Not long to wait. 

Most in Aus have no idea Kiwis have played better than Oz overseas, because they don’t have payTV. 

They also have little idea Kiwis are ranked number 2 in the world whilst Oz are about 5th. 

I’ve been educating quite a few TCA Members in the last few days, pushing the line we are a powerhouse on home wickets, but a struggling team abroad.

Those who have pay TV know about the innocuous Aussies in Asia and  usually subscribe to the same view as me. 

The media here is as usual writing off the Kiwis. 

40 degrees is terrible weather for cricket though. 

Bring it on. Pity it is not a 5 tester. Yes when I read of anyone writing off the Black Caps I remind them of that also DC. We dont want to go into this series complacent as those Kiwis are more than capable of giving us a shock or two. They love nothing better than smacking Big Brothers bum.. I call us cuzzies.. cousins.

We have a less than established batting line up too.

I'm worried the Kiwis are going to beat us.

Good point KW. Whereas the BCs do have an established lineup.. so important as they go into the series confident with their personnel. Kinda negates any home ground/town advantage we may have. Still the Kiwis face sweltering temps.. not fun batting or bowling in those when you are unfamiliar with them.
It will be a closer series than 3-0 to Australia some on my other forum are saying. One thing is certain Aussie has to avoid not batting in the difficult Perth dusk period otherwise with the Kiwis superior swing bowling pair we may find ourselves one down come Monday nite.

Aus have been poor at home also, with the loss to India a low point. Though the Aussies were in disarray for quite some time but after the last couple of series, look like they might be on the way back. 

Thankfully who plays better elsewhere recently is not going to be as relevant as who plays better in Aus, once the series gets under way.

The kiwi's are a good side, far better than they have been for a long time. They won't be easy to beat. Good chance for them to solidify their possie near the top of the rankings and keep Aus down. Will they take it?

Interestingly, if Aus manage to take the first test, they will be equal second in the rankings with the kiwis. The latest rankings has Aus in 4th, a poor series will see them in 5th. A poor series from the kiwis will have them leapfrog Aus, Poms and Saffers downwards to 5th in the rankings (and with their next series against India).

Unlikely that will happen, but if it did, what a shame it would be :) .

https://www.icc-cricket.com/rankings/mens/rankings-predictor/test

This Kiwi team goes back to December 2013, and has consistently featured Latham, KW, Taylor, Watling, Boult, Southee, Wagner, Nicholls replaced BMac in 2016, CDG has been a constant since a surprised selection in late 2016. 

Wagner didnt play for some reason in 2015 in Aus, but Boult and Southee did, and outside the pink ball test, didn't offer up anything in attack. Santner debut'd in the test, and will likely play tomorrow, but when both sides are being skittled out for low 200 and less, his wickets at over 30 were too expensive. 

NZ's only hope for mine is Wagner's bouncers and a surprise but successful debut for Fergo. Getting the timing right for this pink ball test is also important. Aus played the last one vs Pak perfectly to have a new ball at night. I dont think NZ has the bowlers for Melbourne, we need luck for the Pinky to get  a new ball under lights at some point, else we in trouble there, and while we have a great spinner for Sydney, William Sommerville, for some reason he is not on the tour. 

I think the NZ bowlers are in trouble, and I dont thinkt he right ones have been or further will be selected.

I am looking forward to tomrrow, though :) But as Baggers knows, this isn't my primary forum, so if NZ is getting smashed, don't think I've run away, Baggers and Dec know where I will be complaining. :)

I don't know why everyone is complaining about the heat. It's not even going to be 40 tomorrow - only 39! :D

A nice balmy day that  :) . Seems to get over 40 regularly anywhere in Aus lately (except for Tassie of course).

It's very dry heat in Perth, at least. None of this sweaty nonsense.

Ha ha!

Pretty hot for cricket, Thingy Bob.

Indeed. If you see a melted pancake in a big floppy hat next to the sightscreen on tv, that will be me. :D

I will be looking for that big floppy hat Bobbie. What color.

