Cricket: 'Over-arousal' wrecks Kiwi batting efforts

By RICHARD BOOCK

DUNEDIN - Coach David Trist yesterday gave "over-arousal" as the reason for New Zealand's hapless batting effort at the weekend.

Not only were New Zealand devoured by Australia in what was optimistically billed as a cricket day-nighter at Eden Park on Saturday, they apparently also suffered a humiliating defeat in the field of psychological warfare.

Beaten by a flattering five wickets after folding for 122 in just 30.1 overs, New Zealand then found their total overhauled in a mere 24.4 overs, leaving the 35,000-strong crowd downcast, and with a free evening at their disposal.

Trist, who has watched his players come through an anxious build-up to the series - including the opposition's leaked analysis report and a washout in Wellington - conceded that New Zealand's batting line-up failed to cope with the occasion.

"Our batters let their arousal get the better of them," he said after arriving in Dunedin. "And as a consequence, their decision-making suffered and we paid the price. You know that, 99 times out of a hundred, 122 is not going to be a winning score."

The calamity began when Craig Spearman - who has now faced 24 balls in four ODI innings - fell to Glenn McGrath in the first over, and Nathan Astle to Brett Lee in the second.

In need of a period of responsible batting, New Zealand instead found their entire middle-order seemingly distracted by personal battles and fell further into the mire as Stephen Fleming - who looked as through he might have been caught behind three times during his innings - Chris Cairns and Roger Twose departed in quick succession.

Fleming, just after taking up Glenn McGrath's challenge with a gorgeous hook for four, played loosely at Brett Lee in the next over and was caught by brother Shane Lee at square-leg; Cairns uncharacteristically opted for an early hook at McGrath and was miraculously taken by a sprinting Brett Lee; while Twose was perhaps the most reckless of all, being bowled by Shane Warne after aiming a massive blow at cow-corner.

McGrath and Brett Lee reaped three wickets apiece and Warne chimed in with a couple, but it was as much the Australian fielding that impressed, with Mark Waugh snaring two brilliant catches at slip and Andrew Symonds finishing off the Kiwi innings with a diving catch to dismiss Daniel Vettori.

Stacked with slow bowlers after rushing Paul Wiseman into the side, New Zealand never had a sufficient platform to effectively test their strategy and were virtually powerless as Australia chased the target aggressively, the winning runs arriving after just 24.4 overs.

The fallout from the loss is likely to be felt keenly by the New Zealanders this week, and particularly by Spearman - who has one more chance to persuade the selectors to retain him as Astle's opening partner.

If he fails again in Wednesday's third ODI at Carisbrook, the selectors will almost certainly call in test sensation Mathew Sinclair for the fourth match, and an early look at the tourists before the first test starts in Auckland next month.

Trist said the Australians, who have been defeated just twice in their past 26 ODIs, were "incredibly" confident and would only be toppled by their own complacency or an opposition playing sublime cricket.

"They've simply won so many games against allcomers that they believe they're invincible," he said. "I don't think they are, but the opposition are going to have to play extremely well to beat them.

"The Australians simply don't rate anyone, they keep coming at you, and you know you'll have to be at the peak of your powers to compete."