Suprised this thread hasn't been made already. Australia won the first game last night, getting the 255 required in just the 42nd over. Can the Kiwi's come back? McCullum looked good getting 96 and obviously the nerves got to him letting him down on his first ODI hundred. Taylor got a good 50 and seems to be regaining form. Gilchrist is smashing at his best, Ponting is his usual calm self and NZ really missing Bond it would seem.

__________________
http://www.myspace.com/the_world_championship

I am not surprised at the lack of interest on this forum in the Chappell-Hadlee Series. No one expects a contest when playing Australia in Australia. No team made up of humans can match the robots (and I must have mentioned this many times) from Australia...

I would have to disagree with you there. New Zealand 90% of the time challenge Australia right to the end, for a country with 4 million people they are amazingly competitive against Australia who have 20 million people. They do rely on Bond who is tShe best quick in the world and Vettori who is the best finger spinner in the world (Murali is a wrist spinner). I think that the New Zealand top order will learn from today in Sydney and they will be much more competitive in Hobart.

__________________
Bill Ponsford - The only one who could play in Bradman’s company and make it a duet.

Sounds like a typical loser's whinge if ever there was one. If you cannot think of a legitimate reason to blame an Oz victory, hide behind this nonsensical "robot" bleat. Yes, you have mentioned it many times and that sounds more robotical to me (and a faulty one at that) than anything else on the field.

I am interested in ODI's - particularly when they involve Aus vs N.Z or S.A. When playing those two nations, it's always game on. I might add that N.Z currently hold the trophy and due to tonight's washout, they only need to win the next one to keep it for another year.

Now just took a break (and when i take a break that means no screens be it mobiles, laptops or TV) so i missed the game the other night and cannot really make any informed comment.

I will say though that the absence of Bond is a real shame. He has the wood on the Aussies and generally puts us on the back foot. Without him, Australia are likely to get that crucial early momentum.

Also, i am surprised that Vettori elected to bat first after winning both tosses. Recent history indicated that N.Z are far better off chasing down totals than setting them. The lights are good in Australia, the dew is rarely a factor, so there is no reason why they should avoid batting second.

1-0 with one to go. Australia have recent success under their belts, are high in confidence, and are fresh and injury free. N.Z are in the opposite situation so one would have to favor Aus to win the next one. But it is N.Z though, and those blokes always lift in the trans-tasman showdowns.

__________________

The second game was rained out although New Zealand were well on the way to losing at 30/3.

Why wasn't a rain day planned for? most tours don't seem to have them anymore, is it because schedules are now too tight?

If the Kiwis win the next game they'll split the series and retain the trophy, I hope they do but I'm unsure how they will.

What makes you think it is a loser's whinge or that I am blaming an Australian victory? Your response too is the same "robotical" answer and once again I have to give my usual response - No team is playing for me and no team is going to give me an award for whinging, nor is my opinion going to make any team beat Australia. This forum is for expressing opinions and that is exactly what I am doing. In any case I am merely stating what is blatantly obvious.

Django, i agree that Australia is a tough nut to crack at home, but it is a nut that can be cracked. Only last year, England beat us 2-0 in the finals. Go back 5 years and NZ conspired to knock us out of the tri-series finals. Australia can be beaten.

__________________

Anyone is beatable in ODI's because one players brillience can win a match. Where in test cricket it is almost impossible to beat Australia at home.

__________________
Bill Ponsford - The only one who could play in Bradman’s company and make it a duet.