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Justin Langer's Postcards |
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SATURDAY 11 March 2000
Day one first Test, Eden Park, Auckland
At 4:17pm the scoreboard may have suggested that we were in a lot of
trouble on day one of this first Test against our archrivals New
Zealand. All out for just over 200 in the first innings of a Test match
is nothing to boast about, but take it from me, I would rather be in our
shoes than theirs any day. Taking four wickets tonight was a bonus for
the good guys, especially considering this Eden Park pitch is almost
certain to become harder and harder to bat on. New Zealand will have to
bat last on this surface so it would be fair to say that every run we
can set them will almost be equivalent to two runs on this spinners'
paradise.
When 'Tugga' won the toss this morning we knew that advantage number one
had gone our way in this important first Test. With the pitch turning in
the first session it can only spin more and more as the game wears on.
With this in mind, it would have been nice to have scored more heavily
in this first innings but still we are feeling confident at the end of
day one.
Thanks to Mark Waugh's outstanding innings, the New Zealanders will have
to bat as well as they possibly can to take a lead on the first innings.
With Pigeon and Brett Lee chiming in with three of tonight's four
wickets it would be my prediction that 'Funky' Miller and 'Warney' can
only cause more Kiwi headaches for the remainder of this Test match. At
the pace he bowls, the experienced journeyman, Colin Miller, could hold
the key to this Test. Combined with Warney, who is pumped up to break
the record, our spin duo look set to pounce on day two tomorrow.
From Auckland, JL
PS: What about Damien Martyn's catch at third slip. What a screamer!!!
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