Australia will be missing their two best batsmen, David Warner and Steve Smith, when the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy starts today, giving the Kiwis a far greater chance of avenging their 3-0 shellacking last month.
Australia dominated that home ODI series thanks to the commanding displays of Warner and Smith, who combined for 535 runs at an average of 89.
The rest of the Australian team contributed just 374 runs, underlining the enormous input of the star pair, who carried that form into the just-completed five-match series against Pakistan – Warner making 367 runs at 73, and Smith 221 runs at 55.
Now Warner has been rested from the tour of New Zealand and Smith has withdrawn due to an ankle complaint.
Having relied heavily on Smith and Warner over the past two years, Australia’s batting line-up will be tested. The Black Caps have the first and seventh-ranked ODI bowlers in the world, in Trent Boult and Matt Henry, as well as veteran swing bowler Tim Southee and accurate left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner.
Some of these bowlers have, however, struggled at times to perform against the Aussies. Southee, in particular, has been reduced to cannon fodder, averaging 58 with the ball from 16 ODIs against Australia.
Henry was brilliant with the white ball the last time Australia toured New Zealand, but was targeted last month, taking 2-165 from 20 overs in that series.
But Boult’s ability to swing the new ball late and sharply has troubled the Aussie batsmen. He’s taken 16 wickets at an average of 22 from seven ODIs against Australia.
As for Santner, he has eight wickets at 22 against Australia, compared to 17 wickets at 46 against every other team. While is not a big turner of the ball, Santner has repeatedly shown the ability to choke Australia’s run rate in the middle overs.
Santner, Boult and Henry shape as the keys in this series. Australia’s bowling attack is dominant but, without Smith and Warner, their batting is a potential weakness.
With the bat, the Kiwis will be hoping for greater input from gun Kane Williamson, whose average of 36 from nine ODIs against Australia is ten runs lower than his career mark, while his slow strike rate of 77 is a reflection that the Aussie attack has contained him well.
While Williamson plays Mitchell Starc as well as any batsman in world cricket, Josh Hazlewood has tested the Kiwi skipper, with his nagging line and length.
Due to his calm demeanour and ability to rotate the strike, Williamson is the perfect foil for dynamic opener Martin Guptill, who has often been overawed when faced by the Australians. Guptill overcame those nerves last month, cracking 193 runs at 61, at the blistering strike rate of 110.
At his best, he is nigh-on unstoppable, with only Warner (2256 runs at 61) having scored more ODI runs than Guptill (2092 runs at 54) in the past two years.
There are question marks over the depth of New Zealand’s batting, which was exposed last month. The tourists will feel that if they can get one or, better still, both of Guptill and Williamson in the first ten to 15 overs, the Kiwis will struggle to set or chase a large total.
Of course, if the Black Caps bat first, they may not need to post a 300-plus total to win. It is a long time since Australia have been without both Warner and Smith in an ODI series, so the pressure will weigh heavily on their new-look batting line-up.
Jacko
Guest
Haha the league would die. 40% of NRL players are from OS
Republican
Guest
.....NZ will take the next 2 easily. The Australian batting is always exposed on Kiwi and English pitches while our batsmen lack discipline and respect for NZ as a very fine ODI side. Stoinis was the only reason Australia saved face while it is highly unlikely he will sustain that sort of form to carry the predictable mediocrity in respect of batting that we have come to expect from our mob playing away from home.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Which is a great sign for NZ Bobbo, that they still managed to win with minimal input from several key batsmen. They also bowled and fielded extremely well until Stoinis went berko and tossed the game on its head. It's going to be very tough for Australia to avoid losing this series from here.
Bobbo7
Guest
Agree Ronan - NZ did not really play that well either. Williamson, Taylor, Latham did nothing with the bat
Paul D
Roar Guru
Wearing the sackcloth and ashes today are you TC? Glad someone can still get worked up about this sort of palaver. For most of us it's just another Tuesday.
taylorman
Roar Guru
Yes doesnt seem fair to the writer re the headlines. Are there not discussions or meetings that end up with a headline that provides sufficient balance between at least the expert writers and what is required as a sufficient level of click bait?
