1st T20I Australia v New Zealand @ SCG 7:20pm AEDT

[Bomberboyokay]

A 3-team, 7-match tournament or series. England is the third team.

The first T20 tri-series between Full Members ought to be a significant moment, a possible sign of how to give greater relevance to the international format outside of World T20s. The fact that the first match during the Australia leg has to be shoehorned in between the semi-final and final of the Big Bash League shows just how unforgiving the schedules have become.

David Warner knows that better than most, as he prepares to lead Australia in four T20s against New Zealand and England, with the possibility of a final in Auckland on February 21 - the day before Australia's tour game begins in Benoni ahead of their four-Test series against South Africa. While Steven Smith has been given time off, Warner is charged with reinvigorating Australian fortunes in T20, where they currently find themselves ranked No. 7 in the world.

To that end, the selectors have channelled the success of the BBL, plucking out some of the competition's leading performers: D'Arcy Short is the most eye-catching, alongside IPL millionaire Andrew Tye, raw quick Billy Stanlake, up-and-coming wicketkeeper Alex Carey and uncapped Ben Dwarshuis. With experienced hitters such as Glenn Maxwell, Chris Lynn and Marcus Stoinis to pack the middle order, Australia will hope to settle on the nucleus of a side to build for the future, which includes a World T20 on home soil in two years' time.

Crossing the ditch for a rare visit (their first in T20 since 2009) is a New Zealand team in supreme form, ranked No. 2 in T20I. Until being beaten twice by Pakistan - to whom they lost their No. 1 ranking - New Zealand had sauntered through their home summer, winning every game bar a washed-out T20 against West Indies. In pursuit of a first win on Australian soil since the 2011 Hobart Test, Kane Williamson and his men won't mind arriving under cover of the BBL before slipping back across the Tasman for the rest of the tournament.

[...]

Aaron Finch has been ruled out of the opening match, due to the hamstring strain he suffered in the ODI series against England; Warner suggested either Short or Lynn will open alongside him. Travis Head will dash to Sydney from Adelaide and then back for the BBL final, while an inexperienced pace attack is likely to be led by Andrew Tye.

Australia (possible): 1 David Warner (capt), 2 D'Arcy Short, 3 Travis Head, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Chris Lynn, 6 Marcus Stoinis, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Ashton Agar, 9 Andrew Tye, 10 Kane Richardson, 11 Adam Zampa/Billy Stanlake

New Zealand will hope to have Colin Munro fit, after a hamstring tweak kept him out of their defeat in the third T20 against Pakistan. Sydney's friendliness to spin could see Anaru Kitchen included ahead of Seth Rance to back up Santner and Sodhi.

New Zealand (possible): 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Colin Munro, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Colin de Grandhomme, 6 Anaru Kitchen, 7 Tom Blundell (wk), 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Ish Sodhi

http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/10886/preview/1072316/

It's Plugger35's time to shine!!

 

[Cleavy]

would be a waste of Lynn coming in at 5, but it's hard to find the "right spot" for everyone.

 

[ioppolo]

Anaru Kitchen, that's a new one, anyone have any first hand info on him?

 

[Cleavy]

Anaru Kitchen, that's a new one, anyone have any first hand info on him?

Is that where the victory celebrations are being held?

EDIT: right handed middle order batsman, who also bowls left arm orthodox. Nearly 34, I expected him to be younger.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/384355.html

 

[Richard Pryor]

Anaru Kitchen, that's a new one, anyone have any first hand info on him?

If memory serves correctly he was apart of the bowling lineup that Stokes smacked a 50 against in NZ's T20 league a few months ago.

 

[JP Sauce]

Is the 11 finalised?

 

[peppy la pew]

A 3-team, 7-match tournament or series. England is the third team.



It's Plugger35's time to shine!!

AND SHINE HE WILL

 

[footyfan1978]

Plugger always shines.

This is a test of T20 international cricket. If a Tri-Series tournament does not cut it, then remove international T20 from our schedule. More trouble than it is worth in past.

 

[JP Sauce]

Plugger always shines.

This is a test of T20 international cricket. If a Tri-Series tournament does not cut it, then remove international T20 from our schedule. More trouble than it is worth in past.

Personally I’d remove the ODIs.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Personally I’d remove the ODIs.

The ODI World Cup remains the pinnacle of the game, so I can't see that happening.

 

[JP Sauce]

The ODI World Cup remains the pinnacle of the game, so I can't see that happening.

Yeah that’s true. Makes it tricky.

 

[Fat Nyfe]

AND SHINE HE WILL

*Whine

 

[Kram]

Can they play the ODIs in late October and November or something.

 

[footyfan1978]

The ODI World Cup remains the pinnacle of the game, so I can't see that happening.

Not the pinnacle but next best thing to a big Test series win.
Give me the 1989 Test series win in England or West Indies Test series win in 1995 as way big moments as a cricket fan than World Cup wins.

 

[footyfan1978]

Can they play the ODIs in late October and November or something.

Hope so. The problem is other nations would need to fit into that timing and most of time near impossible.
Would be awesome to have the state one day series lead into international one day series and then get onto Shield cricket lead up to Test series and then Shield takes a break in later December for Big Bash and when Big Bash final over there is no T20 internationals stuffing the schedule up.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Not the pinnacle but next best thing to a big Test series win.
Give me the 1989 Test series win in England or West Indies Test series win in 1995 as way big moments as a cricket fan than World Cup wins.

In terms of the entirety of the International stage, the World Cup is the pinnacle.

Personal preferences are something else.

 

[footyfan1978]

Personally I’d remove the ODIs.

Personally I would give you a lobotomy if I knew how.

 

[footyfan1978]

In terms of the entirety of the International stage, the World Cup is the pinnacle.

Personal preferences are something else.

nah. Some just not capable of Test series number one status like us in 1995 knocking over the Windies after two decades so most nations can only ever hope to win a world cup so for them, that is their best chance.

 

[Power Raid]

Fingers crossed for Australia but thinking NZ will have our measure

 

[matty p]

Surely NZ will play Bruce or Rance ahead of Kitchen. He's not much chop.

 

[Cleavy]

Surely NZ will play Bruce or Rance ahead of Kitchen. He's not much chop.

can't take the heat?

 

[Hamingja]

would be a waste of Lynn coming in at 5, but it's hard to find the "right spot" for everyone.

The right spot for Lynn in that line up would clearly be #3.

 

[Jimthegreat]

A 3-team, 7-match tournament or series. England is the third team.



It's Plugger35's time to shine!!

We're playing our Big Bashers while others head to South Africa early, so Plugger should hope NZ be winning or else it looks bad for them. Nothing to lose for us. He'll cop some s**t if NZ loses to this side...lol.

 

[HBF]

Can we please beat the kiwi's tonight.

 

[Hamingja]

We're playing our Big Bashers while others head to South Africa early, so Plugger should hope NZ be winning or else it looks bad for them. Nothing to lose for us. He'll cop some s**t if NZ loses to this side...lol.

David Warner (c), D'Arcy Short, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey (wk), Ashton Agar, Andrew Tye, Kane Richardson, Adam Zampa, Billy Stanlake

I reckon this is actually a pretty decent side. Smith/Starc/Cummins for Agar/Richardson/Stanlake but otherwise pretty close to full strength I would have thought.