KEY POINTS:
Australian skipper Michael Hussey, captain of the Australian side for the Chappell-Hadlee series in Wellington has spoken of the need to let go of the recent past and the immediate future, in order to concentrate fully on the next three games against New Zealand.
How do you think the Black Caps will go?
Send us your views
Here is the latest selection of your views:
Nitram Yrogerg
I am of the opinion that the current NZ cricket side needs to develop a more mentally hardened attitude in their approach to the coming series against OZ. Lets face it,any team that can score 300 plus in a run chase has loads of potential.
Jesse
I have to say NZ cricket woes will only get worse as time goes on if we keep Bracewell and Fleming at the helm. Being a kiwi girl living in Aussie and watching the dismal Tri Nations Series with NZ blowing opportunities to seal a win, I mean take the final showdown between England and The Black Caps, we were doing so well and then Fleming did the ultimate blunder and got Taylor out. I mean everyone was saying well done to Fleming for reaching 100 but yet he wasted opportunities. Just what he was thinking I have no idea. The batting order is out of order. We had the game sealed and should have had won that game but yet we didnt and Fleming's excuse, none really, get rid of Fleming and Bracewell and start looking at developing our younger generation. Learn from the mistakes from past games and learn from them, dont keep repeating them.
Steve
The real issue is the lack of imagination in the team selections for the Black Caps. Surely there are good, young players who can be introduced into the team rather that the usual suspects who were dropped for lack of form or competence? Tuffys selection is insanity.
A toss up between Macca and Harry? Why not get Lance Cairns or Ewan Chatfiled back in the team? Maybe Hadlee is still available?
Bracewell needs to go and so does Fleming. Both of them need to take responsibility for the woeful selections, policies and performances. Yes, Fleming used to be a world class player but he isnt anymore. He looks bored in the field and he looks like he has never seen a bat before when he is at the crease. Cricket is our summer game. Kids play it with love and gusto - surely there are young fast bowlers in Nz who can offer more than Mason, Tuffy and Martin? I have been a fan of NZ cricket since I was 6 and I have been to and watched countless games. With that knowledge I know that this team has as much hope of winning the World Cup as Bracewell does at sounding competent in an interview.
S Mohanakrishnan
I think it is a golden opportunity for NZ to call the Aussies bluff and beat them at cricket. Whatever team comes, the matches are very important and if NZ can win, it will definitely boost the Black Caps' confidence. They are not doing very bad, though they don't seem to be enjoying their cricket. It appears Stephen Fleming has lost his heart in leading and his demeanor on the field shows he is under pressure of playing. It is high time they play for the fun and enjoyment of the game. The team is not coming together and Fleming may have a lot to do with that. May be the age gap is too much for him to effectively communicate and mingle with the team. It may be a good idea to develop Vettori as captain and give him the chance to bring the team together. Also for the coming matches, the coach should announce the team and stick with it and drop his rotation policy. Let the team of 11 or 12 know that they are there for the long haul and individual match performance won't affect their position, in the normal course. Then get the team together for some intense training and team building exercises. May be they can take the assistance of a corporate consultant for this. And if Fleming does stay as captain, get him to loosen up and be cheerful.The Aussie team is a good example of a group of good players having fun together on the field and in Lou Vincent's term, the Black Caps can do with some pack hunting themselves.
Peter Lowe
Is it possible that Ponting and Gilchrist are staying behind to play in Warneys charity match instead? I hope this is a blunder of theirs like Martin Crowe has said.
Richie
I am sick to death of the New Zealand mentality witnessed by many of the comments above that says that the coach and captain should be sacked the moment we lose a couple of games! Everyone knows that cricketers occasionally have bad runs of form. Fleming is the best cricketer (and the best captain) we have and I cant believe how much he is being slammed here. Go Flemmo! We know you have the capacity to lead us to world cup glory in the Carribean.
Dolly
To Don - you want to support a team that has "Aussie mongrel" and does not wear black - I believe they are based across the Tasman. No matter the problems the Black Caps have, they represent NZ and I am sure they do the best they can, and hopefully they will lift their game a little more in the world Cup.
Vivien Armstrong
Well way to go the boys in black while all those wonderful critics are busy putting you down they should all depart the shores of Aotearoa and move to Aus or England. Join the club of the whingeing Poms and Aussies. Nah better still give them all a chance to represent NZ and put them in the black uniform see how they can improve the game. If the truth be known they probably wouldn't see the ball coming at them, or more likely trip over themselves in the out field. Yeah hope we never lose our sense of humour. Go the boys. Yes I still call NZ home and proud of it.
Reece Palmer
See, there was a reason rugby season started early after all.
