What were they thinking? - Andre Adams on batting lineup

The Black Caps struggled with the bat in last night's Chappell-Hadlee ODI in Sydney, and former all-rounder Andre Adams has blamed the lineup. Photo / Photosport

Former Black Caps all-rounder and Auckland A coach Andre Adams has heavily criticised the New Zealand coaching staff for their batting lineup changes in the wake of last night's 68 run ODI loss to Australia.

The Black Caps, who haven't won an ODI on Australian soil since 2009, seemed to struggle with their top order - with the exception of Martin Guptill who scored 114.

Watling, Williamson, Latham combined for just 17 runs, and Adams thinks the order is to blame.

"My major concern with the bat was the batting lineup and the way it was put together," Adams told the Radio Sport Breakfast.

"For me, to see Guptill and Latham, that's an opening partnership, and then great to see Kane, but Jimmy Neesham batting at four? That's a real concern for me, I don't think he's a four in international cricket."

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"I don't actually know what they're thinking there."

Instead, Adams would rather see Munro and de Grandhomme bat together considering their form in domestic cricket.

"You got Colin Munro batting down there at six. For me, I would have liked to see Munro, then de Grandhomme, maybe Watling then Neesham.

"When you look at the way Munro and de Grandhomme dominant domestic cricket when they bat together, I think they missed a trick there in having those two bat together for a long period."

"I think they sold themselves a little bit down the river there. Maybe they are looking at experience and that sort of stuff, but you got them in there, just throw them in there and review it afterwards."

The Black Caps will have a chance to tweak the order, if they so wish, when the face Australia in the second Chapell-Hadlee ODI tomorrow night in Canberra.