It isn’t very often that the calendar moves into February and a bilateral cricket series is eagerly anticipated but that is very much the case in 2016 when Australia begin a tour of New Zealand on Wednesday.
There are two Tests to come later in the month but to get things going the World Cup finalists collide over three ODIs which should make great viewing on the small New Zealand grounds.
These two sides met twice in last year’s World Cup where New Zealand won the group match in Auckland, where this series begins, before Australia got their revenge in the final in Melbourne so we are all set up for three fascinating games.
New Zealand have been concentrating on limited overs matches for the last month and have been doing it quite successfully. They saw off Sri Lanka over ODIs and T20s and then did the same to Pakistan so a series hat-trick will be very much their aim here.
Australia go into this series off the back of a successful time of it in ODIs too. They beat India 4-1 in a lengthy ODI series although their confidence might have been dented slightly when India beat them 3-0 in a T20 series which only concluded on Sunday.
Injuries are hurting both sides at the minute so the personnel involved in these matches will be different to the ones which were on show in the World Cup but that only adds to the intrigue I would say.
From what we’ve seen over the last month or so I think this series is going to be won by the team with the better bowling attack. India showed up Australia’s attack to be as weak as it looks on paper without Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Johnson and Pat Cummins and I suspect New Zealand might do that too.
New Zealand are going to be without Tim Southee and Mitchell McClenaghan for this series which isn’t ideal but they do at least have Trent Boult available and Matt Henry is bowling very quickly at the present time.
I’m expecting another series dominated by the bat, as most are these days to be fair, but I fancy New Zealand’s attack to be slightly the stronger of the two and that can prove to be the difference over the three matches in this series.
The new ball often does a bit in these conditions and I just wonder if it is worth taking someone down the order for a top bat punt. Australia will have a new opener for this series anyway with Aaron Finch ruled out through injury. I would imagine Shaun Marsh will get the nod ahead of Usman Khawaja but it isn’t beyond the realms of possibility that they both get a game in the series.
We saw plenty of early wickets in the World Cup last year and with the likes of Boult and Henry around to get something done up top I wouldn’t be surprised if Australia end up needing to rely on their middle order here and with that in mind on these grounds one man stands out.
I did briefly consider George Bailey who could be ideal in a rebuilding situation but I’m going to go with Glenn Maxwell who could destroy any attack on these grounds.
Obviously batting at five Maxwell won’t get maximum time at the crease but when he is at the crease he’s going to score quickly because two rugby grounds and Seddon Park aren’t going to be big enough to contain him.
Maxwell showed he’s in decent nick with a 90 odd against India in Canberra which followed up some good scores for the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash and with his cameos in this series likely to be more substantial because of the likelihood of boundaries I’ll chance him at 12/1 here.
Back New Zealand to win ODI series for a 3/10 stake at 2.63 with Bet365
Back G.Maxwell Top Australia Series Batsman for a 1/10 stake at 13.00 with Ladbrokes
