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Tomorrow is the second One-Day International between the BLACKCAPS and Australia, and although the home team had an exciting win in the first ODI, they won’t be resting on their laurels at Eden Park.
The trans-Tasman adversaries will battle out the second of five ODIs in front of a sold out Eden Park crowd in Auckland tomorrow with the rivalry at fever pitch .
Fireworks are expected again in tomorrow’s game, and everyone is talking about the Styris/Johnson match up after their verbal exchange during the first ODI in Napier on Wednesday.
BLACKCAPS wicket-keeper batsman Brendon McCullum said it’s always a tough challenge between the two nations. “Both teams are trying to win for their countries and we had two guys who are passionate to pull through for their countries,” he said reflecting on the dialogue between the BLACKCAPS batsman and the Australian pace bowler. “There’s still a bit of fight in both teams and I don’t think that’s a bad thing.”
McCullum said the BLACKCAPS aren’t being underestimated by the Australians, and vice versa. “The Chappell/Hadlee series shows we are a good team when playing this competition and by no means have the Australians underestimated or disrespected us,” he said. “We’ve played some good cricket this week and if we can continue to do that and put Australia under pressure in key situations, then there’s no reason we can’t be successful.”
Scott Styris is looking forward to repeating his match winning performance at Eden Park and played down the exchange between him and Mitchell Johnson a bit of friendly banter. “He (Mitchell Johnson) was trying to get into my head to get me out and I was trying to win the battle over him so there was nothing that you don’t see in most other international games,” he said. “I’m sure he will be out, as all the rest of them, in the next game trying to do the same sorts of things and we will too.”
Australian Captain Ricky Ponting is hoping to turn the tables on the Kiwis’ but was quick to acknowledge that his team was outplayed in the first ODI. ““I thought that the way they bowled, after Watson and Haddin got us off to a really good start. I thought they adapted and adjusted really well, the way they bowled and the bowlers they used at different times.,” he said. “We found it hard to score through the middle overs when the ball got a bit softer and I thought they fielded exceptionally well. Look at all the diving saves they had in the ring today. If they missed half a dozen of them it could have been a different game so full credit to New Zealand the way they played.”
The sold out Eden Park game starts at noon tomorrow.
