Ricky Ponting Chooses to Bat
Ricky Ponting Chooses to Bat – In sunny conditions on a dry batting wicket, Shane Watson and Brad Haddin tore into the New Zealand opening bowlers, Shane Bond and Tim Southee.
Watson continued his incredible run of form, and led the onslaught with two superb cricket shots – depositing Southee over the midwicket boundary with his trademark pull shot, then driving him down the ground for four.
Bond struck in the sixth over, removing Haddin with a fast, straight ball which held its line and clipped the top of off-stump.
But Australia’s rapid start unravelled with the loss of Watson, caught in the deep off Jacob Oram for a brutal 45, and Haddin bowled by Shane Bond for 12.
New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori was ruled out with a neck problem and Scott Styris took his place in the starting line-up, back for the first time since the trip to the UAE in November.
“Dan hurt himself at training yesterday and he thought it would come right but it just hasn’t,” Taylor said.
“Scott Styris has come in and will bat at seven, and he’ll be our spinner for the day, so it will be interesting.”
The first challenge for Taylor is to restrict Australia on a perfect batting pitch, with Shane Watson and Brad Haddin listed to open in a side that features seven changes from the team that played in Sunday’s Twenty20.
Ponting returned as Australia’s captain and was joined by one-day specialists James Hopes and Doug Bollinger.
“We’re obviously wanting to specialise as much as we can in 50-over cricket and Twenty20 cricket,” Ponting said.
Ricky Ponting Chooses to Bat
Tags: Australia, Bollinger, Captain Daniel, Daniel Vettori, Jacob Oram, New Zealand, Onslaught, Pitch, Ricky, ricky ponting, Scott Styris, Shane Watson, Spinner, Starting Line, Straight Ball, Sunny Conditions, Twenty20 Cricket, Uae, Wicket, Zealand Captain
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