I have a pair of Havanese.. one male (Bubbles) one female (Bonnie) She is the baby. Pity I cant post their pics here.

Nawww they sound adorable. I have a rescue from Carnarvon - breed unknown. Possibly a staffy/kelpie/ridgeback.
It's a straw hat and I'll be wearing a bone coloured long sleeved shirt. However, I've just read that they'll be opening up the top-tiers in the shade to those whose seats are in the direct sun, so I might take them up on that offer! I'll also be hanging out in members for a while with a cricket mate, in a civilised airconditioned room somewhere...however no doubt I won't be able to resist sitting in my ringside seat for at least some of the day to get my $80 worth and perhaps even do some heckling...

I'll keep eye out for you then near the scoreboard. C'mon Bobbie you aint a heckler are you. Cant take you any place:P
Aicon room sounds ideal out of those sweltering temps. Enjoy yourself while we peasants are slumming it at home.;) 

I dont normally get this excited about a test series. There is just something special for me about my Blackcaps playing in England or Australia. 

I just wish the temperature was in the mid 20s and more conducive to playing cricket.

I have a soft sport for NZ. I love visiting your country. I also have quite a few Kiwi friends I met working overseas.

On another level, your current government and PM have many admirers here, and show our current Aus government up.

Wagner is a good player, great attitude, but his bouncers are way over rated. Mostly got token "declaration" wickets that way against us with batsmen given licence to take him on. Similar to the Poms from what I hear, lot of tail end wickets.

Ferguson could be ok though. Seems to have plenty of pace, whether he will have the discipline needed for our wickets another thing. Will be interesting to see how he goes.

Will be interesting to see the make up of the attack in general. Southee in particular has been horrendous in Aus. If there's no swing, there's no real point in him playing.

Agreed on Southee. And many in NZ feel the same way. 

Disagree that discipline is needed on your wickets. Starc and Johnson, and Thommo before them never had discipline. Just pace. Pace works in Australia if you're aggressive.

You're totally wrong about Wagner. On many fronts. Firstly, he has only played one match against Australia. And Aus didn't even have a lead when he bounced out Smith. When he bounced out Voges, Aussies' lead was not even 100, declaration mode my bum. Voges, Lyon, Marsh and Nevill crawled along at a SR of under 50. There was no declaration token. That's a fairy tale. 

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/8418/scorecard/914239/new-zealand-vs-australia-2nd-test-australia-tour-of-new-zealand-2015-16

Sorry but that is a bum statement. He single handledly pulled NZ back into the match with that 6/for. But the second innings, Australia showed more discipline with him. And he only got Warner's wicket. Will your guys be more disciplined this time, or back themselves and get out again like so many others have? Or will they smack over the fielders for 6?

As for the Poms, Wagner never went into full leg theory mode in the second test. And in the first, most of what he did was keep changing his release spot on the crease. Against the Poms, Wagner took Denly, Pope, Buttler vs Archer and Broad, Root and Buttler vs Broad; 2nd test: Crawley, Pope and Woakes vs Archer and Broad. Lots of tail end wickets? Well he took Broad 3 times, and Archer twice, so 5 of his 13 were tail enders. He was by far the most effective bowler on display, which included Archer, Boult and Broad - the last of which I dont ever rate.

Yeah, got Burns for 170, Smith for 138, big bouncer bully he is. They must be terrified. :laugh: 

It's not like we were approaching 500 or anything when he got the tail.....oh, wait on.....

Also not like they wanted to get the kiwis back in and give themselves a chance on that road...surely would have batted on.....oh wait on again...looks like we had just enough time to get up comfortably on day 5 lol...

He would have been better off trying to keep the Aussies in. Only chance to salvage a draw was if the Aussies batted too long (was never really going to happen though).

