KEY POINTS:
The first Chappell-Hadlee match was a fine performance and thus should be celebrated but, at the risk of coming across as a negative joy germ, it is also a performance with which we should not get too carried away.
While a top sportsman must always take time to celebrate the result, a top sportsman must also have the ability to look objectively and past the pure outcome. Looking at Friday night's 10-wicket win objectively, while it highlights some real positives, it is important that one performance against an under-strength opposition does not breed smug complacency.
The performance of Shane Bond was heartening. Bond's role in the bowling attack is, and should always be, to attack and take wickets. When he is such a threat it changes the whole dynamic of the bowling unit and allows it to become just that, a unit operating as one. Of late he had lost a little sting and wicket-taking form but back it came all at once and most importantly against a team he has had a psychological hold on.
Jacob Oram's bowling was also a triumph. Let's not forget that while his six-hitting heroics have entertained us, his bread-and-butter contribution in most of his ODI career has been as a reliable and economical first-change bowler. Now he's out and can't immediately build upon his last effort.
Lou Vincent continues to score runs in his own flamboyant fashion. Yes it's high risk and it won't come off all the time, but the more he's out there swinging the better and more refined he will get at it.
And how much relief would Fleming have taken from his near run-a-ball knock. However these two will still know that luck was on their side.
Regardless of these positives, our cricket team should know that again they dominated in bowler-friendly conditions. We are the kings of crap conditions and exploit them better than most and I've no real problem with that. However, if those of us that want New Zealand cricket to flourish are to feel good about where we are at, our team must improve its ability to win when the bat dominates the ball.
I hope for our sake the next couple of matches are played in batsman-friendly conditions and we get the chance to chase down a score of 250 and defend a score of 260. That would show the ability, firstly, to back up a good game with another and, secondly, that we can play effectively in all conditions.
I'm not too concerned that Australia is under-strength because they are still a formidable side and putting a bit of doubt in the minds of their fringe players is a real positive.
Perhaps these thoughts are those of a fatalist, but then again it's always been my assumption that a performance is only great when it's backed up by substance over time, otherwise it's just an anomaly. But don't get me wrong, I still had a quiet celebratory beer on Friday night.
