Aus v NZ; First Test, Brisbane, Nov 5-9

[yuppie]

Second Calendar year that Smith has made over 1000 runs.

[backfootpunch]

not surprised to see that score tbh

before i went to bed i was thinking that now the ball had stopped moving it looked like it was a perfect batting pitch, just enough pace and bounce for it to come on to the bat beautifully

you know a pitch is flat when usman khawaja scores a hundred

[Aidan11]

Looks like NZ will be facing another 500+ score on this tour.

[Arthur Crabtree]

A lot of hard work for the Kiwis after that 500-1 warm up game.

[The Professor]

I feel that New Zealand's purple patch might be coming to an end.

They have received a lot of hype about their style of play but it seems that teams are starting to figure it out now.

[Aidan11]

They're out of this test already.

[GarlicJam]

you know a pitch is flat when usman khawaja scores a hundred

I reckon this comment will come back to haunt you, bfp. (okay, haunt is way too strong a word....)

Late bloomer, is our Ussie.

[yuppie]

you know a pitch is flat when usman khawaja scores a hundred

I reckon this comment will come back to haunt you, bfp. (okay, haunt is way too strong a word....)

Late bloomer, is our Ussie.

Lets hope so

[backfootpunch]

you know a pitch is flat when usman khawaja scores a hundred

I reckon this comment will come back to haunt you, bfp. (okay, haunt is way too strong a word....)

Late bloomer, is our Ussie.

if he starts scoring runs on pitches that arent flat after the openers put on 161 i will reconsider, that was probably the easiest hundred a number three will ever score

good to see that he finally stopped blocking, in his previous forays into test cricket he was far too defensive

[Arthur Crabtree]

The wicket looked likely, with Boult bowling well and runs hard to come by. Good start to the second day by the Kiwis.

[Arthur Crabtree]

You'd take Smith for 48 in the first innings.

[bigfluffylemon]

Nothing since. Khawaja closing in on 150, Australia closing in on 500 with only 3 wickets down.

When do we start talking about a declaration? After tea?

If the pitch is as flat as it appears, Australia will have a hard time taking 20 wickets as well, especially as Johnson and Starc seem best suited to short spells. I agree that overlooking Siddle may have been a mistake - you may need someone who can run in all day and keep it tight on this wicket.

OTOH, it's funny how often a pitch looks to be playing completely differently when a team comes in to bat facing scoreboard pressure of 500+...

[bigfluffylemon]

Craig is getting absolutely slaughtered here.

[bigfluffylemon]

Ah dammit, Khawaja's gone and Australia declare. Here I was expecting all kinds of run records to be smashed.

3 150+ partnerships in the same innings must be a rare feat, especially in the first four partnerships, but I can't work out how to make statsguru tell me how rare.

[bigfluffylemon]

Nope, pitch looks just as flat when the kiwis are batting as it did for Australia. The rate of scoring in Australia's innings leaves plenty of time for a result, even if NZ get 500+.