Seem to remember him being about 1/100 against the poms last match when they had about 450 up and surely must have been considering putting the kiwis in (to have any hope at all of a result). Shortly thereafter he was about 5/120 odd. Looks like he got numbers 7-9-10-11 lol. Some ability that to suddenly become a bouncer demon when the opposition has 450-500 on the board and would surely require you to bat soon. Invaluable. Saves teams going to the trouble of actually declaring at least.

You keep dreaming Paddles.

Disagree that discipline is needed on your wickets. Starc and Johnson, and Thommo before them never had discipline. Just pace. Pace works in Australia if you're aggressive.

Thought you said Starc was rubbish? If he can terrorise batsmen like Midge in those Ashes, good for him. You seem to be overlooking that Aus bowlers learn how to play in Aus, they haven't much choice.

If you think visiting bowlers only need pace here and won't pay a price for being off line/length, that would be excellent. The figures of Harmison, Akhtar and Roach, seem to indicate quite the opposite. Pace is only one part of it.

Dude, I pasted the scorecard, did you even read it? Wwhat was the score when he got Smith? Aus hadn't even gone past NZ's. 

I am sorry the scorecard does not match your declaration fairy tale, but it does not match your declaration and license fairy tale. In anyway - shape or form. Deal with the facts. 

As for the rest, I told you exactly which batsmen Wagner got out. Exactly which batsmen. If you're not talking about England declaring, look at how the match finished, NZ had already built a significant lead only 2 wickets down... England were bowled out with a lead of 101. Again, your declaration fairytale doesn't make sense. And he didn't bounce most these guys out.

Do you need another look at the scorecard?

To the fast bowlers, Roach isn't even particularly that fast.

Harmison in 2006/7 iirc had gained weight and was not at 2005 pace nor fitness. He was about to be dropped altogether in 1 year.  And Akhtar was pretty effective  at times in Australia in his second tour, he sucked on his first when he had played  - and that was against your super team. Wanna see how the WI quartet did in Aus? ;) Or India's last attack? Or the last 3 Saffir attacks in Aus? 

You seem quite passionate, and that's good. But I think it may be in my best interests for site enjoyment to block you from here on. No offence. I am just not enjoying conversing with you.

Dec - how do I block a user in this site?

I'm enjoying you and Flyslip going at it hammer and tongs, Paddles.

So what if you disagree. At least you are both passionate about cricket and opinionated and like to think you know a lot  about  the game. Who am I to argue? I've leant a bit from both of you.

I've learnt about where flyslip is,  and how to bowl a carrom ball and doosra from your arguments.

Agree with your last statement, Flyslip. 

One of the fastest bowlers in the world, Tas’s Riley Meredith reduced his pace and shortened his run up from 20 paces to 14 against South Aus in the second dig.

He was more effective, taking wickets,  bowling less bad balls and was more accurate. His pace was slower because keeper Doran stood closer to the stumps. 

Who have we lost to besides South A and India in
the last 5 years? 

I thought we have been quite strong at home. 

Gotta say waiting most of the day for the first ball to be bowled dont go down well with me. Ok for you workers as the late start suits you. Me I will be twiddling my thumbs for most of the day..that and playing with my pooches..and cleaning the fire debris from my pool.

I love the idea of day night tests myself. Even on the weekend. Who wants to be sitting in front of a tv screen at 10am in summer?

I like day/night tests  too.

What sort of pooches do you have?

I'm enjoying you and Flyslip going at it hammer and tongs, Paddles.

I am enjoying someone not taking any crap from Paddles who clearly dont like it when someone dares disagree with his point of view.

People are free to disagree with me - and I enjoy rigorous debate. 

Flyslip is simply someone I would rather not converse with. 

He uses endless sophistry and fallacial reasoning that I cannot be bothered engaging with. 

