Cricket: Clarke tipping tough day for batsmen

Michael Clarke. Photo / Getty Images

Australian skipper Michael Clarke is predicting a tough day ahead for the batsmen when the second test against New Zealand starts at Bellerive Oval.

And if New Zealand happen to be bowling first, that'll suit captain Ross Taylor just fine.
Because that will expose Australia's lean top three batsmen to the best seam bowling conditions of the test.

Australia's openers David Warner and Phil Hughes did little to trouble the scorers in the nine-wicket win in the first test at Brisbane last week and Islamabad-born No 3 Usman Khawaja is still finding his test feet after five internationals, averaging 33.

Warner, on debut, fell to the seventh ball of the Australian first innings, a fine delivery which jagged back at him from Tim Southee.

Fellow lefthander Hughes was out twice in the same fashion, caught at gully by Martin Guptill off Chris Martin.

Since then 23-year-old Hughes, who averages 36 in tests with three centuries from 16 tests, has been inundated with advice from all quarters.

He is a risk around his off stump early on and Martin has form for being particularly good against lefthanders.

So expect the slips cordon to be on their toes should that scenario unfold at the toss.
With a storm of criticism blowing around him, Hughes has a strong backer in fellow New South Welshman Clarke

"I've been caught in the slips as many times as any player," he said.

"It's an area of a lot of people's game that needs continual work on, especially when the ball is moving.

"I've always loved his work ethic, he trains as hard as anyone and wants to get better.

"I'm confident that if he continues with that attitude he'll play a lot of tests."

That said, Clarke is tipping it will be "very difficult for batters on day one, but it's going to be a good test if we bat. We have been working really hard on defence and technique in the nets".

Hopefully so, too, the beleaguered New Zealand batsmen, of whom Taylor admitted he was as guilty as the rest of poor shot selection and execution at Brisbane.

Taylor quipped after Brisbane that he hoped Hughes would be in the Australian team for Hobart, from New Zealand's point of view.

That line grew more legs than he intended it to. What Taylor meant as a light throwaway line became large, bold type in several Australian newspapers.

So today Taylor moved to offer some support for the Australian.

''He's a gutsy and fighting batsman. It wasn't that long ago he scored 88 against South Africa, which was an outstanding innings and put Australia on the front foot in that innings.

''He is still a world class opener and he's scored runs against us in the past. He scored more runs than I did in the last game," Taylor added with dark humour.

Taylor's Brisbane double of 14 and 0 put the heat on him to deliver. But he's not alone.
Unless the New Zealand batsmen retain their self belief and sort out their shot making around the off stump they'll continue to have problems.

''We just have to play a lot tighter than in Brisbane, and we're trying to keep as upbeat as possible," Taylor said.

New Zealand are chasing their first win in Hobart after two heavy defeats n the 1990s and a draw in 2001. But their record in Australia is now just two wins from 26 tests and only the most optimistic punter would give them much hope of improving that over the next five days.