First Test: Thursday, November 5, 2015, Gabba, Brisbane
Second Test: Friday, November 13, 2015, WACA, Perth
Third Test: Friday, November 27, 2015, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
AUSTRALIA will roll out an inexperienced batting line up against fierce rival New Zealand in the first Test, starting tomorrow at the Gabba.
And, despite only opener David Warner and captain Steve Smith being the only batsmen who could say they have truly delivered on the big stage, the Aussies are $1.70 fancies to win the first Test with WilliamHill.com.au.
And the bookie reckons that inexperienced batting line up, which features inexperienced pair Joe Burns and Usman Khawaja as well as the unconvincing Adam Voges and Mitch Marsh, is up to the task of taking out the series, rating them a $1.53 chance to be victorious.
A lot lies with Smith and Warner to lead the way, but if they do get going, it provides a path for one of the less heralded bats to get going and make a name for himself.
It’s a good time to be a shield batsman making runs, because it appears there will be some opportunities coming up in this team, should the current spot holders fail to perform.
Work horse seamer Peter Siddle would be asking what he’s done wrong after being dumped in favour of Josh Hazlewood.
His last Test outing was against England in the dead rubber last Test, ripping through the Poms with 4/35 in the second dig to help the Aussies restore a bit of pride.
But he’s now back on the scrap heap in favour of the younger Hazlewood.
The Test selectors would have Hazlewood’s debut in mind, after he tore through India with a bag of five on this deck last year.
They will be hoping he can emulate that feat, while Siddle will be hoping he can somehow nick another Test spot and claim the elusive two wickets that would make him only the 15th Australian ever to join the 200 wicket club.
The Kiwis are $3.60 with WilliamHill.com.au (Draw is $5) to cause an upset on Australian soil in the series opener.
They are $3.80 to win the series, while a drawn series is at $6.50.
They have banned sledging and are running around spinning their nice guy image, but Smith says its all an act.
“I think they obviously knew they were coming over here after that series in England,” Smith said.
“No hard feelings.
“They have come over and they are playing that nice guy act again.
“But we are going to continue to play that hard, aggressive brand that we play so well.“
McCullum defended his side’s tactics, saying the move to ban sledging had come about under his watch.
“That’s how we play,” McCullum said.
“It’s not for everyone and we don’t expect everyone to play the way that we do.
“Everyone is entitled to play in their own way and we have worked out that this gives us our greatest chance as a team, and it sits pretty comfortable with us playing like that.
“It grew organically, to be honest.
“For a long period of time, we were searching for a bit of soul about our team.
“In the end, we stumbled on the fact that sledging for us has never worked for us, we are not very good at it for a start, and also we are not skilled enough to take our eye off the ball and focus on other things.
”It sits comfortably with this group of guys – I can’t say it would have sat the same way in previous eras.
“As I have alluded to, it allows us to focus on the job at hand, which is executing our skills on the field.
“It has got to be authentic, otherwise it’s an act and we are not trying to put up an act.”
McCullum named his side, with Hobart hero Doug Bracewell nicking the last fast bowling spot from Matt Henry.
“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.”
With Corey Anderson out, the Kiwis have slotted all rounder James Neesham in at six and keeper BJ Watling keeps his spot over Luke Ronchi, who surely would have come under heavy consideration due to his experience on Australian wickets. He might get a gig at the WACA in the second test, where he played much of his first class cricket.
The New Zealanders are on a golden run, having not lost a Test series in their last seven tries, dating back to 2013.
That has many pundits declaring this is their best chance of knocking off the Australians and locking down their first series win down under since 1985 when Richard Hadlee was bamboozling the Aussie bats.
“It’s been a while and nice to know when you enter a series against Australia that you’ve got three tests, to test yourself against one of the best teams in the world,” McCullum said.
“We’re under no illusions how difficult our task is but we’re in a good space.