If you want an example: I said discipline is not needed for those who are fast and aggressive (short pitch and yorkers etc), and gave 3 examples of fast Aussie bowlers who had no discipline. He then strawman's that to only pace is needed, and then points out that 3 fast bowlers failed in Aus. So what? Jo Angel failed in Aus too. It does not change that the 3 I named had no discipline, and have achieved results in Australia. Now if he wanted to say, the best in Australia in recent times, Lillee, McGrath, and Hadlee were ultra discplined and accurate, and had far better results than Mitch, Thommo and Starc, that would be fine and fair. But it doesn't change my original point. At all. He would be making a new point. Just like he could with McGrath, who finished quite slow, to which my counter would be his height. But again, this would be a new point. And a new exception. Everyone knows McGrath was a tall human metronome. He is an exception, not the rule, with his low pace, but he still had his height. Look at your selection history, S Clarke was dropped for no pace - couldn't be more accurate. Bollinger also dropped for going slow. Sidds since dropping in pace - gone. Even then - the more modern metronome Vernon Philander with his less height, has not done as well in Aus as he would like. Don't think S Pollock - despite his accuracy didn't do well in Australia at all averaging 34+. But these are all new points. Doesn't change, a fast aggressive guy can succeed in Australia with stuff all discipline.

 SA last 3 attacks, and India's had pace. Englands and NZ in 2015 did not - and got smashed all too often.

And tbh, I find Flyslips declaration arguments even worse. As for the bouncer argument for Burns and Smith's score, either he didnt watch the game - or just assumed Wagner had been doing in his original spells. Wagner didn't. He started doing it much much later in the innings. So again, this is sophistry. Did flyslip intend to do it? Or is he just ignorant? I don't know and I don't care.

I have better things to do than argue with people who repeatedly use sophistry either intentionally or non-intentionally. 

I'll happily debate with you, Dec, Mike, or most other people. Flyslip - I am putting a line through at this point.

I seem to  remember Philander and Kyle Abbot destroying Australia on our  home pitches and bowling about 125kph - 130 for South Africa.

They were pretty accurate.

Abbott is still a 140 bowler still years later :P And Hobart is not the typical Aussie pitch neither. And Adelaide was a day night test pitch wicket - the second ever in Aus*. Abbott got very lucky with his 2 tests in Aus :P

Philander is slow, but his record in Aus is far less impressive than it is elsewhere at over 30 - his career average is 22.

* Philander only took 2/120 in that same match though - Abbott was osme bowler. 

In another sport I've played at a high level and have semi- pro/pro coaching accreditation. Sometimes that knowledge extrapolates to cricket, but essentially I am a just a cricket fan with no great insights into the sport.

Having said this, I love people with a much greater knowledge of  cricket providing technical analysis of  cricketers  and scenarios  where I have little knowledge.

I don't know whether you or Flyslip have more knowledge than the other , but you both waste energy trying to claim you are right. It is the internet. State your opinions, particularly the technical analyses of players, then move on, is the best policy.  

In another sport I know I sometimes get frustrated with people who are very opinionated, but  when it gets down to it,  are clueless. This is particularly  frustrating when many share the same view lacking insight, which is blatantly obvious to professionally trained coaches in that sport. At the same time they have every right to publicly demonstrate  they are clueless.

You may not realise it, Paddles, but we have two pretty high level former and current cricketers, who post sporadically on IS. They are quite diffident about sharing that knowledge unless asked to expound.

I look forward to more 'civil' discussions between you and Flyslip. Over the course of your polemics, I've gained new knowledge. I'm sure others have too. Long may they continue with less acrimony.

Dec, with all due respect, I'm not one of your students. I do not wish to talk to Flyslip, at all or ever. It is due to his sophistry, intentional or not. I just have no wish to engage with someone who uses sophistry. Its my personal choice. I have no need to prove I am right against someone uses sophistry, you are quite mistaken. Proving another uses sophistry doesn't prove that I am right, it simply proves they're not right for the reasons they states, as a point of logic anyway.

But I would rather simply not talk to sophistry artists on the intermet at all. 

Anyway - it has been announced on Kiwi radio that Fergo's will be debuting. 

So - what does this mean for the rest of the team?

