Cricket: Caught by a slip!

RICHARD BOOCK reports on the Australians' inadvertently leaked views on our team's streghts and weaknesses.

WELLINGTON - The Australians might have the best cricket team in the world, but you'd never want them in charge of security.

Only hours before yesterday's opening one-dayer, the world champions accidentally leaked a copy of their game-plan to a Wellington hotel guest.

The papers were mistakenly slipped under the bedroom door of a guest who was staying at the same hotel as the tourists, and contain an analysis of most of the New Zealand players.

Australian manager Steve Bernard said the leak was not a huge concern - "everyone has a game-plan" - but conceded that the Australians would have preferred to have kept the notes themselves.

The briefing notes included these observations:

GENERAL


Tour theme name: "Never Satisfied."


Intimidate them - controlled aggression - keep everything under control - sledging and body-language. Play to our own game-plan - do our jobs - no-one will beat us, or if they do they'll have to play out of their arses. Goal, to win all games if we can. Records will take care of themselves.

The strength of the group is the weakest link! Put "We" over "I." Reflect on how we went about achieving our most recent results.

NEW ZEALAND BATTING


Craig Spearman: Regulation player. Poor against spin - no width, bowl straight. Hits over cover. Plays from crease, squares up. Good chance for nick. Poor footwork - can pick up off legs. Strong off back-foot.

Nathan Astle: Hits on up through offside. Fine-leg up, square-leg back. Square-of-the-wicket player. No width, likes to free arms. Option around the wicket. Does charge - tries to put you off your length. Get him coming forward (bad runner). Mental/Current form: Good.

Stephen Fleming (captain): (Hits through) mid-on/off, and straight. Change your pace to Fleming. Nicks early, goes hard (at ball).One-pace batsman. Big lbw chance early, no footwork. Shorter length. Slog-sweeps spinners. Bat-pad up to Warnie. Mental/Current form: Bit lazy early-on.

Roger Twose: Struggles with change of pace. Can hit over mid-on, and through cover. Slow starter. Short ball an option (He often) pops it up. Mental/Current form: Intimidate early but with control. Not sure he quite believes in his ability. Can get bogged down.

Craig McMillan: Slow starter. Big lbw chance. Good hitter either side of the wicket. Mental/Current form: Good confident player, but prone to silly mistakes.

Chris Cairns: Likes to free arms. Lbw chance to medium-pacers - hits across line. Yorkers an option - gets caught on the crease. Four-hitter. Has all the shots. Confidence player. If he moves around the crease, bowl full at his off-stump. In-form player.

Chris Harris: Cover drives, slogs to cow-corner (have mid-on wider) Dry him up. Quick between wickets. Mix up pace. Pushes to gaps.

Daniel Vettori: Bottom-handed player. Will cut and pull.

Adam Parore: Mainly on-side player, but good all-rounder. Bowl tight line, stump to stump. Good striker - dot balls. Dangerous player coming in down the order - can hit straight away.

NEW ZEALAND BOWLING


Chris Cairns: Attacking bowler - looks to be aggressive, can go for plenty. Be patient. Excellent slower ball - which can be first ball to a new batsman. Mental/Current form: Fragile. Good front-runner but lacks confidence if you get on top of him. Their key player - others feed off him.

Scott Styris: Inexperienced. Put the pressure on him. Rotate strike etc. Nippy through the air. Reverse swing into right-handers.

Daniel Vettori: Aggressive spinner. Flights the ball. Subtle change of pace. Work ones - back yourself.

Chris Harris: Mixes up pace. Play in the V. Opportunity to pull and cut his slower ball. Look to score a single off every ball. Don't let him rush you. Be mentally aggressive. Excellent fielder off own bowling. Mental/Current form: His body language can affect team-mates. Keep him down.

Nathan Astle: Stump-to-stump type bowler. Play in the V, be positive, mentally aggressive. (Bowls) slower ball out the back of his hand.