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Why was Australia playing New Zealand again?

6th February, 2017
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Can Australia win for a third time in the Champions Trophy? (AAP Image/SNPA, Ross Setford)
Roar Rookie
6th February, 2017
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What was the point of a series where Australia didn’t bring its best three specialist batsmen?

What was the point of a series where Australia didn’t have its first three choices of skipper?

Jammed into the schedule after a Test and one day series against Pakistan, and before touring India, arguably the biggest challenge of skill and character in world cricket.

It was a series shoved in at the end of the Big Bash, leaving the Sheffield Shield seemingly obsolete. Whilst it was clearly important enough for Australia to lose the top spot in the one day rankings, one has to wonder what the actual point of these games were.

If you watched both games, you have an answer. No matter who is playing, no matter the scenario or past and future tours, no matter the score line, cricket is still bloody exciting. For a tour with a lack of consequences, both games proved to be vastly more interesting than the ones played at home against Pakistan.

With the 50-over game becoming lost in a world of cricket purists and 20/20 fanatics, these two games showed there is still life yet in the format.

josh-hazelwood-mitchell-starc-cricket-australia-2017

The excitement level boiled down to a few factors. The contest between bat an ball proved to be far more even than other series, with Trent Boult’s effort in the final game a masterclass.

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It seems that 300 is almost the new par score in a One Day International, and to see teams be restricted in back to back games proves both the conditions and bowling were suited to an even contest.

Clearly there were still runs scored, with a couple of brilliant performances by two men at opposite ends of their international career. Ross Taylor scored a very powerful Ross Taylor-esque hundred in the final game.

He was very strong through backward point, and held up one end whilst things fell apart around him. He now has the equal most One Day International hundreds for New Zealand, a remarkable feat considering the talent of one day players to hail from NZ.

The other performance was right out of left field, with Marcus Stoinis obliterating a world class attack in his second game for his country. He scored 146*, not to mention his three wickets to almost bring Australia home from the brink of what was looking like an embarrassing loss.

The striking of such a player, so unexperienced in the international arena was brilliant. A plethora of drives on the up that continuously slammed into the crowd 15 and 20 rows back, and doing so whilst looking so calm, surely has the Australian selectors reconsidering the future of the all-rounder in the Australian team.

Other players who stood up again included Travis Head, who continues to show that he should have been on the plane to India instead of Glenn Maxwell, and Pat Cummins. He is a fast-bowling prodigy who has added control and variation to his blistering pace.

Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood I am sure would have preferred to be watching the games from the comfort of their own homes, as a bit of fatigue seemed to have set in. Nevertheless, they charged in and showed glimpses of why they are now the most impressive new ball pair in world cricket.

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I must admit, at the start of the series I thought to myself; “Who cares? Bring on India”. It was so refreshing to see competitive games of cricket played in this manner, and I for one can wait for the next tour that doesn’t mean anything!

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