Adam Parore: We can still take charge at the Gabba, if the execution is right

NZ's Jesse Ryder. Photo / Getty Images

Opinion

There's nothing much to fear in this young Australian attack, so execution will be the key to the Black Caps batsmen turning things around in the second innings in Brisbane.

The first day at the Gabba was a pretty ordinary day's test cricket. I can't remember seeing two teams play so badly. It was like the blind leading the blind.

The new ball bowling from the Aussie young fellows was all over the place and our guys, well, it's actually quite difficult to get yourselves out in that many ways.

Having chosen to bat, the Kiwis will be pretty disappointed with how things went. There were 400 runs out there for the taking, and on that wicket it probably would have been a winning score. As it stands, it is going to go down to the wire unless somebody does something spectacular.

The two dismissals that stood out for me in the first innings were Brendon McCullum and Jesse Ryder. When there's only one guy in front of the wicket on the off side it's actually not that easy to hit the ball to him. If you asked them to do it again, they'd be lucky to find that fielder one time in four.

There was nothing much wrong with the shot selection. If a guy bowls you a half-tracker outside off stump you should belt it through point. But the idea is to hit it 10 metres either side of the fielder rather than straight at him.

Ross Taylor's dismissal was also down to poor execution. He played the right shot, but he was tense and got too much bottom hand through it. You go to practice so you don't make those sorts of execution errors.

On the other side, there is nothing too much to worry about in the Aussie attack. From what I saw in that Australia A game and on the first two days of the test, these young Aussie bowlers have a bit of promise but they are pretty nervous. They need time to settle in so, there are big scores there for our guys if they can try to not conspire against themselves.

The offspinner Nathan Lyon looks the main danger. As a player, I would have been pretty excited to hear the opposition spinner didn't even know the way to the ground, but this bloke looks quite handy. He shapes as the one guy where there'll need to be some caution displayed. I think he's got the goods.