Vaughan Rapatahana
I just wish to make clear to John Bracewell and his cohort of selectors that I am still available for International duty. With me in the team, we would do a pre-game haka every time and smash the living daylights out of any opposition,thereby necessitating an after-game one as well.
Fili Tupua
Thanks Scott, you made your point but no need to deride anyone else on this site, we are all entitled to voice our opinions mate and you are no different. Bottom line is, we're all passionate about our sporting teams be it the Black Caps, All Blacks, Silver Ferns, Warriors, etc ... and all we ask is for sheer determination to win, the will and power of total commitment, dedication, passion and pride. We dont expect to win all the time but we do expect them to be honest with themselves - like how much they really want it. In the Black Caps case, they tend to play like they're "not all there" and it can be quite embarrassing you could even sense it through the screen. Man, you're playing for your country and there is no better way to give it your all than doing it at the ultimate level. Go the Kiwis.
A true fan
2 Observations: Chris Harris had another outstanding year in domestic cricket. He has proven time and again that he can slow down run rates against the best teams in the world. Realistically what chance do we have of bowling out any teams other than the minnows our strength lies in our ability to restrict the opposition to a low score. Darryl Tuffey is by no stretch of the imagination going to achieve this for us. But, he is not the player that needs to go. Craig MacMillan has done his dash, he saved one performance for us this summer and history has shown that we will have to wait around 6-8 months before he does it again. Harry has saved countless games for New Zealand, he can catch, and his pace is not going to cause him to enter the injury pool. Yet another poor decision by the selectors who have shown nothing for contempt for Harris over the last 5 years. Those with a good memory may remember the last series he forced his way into the team and as he is known to do performed when needed. Secondly New Zealand Herald get rid of Adam Parore. He played for New Zealand because there wasnt much choice or poor selection yet again (I believe it was Nevin that outperformed him continually before getting even half a chance - more knowledgeable people may be able to correct me). Yay you hardly ever got bowled, I have met many young people who use their legs to block the wickets as well, doesnt make them future black caps, but with the way our selectors work you never know. Adam has been making lots of big calls recently frankly the only person that should be going anywhere is Adam - back into the hole he came from. The only positive is that the selectors care as much about Adam Parores opinion as they do about the average New Zealanders. New Zealand cricket will really be down the gurgler if he ever steps up onto the selection panel.
David Brown
New Zealanders need to realise that in international sport, expecting to win every game by divine right is an absurdity. Teams will sometimes underperform, and sometimes perform well above themselves. For a country with 4 million people, stability is more likely to reap success than constantly firing the coach and captain - especially when the latter hit 106 in his last knock. For the past months we have seen Kiwis bash Bracewell for resting Fleming - strange then that the world champions also rest their captain from time to time.
The biggest impediment to NZ cricketing success is the constant whining and complaining of an ill-informed public.
Pip
Stephen Fleming has done more for that team then anyone else. Going into the world cup without him would be a huge mistake and they would fall apart. Because of what hes done for them, when the time comes for him to step down, it should be his choice, and no one elses. If he does decide to retire now, it will be rumoured that it was because of all the pressure put on him and that would be a great shame and ruin the retirement of one of the greatest NZ players. One can only hope that he doesnt step down yet and when he does, he does it in the blaze of glory he deserves. you guys should be praising him for his efforts, not blaming him, cause lets face it, he doesnt have the greatest depth in players to work with and he's already been so successful in the past. He may have hit a rut now but he will lead his team out of it. You are all just looking for someone to blame. You can not blame one man for loses in a team sport, otherwise it wouldnt be a team sport.
Johnny
A lot of the people claiming that Fleming has to go seem to have short memories. How about the number of times Fleming has put in good performances for the Kiwis, like the other six one day hundreds? Lets not latch on to people as soon as they slip up.
Peter Goodin
It has been patently apparent that Stephen Fleming has been woefully out of form with the bat but it is also becoming increasingly obvious that his captaincy is also suffering. I believe that the time has arrived to replace him as captain to remove the added stress such a position creates and, thus, allow him to concentrate on returning to the batting form we all know he possesses. Heir apparent? Dan Vitorri .
