MELBOURNE // Maybe Matthew Hayden was on to something, after all.
The former Australian opener sparked a backlash in cyberspace by suggesting New Zealand’s players will struggle to muscle the ball to the boundaries in Sunday’s cricket World Cup final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
It did not take much to prompt supporters of the “little brothers” – as fast-bowler Tim Southee termed New Zealand – of the trans-Tasman rivalry into life.
The NZ Cricket Museum wrote on its Twitter feed: “The #MCGsobig the Great Wall of China was its original boundary fence.”
The museum, at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, is a trove of artefacts and information on the game, so they should know.
Even the New Zealand police got in the act. “The #MCGsobig we’ve put our Search and Rescue teams on standby #BacktheBlackCaps”, they wrote.
It was also worked out that 16 of the 25 sixes New Zealand have managed on their own grounds would have travelled the distance at the MCG.
The players seem to have taken note. At the start of New Zealand’s first fielding session in a bracing Melbourne, before tomorrow’s final, whoever was doing the hitting was having a job reaching the edge of the field.
After doing their obligatory catching drills, the batsmen each had a go, too.
They took full swings and not all of them made it.
Not that the New Zealand players seemed overly concerned by anything.
All the way through this World Cup they have done well to project the impression they are unencumbered by the pressure of expectations weighing on them. “Casual,” as Dan Vettori termed their attitude to it all.
That has not changed on this evidence.
At the start of their training session, they had, like always, a light-hearted game of keepy-uppy.
It may just be a kick and giggle, but the punishments meted out are harsh.
Whoever drops the ball gets penalised by having one of their teammates blast the football at their backsides from point-blank range.
Vettori, for one, really means business when he gets the chance to dish it out.
All the while, the general demeanour suggested that, if the New Zealand players have got any hang-ups about what is approaching, they are well hidden.
“We’ve got guys who have played a lot of cricket around the world, on big grounds, on small grounds. We’ve got enough experience on big grounds,” Southee said.
“A lot of the grounds in New Zealand are small, but Hagley Oval [at Christchurch] is reasonably big. We’re not too worried.
“A lot of the guys have played in front of big crowds in India. It’s going to be a great occasion. The guys are excited and we’ll embrace the occasion.”
New Zealand beat the Australians by one wicket in the previous meeting between the sides, at Eden Park in Auckland, in the group stage at this competition.
That might have earned the Black Caps some overdue respect from their opponents and Southee said the way New Zealand have played probably has changed the view of many of their doubters in the recent past.
“Over the last few years we’ve probably gained a little more respect around the world because of the cricket we’re playing and the brand of cricket,” Southee said.
“We respect Australia; they’re not the No 1 side in the world for no reason but I’m sure they’ve gained a little bit of respect for the brand of cricket we’ve played over the last couple of years.
“That opinion has changed over the last couple of years and the way that we’ve played and the sides that we’ve beaten in various conditions.”
New Zealand will win if ...
• Brendon McCullum faces more than 100 deliveries New Zealand’s captain has been the defining figure in his side’s undefeated march to the final, even though he has faced only 171 balls in the competition. Five of his colleagues have faced more. If he gets 100 balls in the final, his side will be guaranteed a substantial total.
• Ross Taylor turns up There once was a time, not so long ago, when Taylor was regarded as the mainstay of New Zealand’s batting line-up, the only player to fear. On current form, he is sixth-best but he did hint of a return to form in the semi-final.
• Corey Anderson has success with his bouncer The boundaries square of the wicket could be decisive places when Anderson bowls.
• The bowling attack are not cowed by the occasion Three of the five bowlers likely to bowl the most overs for the Black Caps will be playing their first game at the MCG: Trent Boult, Anderson and Matt Henry.
• Dan Vettori can repeat the trick against Steve Smith. Australia’s captain-in-waiting is in rare form. His past four scores were 105, 65, 72 and 95. Previous to that, though, he failed, making four in the loss to New Zealand. Vettori was masterful in that game and he will be targeting Smith again.
pradley@thenational.ae
Follow us on twitter at @NatSportUAE