What it feels like...

... to be a Black Caps supporter listening to an Aussie TV commentary.

Bright But Gloomy

Funny old day.

Lots of bright starts and good intentions, thwarted by stumbles and errors. The sun should lift the spirits and the concentration levels of both sides.

Looking For A Bit Of Sparkle

Big smiles, fresh captain faces, a positive attitude and little bit of added sparkle - anything to distract from that bloody horrible trophy.

Great Minds Think Alike

And then of course there are the average minds that are all over the place like a mad woman's washing.

I do think they have a plan, it is just that they lack the mental strength to execute it.

Not Fade Away!

They have dropped "my boy" Pingers! The bastards!

Now I know it is not a surprise; he has yet to completely tear an attack apart, and we have lost a couple of games, and someone has to pay. What rips my lunch pass is who does/doesn't get the breaks. Guptil becomes the answer, even though he is struggling. OK, he has a future and I can wear that, but how in the name of all things cricket can anyone seriously suggest that James Franklin is the solution to any problem we might have.

Peter Ingram is a man of character, he will not just fade away. James Franklin wouldn't recognise a positive character trait if it bit him during one of his brief visits to the wicket.

The Agony Of Anticipation

You don't really need the photoshop highlighting to understand where it hurts for Neil Broom.

The real surprise is that his greatest discomfort is not from ball on ball contact, nor the desperate need to go 'tinkles". What Neil really can't wait for is the release of the first edition of the Cricket Sadist's Monthly to see if he can in some way feature.

While he waits he will just have to give it a rub and see if he can't score some runs against the Aussies.

Easy Fellas

Good to see a bit of toe to toe in last night's game.

I started thinking about these two teams as big/little brothers but in reality they are more like cousins. They see each other about once a year (unless there is a special occasion like a wedding, funeral or World Cup) and every time there is a bit of a sort out to establish who has got bigger or meaner since the last time they met.

The analogy falls apart, of course,  because there is no room for the pretty cousin who has "developed" since the last time they caught up.

Beam Me Up

It is cricket Brendan, but not as we know it. A very unusual innings in a very unusual game.

There will be many Kiwis celebrating the victory and the shear audacity of McCullum but this one is much more concerned about how you can get to over 200 and then not defend it properly.

The Aussies continue to play like a unit, we will continue to look for the unbelievable.

"To Be Honest ...

 ... we haven't had a huge amount of sex!"

So refreshing to see a coach like Tim Nielson being so open about his and the teams problems.

Now I know there is some confusion between sex and six when it comes to talking kiwi or 'strine but that doesn't seem to explain this interesting statement. It does make you wonder what Tim was thinking about on the flight over.

I just hope this turns into the sexiest series of the summer - not that it has got much competition in that regard.

The link below will give you the full sound bite - you are looking for the last third of the clip for the real gem.

Aussie cricketers ready for NZ challenge - 3 Sport - Video - 3 News

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Chris Martin Asks The Question

Sadly the question is, how are we going to get the Aussies out once let alone twice?

You do have to admit though, he is the king of the sweat band.

The Cricket Occult

Gambhir displays further evidence of mysticism in cricket - a power word etched into the bat to bring about success. Which of course it did. Perhaps the Aussies should try tattooing WIN on their foreheads.

Toe to Toe II

Before there was a Chappell-Hadlee Series there was just Chappells playing Hadlees.

Just like our last posted image the body language says it all.