KEY POINTS:
It is unlikely there will be any Channel Nine-type innovations during New Zealand's two home Twenty20 internationals.
The Herald on Sunday has learnt that the New Zealand players felt the link from the commentary box to the 'miked up' players was too intrusive in last week's international in Perth and would advise against Sky using a similar concept.
Daniel Vettori wore a microphone for the first five overs of Australia's innings, as did Ross Taylor while he was batting (just two balls) but Adam Gilchrist and Andrew Symonds wore them for the duration of the New Zealand innings.
At face value it seemed a strange decision to place that burden on Taylor, who had been in the midst of a terrible slump in form with the bat and had been catching poorly.
However, he was one of the few players who displayed an interest in the concept, and was considered safe enough to do the job - that is to say, not Lou Vincent or Mathew Sinclair. Vettori, as a novice captain at international level, probably had other things on his mind.
Following the match the players expressed surprise at how often they were called upon to give their thoughts with the general feeling that it had gone over the top.
Twice during New Zealand's innings Symonds and Gilchrist commentated their way through whole overs.
"The players in general thought that it was used too much," a New Zealand Cricket spokesman said. "It's not for us to comment on how the Australians felt but I think it's fair to say that the link between the box and the players was over-used."
On the whole, the Australians seemed more comfortable with the concept and that is perhaps just a reflection of their natural confidence.
Symonds created a minor stir when he referred to big-hitting Jacob Oram as "this bastard" - perhaps understandable when every second ball he delivered to him disappeared over the ropes.
One improvisation New Zealand will see is Sky's long-awaited foray into the world of Hawk-Eye.
