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Australia and New Zealand could scarcely be more evenly matched heading into today’s colossal World Cup clash in Auckland.
Both have potent top orders capable of setting a platform for massive scores. Both have intimidating middle-to-late order strikers who can take a game away from the opposition in just half an hour.
Both have attacks which utilise pace and swing to scythe through opposition batting line-ups. And both have canny and inventive captains who lead with aggression and look to put opposition sides on the back foot from the first ball.
One way of gauging just how close two sides are in ability is to select a composite line-up. I’ve done just that, picking my Anzac team from each nation’s World Cup squads ahead of today’s blockbuster at Eden Park.
Several high-profile pundits have already put their composite teams forward with some startling ommissions. Fox Sports experts, and former Test cricketers, Brendon Julian and Stuart Clark both overlooked New Zealand’s Corey Anderson and Australia’s James Faulkner.
That came as a serious shock given that, in my opinion, Faulkner and Anderson are the two best all-rounders in ODI cricket and would be locks in a World XI let alone a cross-Tasman side.
Both Julian and Clark selected enigmatic Aussie Glenn Maxwell ahead of Anderson, who arguably is New Zealand’s most valuable player.
It’s no surprise that many Aussie cricket followers are not familiar with the abilities of Anderson or many of the newer New Zealand players. As I wrote for The Roar this week, Australia and New Zealand have played just two ODIs in the past five years and have not played a Test match in more than three years.
During this period, Anderson has emerged as one of the most talented players in world cricket. While he has been unable to hold a place in New Zealand’s Test side that is solely because of the presence of another wonderfully-gifted young all-rounder in James Neesham.
But in ODIs, Anderson is on his way to potentially becoming the most valuable player in the game in the years to come. In his 29 ODIs to date, the 24-year-old has made 773 runs at an average of 37 with the astronomical strike rate of 130.
His resume includes the second fastest century of all time, off just 36 balls.
Anderson’s batting blitzkriegs should not distract, however, from his muscular and intelligent left arm seamers. He has so far snared 41 wickets at an average of 26. Again his strike rate, at 25, is astounding and puts him in the truly elite bracket.
Anyway, that’s enough fawning over Corey, you get the picture. He’s a gun and should only get better. Here is my Anzac ODI team:
1. Aaron Finch
2. Brendon McCullum (WK) (C)
3. David Warner
4. Kane Williamson
5. Steve Smith
6. Ross Taylor
7. Corey Anderson
8. James Faulkner
9. Dan Vettori
10. Mitch Johnson
11. Mitchell Starc
As a keeper-batsman McCullum shades Haddin who, while a fine player, does not possess the same match-winning ability.
McCullum’s opening partner Finch cops plenty of criticism. His numbers suggest most of it is unwarranted – over his past 24 ODIs, Finch has creamed 1068 runs at 47, including five centuries and another score of 96.
Warner, at first drop, is yet to master the ODI game in the manner he has the Test version, but his best is magnificent and he has become far more consistent over the past 18 months.
Williamson is an automatic inclusion at four, as is Smith whose batting form has been equally commanding as the young Kiwi. Taylor, at six, has made a habit of looking scratchy early in his innings in recent times but continues to make runs and has a sensational career record.
I’ve made it clear why I think Anderson is an obvious choice at seven and it boggles the mind to think anyone would argue with Faulkner at eight.
My choice at nine, Dan Vettori, may surprise a few people. His teammate Tim Southee has strong claims to make this side. In the end, however, Southee is not yet superior to Australia’s lethal left arm Mitches, Starc and Johnson.
Vettori gets the nod because, aside from being an underrated and frugal spinner, it would be unrealistic to have an attack of five seamers without having massive problems with over rates, not to mention a lack of variety.
So there it is, Roarers, that’s my composite Anzac side. The fact Australia has six players and New Zealand five illustrates how closely matched the teams are. Today’s match shapes as a potential classic.