T20 AUS vs NZ Live Streaming
Australian audiences may have cause to double-take when casting an eye over the squad for Sunday’s match at the SCG. With an average age of 26, this is the youngest team Australia have turned out in recent memory, indicating the selectors’ desire to inject new blood into the national squad. Michael Clarke (back) and Mitchell Johnson (ankle) have been rested ahead of the Test squad’s departure for South Africa on Monday, paving the way for Brad Haddin to captain his country for the first time. The Victoria batsman Rob Quiney has received his maiden call-up.
Australia (from) Brad Haddin (capt), David Warner, David Hussey, Callum Ferguson, Moises Henriques, Adam Voges, James Hopes, Cameron White, Nathan Bracken, Ben Hilfenhaus, Peter Siddle, Rob Quiney.
The Chappell-Hadlee Trophy decider may have been abandoned due to rain, but the match - reduced to 22-overs a side - gave New Zealand a sound hit-out before the Twenty20 encounter. Martin Guptill’s unbeaten 64 from 34 balls might have sealed the series for the visitors had the heavens not opened, particularly with Brendon Diamanti (26 not out from 22 balls) providing strong support. Diamanti has held his place after Kyle Mills withdrew with an Achilles injury. Ross Taylor is struggling with a hamstring problem but is expected to play.
New Zealand (from) Daniel Vettori (capt), Neil Broom, Ian Butler, Grant Elliott, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum, Peter McGlashan, Brendon Diamanti, Iain O’Brien, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor.
Watch out for …
Brad Haddin will not be high on the New Zealanders’ Christmas card list after this series, and his rapport with Daniel Vettori at the coin-toss will make for fascinating viewing. Haddin has been in tremendous form of late, and may have found a permanent home for himself atop the Australian order. In his first outing as captain, Haddin will be desperate to close out the summer on a positive note.
Martin Guptill was in sublime touch during the rain-effected match on Friday, and could again prove a major top-order weapon. With wristy, inventive strokeplay and superb timing, Guptill terrorised the bowlers at the Gabba. He has proven a solid Twenty20 performer for Auckland, although this will be his first 20-over match at international level.
Ricky Ponting, who has waved goodbye to his most difficult home summer, has demanded more consistency from his bowlers after yelling in frustration during his side’s rain-assisted escape in the washed-out Chappell-Hadlee Series decider. In an outward display of emotion, Ponting was heard to bellow “what’s going on?” after a sloppy James Hopes over that helped Martin Guptill and Brendon Diamanti push New Zealand within sight of victory.
The Chappell-Hadlee Series comes down to one game. After New Zealand earned a surprise 2-0 lead, they gave up the next two contests to an Australian side playing in a more familiar style, with their big-name run-makers re-emerging from hibernation and the bowlers finding more ways to subdue the fighting, but under-manned tourists.
New Zealand have rung the changes ahead of their Twenty20 match against Australia, bringing in four players who have not been part of the Chappell-Hadlee Series. Their 13-man squad for the one-off match in Sydney on Sunday includes the allrounders James Franklin and Nathan McCullum, the fast bowler Ian Butler and the backup wicketkeeper Peter McGlashan.
Two wickets and a spectacular catch gave audiences the impression that Cameron White’s focus had never been sharper, but the allrounder admitted his thoughts were elsewhere during Sunday’s win against New Zealand. White spent much of the morning watching television coverage of the Victorian bushfires that have claimed at least 111 lives, many of them from the Gippsland region from which he hails.
Warner has been left out of the squad and will return to New South Wales, where he has still not made his first-class debut. The success of Haddin and Clarke as an opening pair has hardened the top order and the main batting question is how long David Hussey and Cameron White will be given to justify their positions while Adam Voges remains in the squad. Peter Siddle has joined the group and after taking a one-day career-best of 4 for 27 for Victoria on Saturday he is a strong chance to make his ODI debut.
New Zealand are likely to take the same XI in to the MCG match following their Perth success, which was overshadowed by the controversy surrounding Brad Haddin’s involvement in the dismissal of Neil Broom. For Clarke, the challenge is to ensure his men are focused on improving, especially with the bat, and leave the off-field argy-bargy behind them.
The occasional one-off incident aside, Australia and New Zealand share a strong cricketing relationship and encounters between the teams are generally friendly. Unfortunately, one of those out-of-the-ordinary occurrences came up at the WACA on Sunday, when Brad Haddin’s gloves appeared to knock the bail off when Neil Broom was adjudged bowled. It has sparked a vigorous to-and-fro and while both teams want to put it behind them, it is yet to be seen whether tensions will remain in the second match at the MCG.