Ashton Agar, David Warner, Glenn Maxwell, and Kane Williamson were key players in New Zealand’s eight-run win over Australia at Dharamsala in the World T20 overnight.
The Kiwis won the toss and batted. In the third over with New Zealand 0/14, Agar’s first two deliveries were juicy thigh-high full tosses that Martin Guptill deposited 20 rows back.
His final delivery was right in Guptill’s wheelhouse and again disappeared deep into the stand for 18 off the over, the Kiwis 0-32 off three.
Commentators were sympathetic to Agar, explaining his lack of international T20 experience.
What a load of rubbish. Anyone good enough to be picked in an international of any description isn’t allowed to bowl three “please hit me out of the park” deliveries, especially to a renowned hitter like Guptill.
Agar gift-wrapped the Kiwis some great momentum, and didn’t bowl another over.
Next mistake, Warner ran Usman Khawaja out, being greedy.
Warner is by far the fastest on his feet in the Australian team, Khawaja’s not anywhere near the Warner speed class.
Warner drove down the ground and immediately called for two. Khawaja tried valiantly to support the call but was centimetres short diving to the danger end.
Khawaja was batting superbly, and as it turned out he was by far the best Australian batsman on show, scoring 37 off 27 with six crisply-struck fours.
That was a critical dismissal.
With Australia under the pump at 3/62 it was up to Warner and Maxwell to bring Australia home.
Warner holed out in the deep for 13 off 11 with Australia 4/62, while the irritating and irresponsible Maxwell tried two unsuccessful reverse sweeps in his first five runs.
Both were smackable deliveries through the covers had he batted normally. But no, he had to be the cowboy despite the seriousness of the situation.
Two more windy wuffs with the head in the air found inside edges and raced to the fine leg ropes. But when Maxwell was out for 22 off 23 he hadn’t hit one ball in the middle of the bat as he kept throwing away his responsibility to the team.
Michael Slater made the comment Maxwell would be hard to coach.
What rubbish. All Darren Lehmann has to say to Maxwell is concentrate on playing your powerful natural game, but if you play a reverse sweep or ramp shot that has to be premeditated, you’ve played your last game for Australia.
So despite the combination of Agar’s gift-bowling, Warner running out Khawaja, and Maxwell shelving his responsibility, the Australians still went close by eight runs.
The other reason for the loss was Williamson’s outstanding captaincy.
He made defending a moderate 142 an art form by the way he manipulated his attack and field, and in the process out-captained Steve Smith. Very few do that.
So the Kiwis are now sitting pretty having beaten India and Australia, who must now beat India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan to reach the finals series.
It’s not too late to stick by a more positive game plan, but it is too late to make the Australians’ morbid playing uniform look Australian.
Why the dominant funereal colour, with only a mere splash of the generally accepted green and gold?
There’s nothing inspirational in the gear, and the team’s form followed suit.
Craig Swanson
Guest
Why the current uniform is daggy. What happened to the baggy green colored one day duds we wore for the past few years. Look at the imagination that goes into the design of the Saffers uniform. And they also use a more golden yellow than we do. I like the uniform we used in the 2007 and 2009 ODI WC.
ThugbyFan
Guest
I think Agar's timid bowling frightened S.Smith into damage control trying to make sure the Kiwis didn't take his spinners to town. What I don't get is why did he give Maxwell 3 overs who did ok with them with 2 for 18, but only 1 over with A.Zampa who just went for 3. Surely to hell Zampa deserved another over. Smith said later he wanted his medium pacers to keep the run-rate down but Zampa could have caused havoc. He certainly deserved at least one more over on a spinners paradise. Look at Santner, a reasonable left-arm spinner but this wicket really suits him so the Kiwis have thrown their trust in him and its paying off. As for Australia's batting, someone said earlier that the Oz players must have gone the punt on NZ. Either that or they are trying to promote NZ into the semis at India's expense. Either way they batted like the Wamberal 3rd grade side. They got in the party mode of T20 slog-a-thon and got done like a dinner. Its obvious the Kiwi played to a plan and did well, the Aussies strutted their stuff and got stuffed. :)
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Guest
OK Campbell - lets get the eating of humble pie out of the way early. Congratulations to the Kiwis. You were good enough to win - but to be fair the Aussie batting after Khawaja got out was diabolical. What I was implying with the 'bog average' comment was the NZ side (on paper) looked unrecognisable (to Aussie supporters) without names such as B McCullum and Trent Boult in the line up i.e. no real stars. Good luck to you for the rest of the series. At least you have a few more spinning options than the Aussies by the look of it.
Riccardo
Guest
What's wrong with the uniforms David? Arguably preferable to Canary Yellow. You seem to have a frothing dislike for Maxwell while exhonerating other poor performers. A common theme it would appear. Losing to the Black Caps must grate but I'm afraid they were the better side and that's all there is to it. Australia will bounce back; hold your horses.
Bee bee
Guest
They make you guys pay as well. That's ridiculous. I thought you guys would riot if they made you pay for Rugby. Anyway. You guys are great. You played well. And if Australia can't win this thing then I will definitely have my heart behind the black caps.
Hayley
Guest
Bee Bee all you need to do is look at the rugby articles on this very site, especially the articles from around the time the All Blacks lost last year. If you want to watch super rugby in NZ you have to pay for it as well unless you are lucky and they show delayed coverage on Prime.
Praveen
Guest
Also Khawaja was a class above as opener, why move him to 3 as he is a master in the power play
Praveen
Guest
I agree, smith and boof will do the job, only one game guys and we did beat SA a week bavk
Praveen
Guest
Stephen no one is mentioning how much finch would have struggled against sodhi and santer moving away from him
Praveen
Guest
Spot on ajay
Praveen
Guest
But Stephen is correct, Khawaja is faster then the likes of finch but annoyed it csnt be talked sense to
Praveen
Guest
Khawaja was sublime against NZ, run out was the only way he was going to get out
Praveen
Guest
Why would you move Khawaja from opener when he was our best batsman there on Friday and actually looked world class with proper cricket shots
Praveen
Guest
You are correct amith , we just best SA and Warner played a big part in the middle so leave the lineup as it is
Praveen
Guest
Khawaja is our best opener snd Warner needed in the middle other so leave Watson and Khawaja to open
Praveen
Guest
Agreed leave Watson and Khawaja to open
Bee bee
Guest
Like 80% of Austalia. Rugby is not really an interest. We don't even get Super Rugby coverage here (unless you pay). I have never heard a preachy Kiwi go on about All Blacks but if I did I would find it cute like the loveable little bird you are all named after.
Hayley
Guest
Im a New Zealander, not justifying anyones behaviour. Just pointing out how a lot of you look and I thought that because most of you hate 'the preaching' and all that from All Blacks fans it might get them to notice how ridiculous this all is. A bit, I would say, hypocritical.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
He's never been picked for any format. It's shame but he appears to be on the scrap heap as regards international cricket.
13th man
Guest
Then Watto or Faulkner even gets dropped. Finch must play and we have one too many bowling all rounders.