“I’m pretty confident our guys will play well and if we are beaten then we’ll make it bloody tough for them to do so.”
Let’s hope the Kiwis can make this series a contest.
First Test teams:
Australia: David Warner, Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (captain), Adam Voges, Mitch Marsh, Peter Nevill (wicket keeper), Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Peter Siddle (12th man).
New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Brendon McCullum (captain), Jimmy Neesham, BJ Watling (wicket keeper), Mark Craig, Doug Bracewell, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Matt Henry (12th man).
Our tips
Series winner: Australia ($1.53 with WilliamHill.com.au)
Correct score: Australia wins 2-1 ($3.60 with Sportsbet.com.au)
First Test winner: Australia ($1.70 with WilliamHill.com.au)
Highest opening partnership: New Zealand ($2.20 with sportsbet.com.au)
We can’t go past the Aussies on their home soil, even if we do think the Kiwis are a sneaky chance of nicking one of the Tests. The Aussies rarely lose a series on their home deck and rarely lose a series against New Zealand. The Kiwis will fancy their chances, but this isn’t Rugby League and this isn’t the World Cup. Australia is the king in this match up when it comes to the cricket pitch and we fully expect them to take the series – and the first Test in this one. The Kiwis do need to strike while the iron is hot to make something of this series, but, unfortunately, we don’t think they’ll be able to handle the Australians on either the Gabba, or the WACA deck. The third Test in Adelaide probably holds their best chance, but that will probably be a dead rubber by the time it rolls around in just under a month. We’re going for the more tried Kiwi pair of Martin Guptill and Tom Latham to get their innings off to a better start than that of Warner and the inexperienced Joe Burns. Burns could be in for a baptism of fire in his first Test, while Warner is prone to either falling very cheaply or making a huge score. Guptill and Latham are both world class and would hold little fear of the at times terrifying Aussie pace attack.
Top run scorer
Australia
Usman Khawaja ($5.50 with CrownBet.com.au)
How many chances is this guy going to get? A prodigiously talented batsman, Khawaja has the technical ability to be a gun, but does he have the ticker? Has been in and out of the Test side, never able to secure his spot. One thing he could do to nail it down is to have a big series against the men from across the ditch and he can set that up by putting them to the sword in the first Test. Has been given the most important role in the Australian Test batting line up and we’re backing him to grab it with both hands.
New Zealand
Brendon McCullum ($5 with CrownBet.com.au)
There is no doubt McCullum is one of the most destructive Test batsmen of all time. Trouble is, he simply doesn’t do it against Australia. And that leaves a big asterisk next to his Test record. He averages just 25 against the Aussies and has only past 50 three times in 21 innings. The doubters will always be there, unless he can do something in this series to enhance his standing against the Aussies. A big score in the first innings at the Gabba would be just the tonic and a little food for thought for his knockers.
Top wicket taker
Australia
Josh Hazlewood ($5 with CrownBet.com.au)
The young buck has managed to push Peter Siddle out after his match winning performance against the Poms in the last Ashes Test, so he better perform. Hazlewood has all the tools to spend a very long time in the Australian team and, should Smith continue with his recent bowling line ups, will probably take the new rock. Even though the two Mitchells, Johnson and Starc, are considered the spearheads, the $5 about Hazlewood is too juicy to ignore. Just remember, the last time he played a Test on this deck he bagged a five for. We’re looking for more.
New Zealand
Doug Bracewell ($4 with CrownBet.com.au)
Bracewell also swooped in to take a spot for his nation and the Kiwis will be hoping it’s Hobart, 2011, all over again. The then relative unknown announced himself to world cricket with match figures of 9/60, leading New Zealand to its first win on Australian soil since 1985. Still only 25, Bracewell has not really reached those dizzying heights since, but since he has done it before, who is to say he can’t do it again. Third on the line of betting, Bracewell will need to grab his opportunity when he is chucked the pill, but we’re backing him in here to dig in and really cause the Aussies some problems.
