poor Ashes showing, they will be keen to atone on home soil.
It promises to be a terrific series.
Match odds:
Odds provided by WilliamHill.com.au
Draw: $5.00
The bookies are expecting the Aussies to bounce back in style on the typically-pacey GABBA pitch, a venue which visitors invariably find hard to manage due to its unique surface.
Match preview – Warner fires the first shots before strapping on the pads
Newly appointed Aussie vice-captain Dave Warner has accused Black Caps skipper Brendon McCullum of double standards on and off the pitch ahead of Thursday’s opening test.
McCullum was critical of Australian captain Steve Smith’s decision to appeal the contentious obstruction of the field call against Englishman Ben Stokes during the ODI series between the Aussies and the English.
The New Zealand captain labelled Smith ‘immature’, and also had a comment for Warner himself, writing for an English publication, ‘He (Warner) might look back on his career and have a few regrets about the way he carries on,’.
Warner ensured that the opening test at the GABBA will be a feisty affair after firing back, saying McCullum ‘needs to show more respect’.
“I don’t quite understand how a current cricket captain decides to play this brand of cricket on the field which is the Mr Nice Guys and then all of a sudden think he can comment on the way an Ashes series has panned out,” Warner said.
Warner believes that when Australia and England meet in an Ashes series the stakes are higher, and a player who has not experienced that level of pressure should not comment on what happens out on the field.
“Because one, he’s never played in an Ashes series and two, he doesn’t know what it’s like to play in an Ashes series,” he said.
“It’s what we do out there, we play against England, we play an Ashes series.
“He should actually just watch the game and try and work out what they have to do to try and beat us instead of commenting on it.”
The teams have not met on the competitive cricketing arena since Australia’s comprehensive dismantling of the Black Caps at the MCG in the 2015 ODI World Cup final last February.
Team line ups:
Australia: David Warner, Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (c), Adam Voges, Mitch Marsh, Peter Nevill (wk), Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Peter Siddle (12th).
The Australians have elected to leave out fifth Ashes test hero Peter Siddle in favour of bringing back Josh Hazlewood for the first test against New Zealand at the GABBA.
Hazlewood finds his way back into the line-up after his omission at the conclusion of the Ashes series, battling injury and self-confessed ‘bad habits’ he had developed in the UK.
“It was obviously my longest run of consecutive first-class cricket matches, let alone Test cricket and I think physically it probably got the better of me toward the back end of the (Ashes) series and my bowling probably showed that,” Hazelwood said.
“The added pressure of an Ashes series, it is quite tough mentally to be on tour for that long and to have the media and the public and the crowds at you all the time, it is just a step up, the Ashes.”
Joe Burns and Usman Khawaja have forced their way into the line-up after terrific Australia A form, while Peter Nevill keeps his place behind the stumps.
New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Brendon McCullum (c), Jimmy Neesham, BJ Watling (wk), Mark Craig, Doug Bracewell, Tim Southee, Trent Boult. Matt Henry (12th).
The Black Caps have chosen to go back to the tried and true method to beat the Australians on home soil with Doug Bracewell replacing Matt Henry in the starting 11.
Bracewell was the hero when New Zealand defeated the Australians in Hobart back in 2011.
Black Caps skipper Brendon McCullum said it was a tough decision.
“It was a bit of a coin toss with them but we were comfortable either way,” McCullum said.
“They’re both very similar bowlers.
“We just thought Doug was bowling a touch better at this time.”
Who will win and why:
Odds provided by Sportsbet.com.au
Winner: Australia – $1.70
Top run scorer: David Warner – $3.75
Top Australian wicket taker – innings A: Mitchell Starc – $2.88
The Aussies and the Kiwis meet at the GABBA in the first test of the Australian summer on Thursday.
It is a changing of the guard for the Australians, with Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin and Chris Rogers amongst the players retiring from the test arena.
Newly appointed captain Steve Smith will have to work hard to galvanise his side after their Ashes capitulation, with several of his key performers that are still in the team needing to lift.
Looking at the bowling stocks, Mitchell Johnson has struggled to get himself fully fit for the opener, but will still take his place in the team.
With that in mind, the bet of Mitchell Starc to take the most opening innings for the Aussies is the favoured bet.
The Black Caps, who impressed in their last test outing against England in their drawn two test series will need a huge lift to upset the Aussies on their home soil given they will be so keen to atone.
The Aussies do not typically drop the opening home test, and with a pacey attack that is suited to the conditions their good record at the GABBA should remain intact.
Expect the Australians to kick off the summer of cricket in style with a win against the Black Caps.