TC123
Guest
What rubbish
Fox
Roar Guru
Perhaps Ronan, but only one team won, and it was largely due to being 6 down before they were 80. Magnificent innings in only his 2nd ODI from Stoinis, and he bowled well as well, so all credit to him - but he was aided by some woeful bowling - I mean seriously dreadful - from Neesham, and I hate to say it, but some puzzling captaincy from Williamson who redeemed himself with some clever field placings at the end. For this reason I concur with your statement that is was poor from both teams. But Williamson knew that Hazlewood would take-off because for some reason Stoinis had no intention of letting him face a ball if he could help it and so Hazlewood was in take-off mode which played into NZ hands in the end if we are honest and Wlliamson was on-to-it even if it took a bit too long figure it out. And Williamson is a magnificent fieldsman and unfortunately for Hazzlewood it virtually went straight to him. Probably one of only about two poor shots Stoinis played. What is disappointing is some of the headlines in Australian Newspapers blaming Hazlewood with "What was he thinking?' but Stoinis has to share some of the blame because he made it very very clear to Hazlewood early on that he didn't want him to face and Hazzlewood was willingly to go along with it. The problem was, Stoinis put Hazlewood's mindset in "run at all costs mode" which was stupid when they only needed but a handful of runs to win. Stonis should have walked down the pitch - trusted Hazlewood, who is not a complete bunny - and said "don't run if there isn't one there and we will pitch a quick single early next over." He has to share some of the blame for what happened despite his great knock. Because of his clear desire to face every ball - NZ knew Hazzlewwod would run and that is exactly what happened and why Williamson set the field the way he did as he said in the post match interview.
Bobbo7
Guest
I expected NZ to win first up. NZ are hard to beat at home and have Taylor back in at 4, something that was missing on their ODIs against Australia. Great knock from Stoinis. NZ top 4 did not do enough they have a lot more of improvement to make on this performance,
Fox
Roar Guru
Sorry PG can't agree with you on his consistency because that is the very thing that has been his Achilles heel and why he has been in and out of the ODI and test side - what he consistently does is get a big score then a run of ordinary ones. The " Big Show" all too often has been a no show. Talent yes, but get found out too often these days and team have figured him out a bit as well but he hasn't adjusted like he perhaps should have.
James Jackson
Guest
You're right they make no difference
Jacko
Guest
Jacko
Guest
Ronan the title of your article reflected poorly on the article itself but ( as you didnt choose it ) thats life. NZ won a game you believed they would lose. I've not seen many games Nz v Aus ( in NZ )where a game is not somehow dragged into the final overs before being pronounced won. Today was no different. Hope thursday is as enjoyable
Jacko
Guest
So these games are the BRIBE Aus cricket needed to pay to get Night tests off the ground?
Jacko
Guest
Virtous= righteous, good, moral, morally correct, ethical, upright, upstanding, high-minded, right-minded, right-thinking, principled, exemplary, clean, law-abiding, lawful, irreproachable, blameless, guiltless, unimpeachable, just, honest, honourable, unbribable, incorruptible, anti-corruption; scrupulous, reputable, decent, respectable, noble, lofty, elevated, worthy, trustworthy, meritorious, praiseworthy, commendable, admirable, laudable; pure, pure as the driven snow, whiter than white, sinless, saintly, saintlike, godly, angelic; immaculate, impeccable; informal squeaky clean "they were entirely virtuous in their endeavours" Underdog= in a competition, the person or team considered to be the weakest and the least likely to win. That seems about right Republican, does the last sentence refer to Aus?
Jacko
Guest
Warner and Smith played in the losing series to NZ last time they were there so what difference did having them make last time?
qwetzen
Guest
And how did Australia's "superstar" (R. O'Connell) opening bowlers go today? And btw, it's "Hazlewood".
qwetzen
Guest
He was targeting straight as the ground was ridiculously short at both ends.
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
Did you see his batting pie? 75% of his runs were scored in a third of the ground, i.e. between mid-wicket and mid-off. Makes you wonder about Williamson's captaincy, but I guess they didn't know much about him. Stoinis might need to develop some other scoring options if he is to worry NZ again.
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
Funnily enough, I was thinking during Stoinis's amazing innings that if it were Maxwell doing that, his innings would get lost. People just take for granted Maxwell's amazing performances and criticise his failures. He's a huge talent on the global stage and deserves respect in the ODI scene as one of the most consistently dangerous batsmen in world cricket. I hope he can transfer this to the test arena and kills it in India. Our top 4 batsmen gave the rest of the side little chance for optimism.