Bev
I have spent most of the summer watching a shocking English team get mauled by the Aussie. But then a few wins the confidence returns and the unthinkable happens. This is just as likely to happen with NZ. Likewise the Aussies can lose confidence which I think was most evident in Mike Husseys performance in the fianls. As an Aussie I hope it is just a blip. I believe the mental drain in Ricky Ponting has been evident in the last few weeks the guy can only give what he has and I think there was nothing left. I understand the disappointment that the Kiwis must feel in him and Gilly not touring but they have have been hard at it since before the DLF cup in India. The intensity of the Ashes battles despite the brilliant result have left there toll. Gilly also lives in Perth and suffers the tyranny of distance most with only a week of cricket being in near Perth. He is also involved like no other player keeping for huge stretches of time and then expected to bat like a champ every time from the very beginning. As your players will attest cricket in Aust is hard, hot, hot work. I hope Gilly rests with his family recharges his batteries and even if he manages just one or two of his great cavalier innings I will be well pleased. In closing I wish the NZ team well in the Chappell/Hadlee and the World Cup, but I still want the Aussies to win of course. Wont it be interesting to see how Hussey and Clark fair as captains?
Scott
All these people writing in on this site, obviously know jack all about cricket, yes Fleming had a bit of a shocker the other night, and yes he looks terribly out of form, but as all real cricketers know, time in the middle is worth 20 times as much as any net session, so lets hope with a few balls under his belt he can lead our team from the top, as he has many times before... , and as he does in the field, with superb slip fielding (probably the best in the world, this is worth more than people realise!!!) I cant see where all the embarrassment comes from being beaten by England, who have just finished off the Aussies (the No 1 team in the world), three times in a row. I hate losing like every other kiwi, and probably voice my annoyance at the time more than anyone, especially when we look to lose games, rather than get beaten by superior play, but thats cricket. Heads up people, you never know we were not in great form prior to the World Cup in NZ, but it took the wits of a old captain "Martin Crowe", to string together some of NZ's most exciting victories, and a memorable time for NZ cricket lovers. So lets go Fleming. And to all those supporters, who give up on their team when there down, get a life, stop watching.You arr not real supporters anyway..., ohh and by the way dont ever have children, as obviously you dont understand the word support.
Jonathan Moulton
Good on them for resting key players. No disrespect to the NZ cricket team but we have hardly been setting the world alight. The last thing the Aussies want is for and Andrew Symonds injury to happen to another one of their top players. Lets face the facts. The World Cup is the main reason that any International team is playing the sport.The main aim for every player is to win a world cup, not the Chappell Hadlee Trophy. Maybe NZ could win the series and beat Australia for once and show them that it may have been worth selecting a stronger squad for the trip over. Fleming was rested for the Sri Lankans, how is that different to this? Definitely agree with the reader above on this one. I think that the NZ cricket team should practice what they preach. Play their best squad for every game, start getting results and see if other teams start picking stronger squads. Surely if we were the number team in the world then people would pay us a little more respect with their selections, honestly I dont think our current performances can justify that...
Rick Anderson
The only thing missing with this team is a bit of mongrel, mental toughness & a ruthless streak, if we had a few more players with Brendon McCullums & Lou Vincents attitude plus one more strike bowler ie Chris Martin then we might have a chance.
Antz
I think it is a credit to the form of Australian players at the moment. To rest Ponting and Gilchrist key players both in form. It also gives others an opportunity to show the Australian selectors what they can provide for the cricket team and also find a suitable replacement for Andrew Symonds albeit for the first half of the ICC Cricket world cup. The luxury of in form players for Australia to choose from is amazing. Just look at the Australian team that is coming to New Zealand it is second to none. Mike Hussey second best 1 day batsmen in the world also his deputy Micheal Clarke who is definitely no slouch with the Gray Nicholls in hand also with Nathan Bracken the form Australian 1 day bowler is formidable to say the least. However i dont believe we can read into too much of the Chappell Hadlee series for Australia on the other hand it will be important for New Zealand to other notch a victory or compete very well as they did most times in Australia in the latest series all though they ran into a hot Paul Collingwood and a gritty English outfit. Stephen Flemming and Scott Styris need to find some form and Jacob Oram needs to find his touch with the ball in hand with his batting on a absolute hot streak.
Fili Tupua
Forget about what these arrogant Aussies wanna' do. How about what the Black Caps really should be doing? Firstly, Fleming should have retired the same day Astle announced his, never mind his recent century since it didnt even have a positive bearing on the outcome of that particular match. Its become clearly obvious how hes so scared of Brett Lee that he unashamedly doesnt mind being his bunny. Its time Vettori took over at the helm and get rid of the has-beens, McMillan included. I mean, how long have these guys played at this level and still perform like primary school kids with the amount of ridiculous near-misses that the real-life patients of Who Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest would have completed a simple job easily with their eyes tightly shut! And how will the Marshalls and Adams be able to prove themselves if they are hardly given a decent run like the so-called elder statesmen are constantly given, yet are not producing results anymore [Note: The pitiful margin of late vs the Aussies stands at 2 wins - 23 losses ? Crazy]. Fulton is so boring I can't believe he's playing. Our talent roster must be that bad but we need a couple more X-Factors to complement the likes of Vincent, Taylor, Styris, Oram, Bond, Mills, Franklin, Gillespie and Patel and we need them now. Coach Bracewells has had his moments. Where is Martin Crowe or even Jeremy Coney? They would be definite choices to take over. Right now the once proud Black Caps are nothing but a bunch of No-Idea-At-Alls and until they want to get back to the top where they should be, then they better start waking up to themselves because minnows like Bangladesh wont be the bottom-tier cricketing nation they're ranked as, for too long. How embarrassing will that be. Its like Scotland finally getting their first-ever win over the All Blacks! Come on give em a taste of Kiwi!