1 Raval (out of form and would be dropped if Young not injured)
2 Latham
3 KW
4 Taylor
5 Nicholls
6 Watling +
7 CdG
8 Santner
9 Southee
10 Wagner
11 Boult 

The options are to drop Southee - but its a pink ball test that may swing. Drop Santner for Ferg - lose batting but strengthen the pace. Drop CdG for Santner and bring Ferg in - I hope not.

I'd be dropping Santner I think.

Ferguson is very quick, but has he got the stamina for test cricket? Might be best to bowl him in three over spells. The Kiwis will need someone to do some donkey work and stock bowling in that heat. 

Doesn't change, a fast aggressive guy can succeed in Australia with stuff all discipline.

I agree. All he needs is a fast track.. which we have.. plenty of bounce..which we have.. and an aggressive nature.. which we have. Those three you mention certainly will not win any awards for accuracy but they can rip thru a batting lineup with ferocity over what the disciplined bowler can do.

I've just seen Meredith bowl more effectively with a reduced run up and  decreasing his pace against South A in the second dig. 

From watching Ferguson in the WC I'm not sure he has anything more than Meredith has, with vastly reduced stamina and an action that takes a lot out of him.

Yeah - the low SR enforcer... they leak runs, but they get wickets, often in batches...

This is why when Starc is spraying it around, people like Warne and M Waugh are telling him to be aggressive, bowl fast and short, bowl some yorkers, and mimic Mitch J. Tommo was the original I saw.

I think height helps too, Tommo had the extra pace that was just insanely fast. 

Paddles I think DC is perhaps giving you a subtle nudge about forum behavior thru his capacity as a senior member (moderator) of this forum.

Is what I am hearing true..that Boult has been ruled unfit?

DC isn't a moderator here as I understand it.  And his nudge will be entirely and politely ignored. I don't want to talk Flyslip ever. Its really that simple for me.

Boult could be out, he is 50/50.

What's the countdown to the start? I wanna make sure I see the first ball bowled. Found it - just under 3 hours.

4pm WA time. You will have to work out Kiwi time from that.

Don't you mean 4pm NSW time?

Sorry mate yeh Sydney time. 1pm WA time.

Boult is officially ruled out.

Huge loss. Who is in his place.. Ferguson?

I think Ferg was playing regardless tbh. Bond was screaming for an all seamer attack int he media, and Smith was supporting him. They were both saying Ferg has to play.

What you don't know is Bond is regular contracted coach for NZ when not doing BBL and IPL. He is part of the quasi team management, and Smith is very very close to the team. 

Santner I think is saved by Boult's injury. Maybe Southee. But Santner I think is saved.

Less than an hour now. they will have the toss soon. This will be even more vital than normal I feel.

Burns has been lucky. 

Southee has beaten him outside the edge and Ferguson has caused outside edges. 

Kiwis are 0-18 of 5 overs. 

Ferguson is pretty sharp just bowling a delivery at 147kph. 

Good line and length from Southee. 

He is putting Burns under pressure. 

From where I’m sitting, Burns doesn’t seem to be using his feet or picking up on length. Warner on the other hand, is timing the pace of Ferguson beautifully. Southee lost the plot a few mins ago and hurled the ball down at the batsman - umpires had to have a word. Body language of NZ isn’t very positive tbh - they look fed up already. Probably not thrilled to be standing out in the field all day. The pitch looks lovely - even and sprinkling of green. Don’t know what it looked like on tv.

Ferguson is already bowling a few loose balls at lightning speed. 

Hopefully, he can sustain this speed later in the day. 

The outfield looks fast after a few fours have been struck. 

Wagner pitching the ball up and swinging it into the right hander. 

De Groundhomme is already bowling too. 

Burns keeps getting stuck on the crease. Move your feet, mate!

Burns out LBW to de Grandhomme - could see that coming a mile off 

Are you sitting behind the wicket, TB? 

DRS showed Not Out! Missed leg!