Cricket: Black Caps bowlers see bright side of thrashing

A general view during the Tour Match between the Cricket Australia XI and New Zealand at Blacktown International Sportspark. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand should not have been surprised by the state of the pitch for their pre-first test warmup match which began in Sydney yesterday.

If they thought the Blacktown Park pitch would be bouncy and helpful to the seamers they were dreaming.

That'll come at Brisbane for the first test next week.

New Zealand were never going to be given any significant assistance to prepare for the Gabba, as they discovered yesterday as Cricket Australia XI openers Ryan Carters and Aaron Finch put on an unbroken 376 on a flat, sluggish pitch.

New Zealand seamer Matt Henry put a positive spin on the day.

"You can't beat time on your legs," he said after slogging away for 19 overs costing 62.

"There's a lot of things we can take out of (the day). We'll probably come across different wickets but there's plenty of time to prepare."

Henry's view is that the New Zealanders will simply adapt to what they are presented with on the tour.

"You've got to adapt to what we get dished up, whether bouncy or slow, and if we can adapt quicker it's good for you anyway. There's no real concern from our group."

The Gabba pitch will be as different to Blacktown as salt to sugar, and it's always been the case around the cricket world. After all, why offer the tourists a helping hand.

One of the more graphic examples of this came on New Zealand's 1988 tour of India.

The game immediately before the first test was in Faridabad, close to New Delhi in the north, where there was a greenish pitch, helpful for the seamers but decent batting conditions.

Six days later they pitched up for the first test in Bangalore, 2000km south. The first clue on what lay ahead came with the naming of four spinners and just one seamer in the Indian XI. India won by 172 runs.

Henry was right that it's important New Zealand's bowlers learn from yesterday.
The old maxims of line and length don't change, and Finch, who hit 213 not out, in particular can be a formidable batsman.

New Zealand's batsmen will get their chance today. For Ross Taylor, in particular, a good amount of time in the middle will be beneficial. He missed out in the first two tour games in Canberra last week.

Blacktown is not the Gabba, but as Henry put it, time in the middle, provided it is used well, is always a help.