Kyle Mills hopes to attack Aussie openers. Photo / Hawkes Bay Today
Kyle Mills had been planning his Hobart strategy for Adam Gilchrist, fine-tuning his plans to try to put a clamp on cricket's most destructive ODI opener.
Now the New Zealanders are hoping to take advantage of the master blaster's absence in tomorrow's Chappell Hadlee Trophy decider.
The New
Zealand new ball pair of Mills and Mark Gillespie copped some serious damage from Gilchrist's flying bat in the opening loss in Adelaide last week.
Mills' first three overs cost 30, and Gillespie's first two went for 21 as Gilchrist flew to 50 in 26 balls, ripping the game away from New Zealand.
The bowlers could be forgiven for feeling a weight has been lifted off their shoulders, and Mills yesterday acknowledged the possibilities of a spinoff psychological boost.
"I guess, for me personally, I had put a bit of thought into how to bowl at him. Now he's gone it's something I don't have to worry about.
"Now he's out of the equation I can focus on other areas and stick to what I know has been a success for me in the last month or so."
That success was his man-of-the-series performance in South Africa, when he grabbed nine wickets for 102 in the three ODIs, coming off a lengthy injury layoff.
Mills' ODI record, 100 wickets in 70 games, is impressive; he's taken 21 in 17 games against Australia, 10 in the last five in which he has bowled.
Mills admitted Gilchrist's ability to inflict terminal damage on the opposition was a challenge. Whereas the top South African batsmen would respect a good delivery, "over here, especially Gilchrist, they're always coming at you. If I bowl a good ball I know they'll still try and hit it for four".
He believed New Zealand would try to put some heat on Gilchrist's replacement, Brad Haddin, who is tipped to open the batting with Matthew Hayden at Bellerive Oval.
Haddin's no pickle. He's 30, captains New South Wales and he's played 25 ODIs, averaging a decent 31.76. He played the three Chappell Hadlee games last season, getting 6, 49 and 38.
But he's no Gilchrist.
"He is going to be under a bit of pressure, not having played [for Australia] for a while," Mills said. "So hopefully we can make inroads into the top order and put a bit of pressure on their middle and lower order."
