Australia in very uncertain times open their ICC World T20 campaign against local rivals New Zealand, who look to follow up a strong victory at Dharamsala. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage of the match from 8:30pm (AEDT).
Australia have had an unsettled line up and plenty of questions are being posed in the lead up to this first match of their tournament. The questions have only continued when captain Steve Smith refused to name a starting XI before the toss.
Despite struggling historically in the shortest form of the game, particularly on the biggest stage of all, they strangely had very few T20 matches in the lead-up to the World Cup.
The Aussies played three matches against India at the end of the home summer, losing all of them before going to South Africa and managing to win the series two games to one. With Aaron Finch returning from injury for that series, it saw David Warner move down the order to number four. Finch wasn’t in the best form on his return, but must turn that around.
He scored plenty of runs and the decision appeared to be a masterstroke, however, with rain expected for this match it could be a wise call to get him back to the top and make sure Australia get off to a fast start.
New Zealand meanwhile, started their tournament off with an unexpected, yet brilliant victory over India. On a pitch that was turning like it was a Day 5 wicket, they managed to score 126 and then on the back of Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi who took 4 for 11 and 3 for 18 respectively, they knocked India over for just 79.
In this new era, without Brendon McCullum the likes of Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Martin Guptill and Corey Anderson are going to be the key men to stand up. There is some serious hitting power there, and if they fire it is hard to see exactly how Australia are going to slow them down.
Spin bowling could play a big part on the match. As already mentioned, New Zealand have plenty of options but looking at the Australian squad it is only Adam Zampa, with help from all-round Glenn Maxwell.
Australia and New Zealand of course had a series in February that involved no T20 matches. Australia would win the Test series.
Prediction
New Zealand should get the job done with their spinners playing a huge role. Rain could prove to be a factor though.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of the match from 8:30pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to add your own comments in the section below as the action unfolds.
Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde
mariachi band fan
Guest
Have to agree with every point - why did most of our batsmen think they had to finish it quickly?
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
Why would they if Smith won't bowl them?
Tana Mir
Roar Rookie
Nah... God is scratching his head as well. Boyce kept Indians quite on Aussie wickets... imagine how effective he would be be on Indian wickets.
Ruka
Guest
Really Australia choked... that's how you see it...seriously? New Zealand strangled India at home after posting a low score with the bat, then just did the same to Australia. I would say Australia just got taught a lesson in T20 cricket nothing more nothing less.
Simoc
Guest
Bat after bat on both sides caught in the outfield trying to hit sixes. Slow learners.
Tana Mir
Roar Rookie
Few points: 1. Out batting; except Khawaja and Marsh, it appeared the batters completely failed to read the game and apply themselves We were chasing 7 an over not 17. All that was required was 1s and 2s and wait for the bad ball, take it deep with wickets in hand. Total and complete batting failure starting with Smith. The way he got out was school boy stuff. instead of offering a straight bat to a ball that is going away from you....he closes the face! So did Maxwell. 2. Our selection: Seriously, how on earth can you justify Agar on tour when Boyce/Lyon/Green are available. 3. Our captain: why did Zampa bowl just an over?? NCN completes his 4, clearly the pitch did not favor fast men. Kiwis, they were just brilliant. Someone said it, out-played, out-selected and out-captained.
Ashton
Guest
i bet the selectors are regretting not selecting proper spinners.
Tom
Guest
Watson is an ALL ROUNDER. He bats well in T20s, that's great. Doesn't mean we can go into a game in a World Cup with THREE! Specialist batsmen none of which include THE BEST batsman in the world. There is no point having a thousand all rounders. what is the point picking an rounder for ONE! Over (on his debut ffs). But you're right the best batsman in the world couldn't possibly make a difference I'm just "pretending". HA!
Perry Bridge
Guest
A slight irony with Watson - yep, he produced that ripping 124* in Australia. And that finally boosted his T20I average into the - wait for it - his 20s, he's running at 28 (granted S/R around 144). Fair enough, might not always have opened but reality is over his 55 games he's been opener more than not by a fair margin but also had a run at #3 in 2014 and that didn't turn out well. So, he scored 8 in Cardiff last year, and since then 12, 15, 124*, 9, 42 and 13. Now - granted the 124* was against India and the SCG used to take a fair bit of spin. Outside of that, 91 runs in 5 at 18.2. Compare to the guy they dropped - Finch - who averages near 40 at 153 S/R. Didn't go to England, back here - 44, 74 (run out with popped hammy), 40 and 2. So, only once below 40 in 4 knocks in 2016. Watson, only over 20 twice in 6 knocks going back to Cardiff. Do you see where I'm heading. As an opener Shane Watson just is not the man. We're replacing the world #1 (Finch) with a guy who while is definitely capable - and we know his 'promise' earned him an somewhat unfulfilled test career - well, the selectors have fallen for the 'potential' of Watson one last time. I'm glad Australia lost. Afraid though that Finch still won't be seen in the next game and if he does suddenly and unfairly he'll have the pressure of the world on him for no good reason - keep mindful too - Finch got dropped after one failure, the 2, yorked by a beauty in the first over in Jo'burg. Prior to that he'd a run of 44*, 33, 44, 74 and 40. How in any mindset would one failure cost him his place - given he's ranked world #1. Irony too - he's apparently no good in India, and yet, his one match in 2013 at Rajkot saw him plunder 89 off 52 balls - against India. His 4 matches in Dhaka in 2014 so scores of 65, 16, 6 and 71 against Pak,WI, Ind and Bangas. So - I again struggle with why he's been squeezed out. Watson bowled nicely - stick him at 6 or7 and get rid of Agar.
Perry Bridge
Guest
Given Agar bowled just one over for 18 and at the other end of the scale Zampa just one over for 3 - shows a lack of captaincy from Smith - clearly Zampa was under bowled and really, Agar on debut thrown the shiny new hard ball in what - the 3rd over. So - agree very much with #Daws. Either Smith was massively out captained by Williamson or he has no faith in the A-Z of his spin attack - and ironically it was Maxwell who got Australia back into the game - actually 2 catches, a run out and 2 wickets - not a bad outing in the foothills of the Himalaya.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Guest
I still don't understand how Agar got in the squad. His bowling just isn't good enough. Surely there are better spinners going around. On paper it didn't seem likely that the Aussies could lose to the Kiwis but the deck was increasingly difficult to bat on.
AlanKC
Guest
Outselected, out coached and outplayed - well done kiwis.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
They'd probably replace Agar with another bowler so who do you think should be dropped to accommodate another batsmen?
TC123
Guest
Australa just choked. I thought only the Kiwis were good at that
Tom from Perth
Guest
Can we see that we need our best four bats in the side now? Finch, Watson, Khawaja, Warner. Get them all in there!
broken-hearted toy
Guest
Rubbish, Watson is a very useful batsman in this format. Stop pretending there are players out there who would make a difference when there isn't. We had batsmen alright, they just didn't pull their weight. The bowlers did very well apart from a very nervous Agar.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thanks Kohatu!
Scott Pryde
Expert
I wouldn't call it an "embarrassing performance" but it certainly wasn't good. You raise some points about Smith being out-captained, and I still can't really understand why Agar bowled in the powerplay.
Kohatu
Guest
Great call Scott and a great win to the Black Caps...
peter chrisp
Guest
Hate to say well done New Zealand