Inaugural Twenty20 International Starts 17 Feb, 0600GMT

[Occasional Fan]

... when New Zealand play Australia in Auckland.

Here are the squads:

New Zealand squad: S Fleming (cpt). A Adams, N Astle, C Cairns, B McCullum (wkt), C McMillan, H Marshall, K Mills, M Sinclair, S Styris, D Tuffey, J Wilson

Australia squad: R Ponting (cpt), A Gilchrist (wkt), M Hayden, D Martyn, A Symonds, M Clarke, S Katich, M Hussey, J Hopes, B Hogg, B Lee, J Gillespie, M Kasprowicz, G McGrath

And my question is: why would anyone risk injury to any of these players for a twenty over game? Completely defeats me.

[Seamer]

Good point. If Fleming breaks a finger or McGrath breaks down, they will regret it. I don,t think the Aussies will be treating this game all that seriously though. I saw an extended interview of Gilchrist on a cable show here last night and he referred to the game as a "practice game" and a "warm up" before the "real cricket" starts.

[Zainub]

Well I would suppose the answer to that OF is Aus don't like losing, and so they always (for international status matches) want to put their best side possible.

I'm actually quite looking forward to that match. I'm sure it will be fantastic game of cricket. And hopefull will give the anti-20Twenty people some good food for thought.

[Mr Kiwi]

i'm looking foward to the game too

i think one advantage to 20/20 which has gone unmentioned is that (in countries where sport isn't free to air) you only have to spend three hours in the pub and don't end up getting too drunk or broke . . .

[bevo]

who do you recon will win ,this would be my australian line up for twenty 20

Gilchrist
Hopes
Hayden
Symonds
Lee
Clarke
Martyn
Ponting
Hogg
Gillespie
Mcgrath

that would be my line up

[acker]

Ricky Ponting 98 runs 52 balls and selflesly let Hussey have strike on the last 2 balls of the innings.

Missed the first international 20/20 century ? YES
Wrote himself into Australian cricket immortality ? YES
Tommorow Ricky will be bigger than Texas here.

Australia 20 overs 5/214
Kiwis retro haircuts highly commended

[bevo]

yeh ponting went pretty good ,i commend hussey on his little cameo to , now its gonna be good to see who nz open with i would put fleming and cairns in.

[Occasional Fan]

Retro kits, under-arm bowling, Billy Bowden showing red cards. What the heck is all this?

BBC report here.

[bevo]

another good idea , perfect scenery , facial hair every where , hamish marshall mad hair do , ponting in peak form , hussey and hopes good on debut , mcgrath bowling good , lee bowling consistant , billy bowden got the perfect workout today 6's and 4's everywhere

[The229club]

i,m a traditionalist but the twenty20 concept will have a place on the evidence shown tonight. Huge crowds will go gods will support it and of course its built for TV. The commentators mentioned maybe a match at the start of each tour which I would support, but not a series at this stage.

It was a joy to watch Ponting in full flight, as he is such a clean striker of the ball, as the six hitting the top of the roof and the most memorable shot of the night his magnificent cover drive for four, down on one knee. If I see hitting like that it will make me watch on a regular basis.