Rossnz
Did Lees blast New Zealands resting of Fleming during the Sri Lankan tour? Australia is doing nothing different resting Ponting and Gilchrist. Without them, New Zealand should now win every game easily. Australia rested Ponting in a crucial round-robin game and allowed England to find the form which eventually won them the tri series in Australia. Resting key players is a dumb strategy. Do they get paid whether they play or not? That also is dumb.
Chris Doherty
The criticism by Warren Lees was a little off the actual point here. The real reason Australia can send a 2nd rate side and show disrespect to the Chappell Hadlee Comp by leaving 2 of the games best at home is due to the fact that they dont respect New Zealand as a cricketing nation, and who can blame them? We still pick cricketers like Craig McMillen, we have to pump up profiles of the likes of Jacob Oram, who is capable of good cricket from time to time, but incapable of backing it up from one day to the next. We accept 2nd rate effort and results from our elite. The Australians do not.
McQuarter
Whoever was responsible for that strategy during the batting by NZ, should go.. Fleming showed no intelligence at the grease other than selfish self- preservation. If Bracewall was responsible for the plan, then out he goes as well but for Fleming who did not even have a go, well that is inexcusable. Out!
Don
Changes urgently required before the world cup: 1) Change name to The NZ International Cricket Team. 2) Get rid of the Black uniform - anything but black! 3) Major part of salary based on performance. 4) Acquire some Aussie "mongrel" for the entire team!
Nathan Harraway
With Mills out, Oram suffering a bruised heel, bond having to be careful on the injury front there is only one option on who should be bought into the World cup squad ahead of Bradley Scott from Otago..........0800 Bring Back Cairns!
John Hewitt
I was very disappointed with Stephen Flemings performance at the Gabba last night. Contrary to Mark Geentys view Flemings form woes have not ended. He struggled all night to time and place the ball. It was his inability to keep the score ticking over that placed so much pressure on the batsmen further down the order. He seemed to be batting for himself - not his team; 106 from 149 balls is just not good enough for a one day match. Ross Taylor showed how it should be done until he was needlessly run out by Fleming. The Captain called and should have continued running instead of retreating to his crease and leaving Taylor stranded. Fleming must have known that he wasnt batting well and that the team was better off with Taylor there, scoring freely, and Fleming himself back in the stand. Also his captaincy must come into question. After such a great start when Vincent was out, the team needed a noted striker of the ball in to keep the run rate going. Instead the Captain allowed a player to come in at first drop of the same ilk as Fleming - good at holding down one end but no good at ensuring the run rate keeps moving. That was one of the pivotal moments of the innings. Runs dried up immediately. They other pivotal moments were Flemings pursuit of personal glory (a dreadfully slow 100) at the teams expense and the run out of Taylor, who was in process of showing that batting wasn't all that difficult on the night. If Stephen Fleming wants an answer to his team's inability to win tight games he needs to do no more than look in the mirror. As radical as it may sound I suspect the one day team would do a lot better without him.
Mike & Adrian Colbert
How much longer do New Zealanders have to put up with old people like Bracewell and Fleming. Get rid of both of them and let someone who knows what they are doing take control. If you cant beat the Poms then you dont deserve to represent New Zealand. Find a new home cos we dont want you. Dont bother to come home to NZ. Thank goodness we have Graham Henry and the All Blacks to restore some pride in our country this year. But if you really want to see how to win, then sit up and watch Grant Dalton & Team New Zealand bring it home. Best of luck Grant, Dean, and the team, we know you will do it for all "New Zealanders". Wake up New Zealand, who needs a stadium when you have a world class team like Team New Zealand. Get over it Mallard, and stop trying to score political points. Give Carlaw park a go. Graham & the boys will bring home the rugby world cup, so give them somewhere decent to defend it, and back a real winner in Team New Zealand, and start planning for a really great 2011. Over Cricket for LIFE !!!