Quantcast

'Bizarre' tactics tipped for T20 final

Australia's skipper ponders how to control run-hungry batsmen at unusual Eden Park venue

Australia's T20 captain David Warner concedes he might have to employ some "bizarre" tactics in a bid to prevent another six-hitting bonanza in the final of the T20 tri-series at Eden Park.

New Zealand and Australia will resume their trans-Tasman rivalry at the pocket-sized Auckland rugby stadium on Wednesday evening after last week equalling the T20 International record for the most sixes struck in a match.

Featuring straight boundaries that can be as short as 45 metres, both Warner and his Black Caps counterpart Kane Williamson admitted applying the brakes to free-wheeling batters could be a hopeless task.

Warner stressed his bowlers did little wrong in their last encounter despite his side conceding Australia's highest-ever T20 total, which the Aussies incredibly chased down with seven balls to spare.

Australia break world record to run down NZ

But the stand-in skipper revealed he may need to think outside-the-box to stop a repeat of the run-fest.

"You probably have to have obscure fields," Warner told reporters on Tuesday. "You might have to have like a deep fly slip on the boundary instead of a third man.

"They're bizarre little catching spots where you might get a catch.

"In Australia you set fields for certain players ... (to) where they're going to hit. Here those fields generally they can hit it for six.

"Where's a mistimed pull shot going to go? Over the top for six? You might have one just behind the keeper.

Watch all 32 sixes from epic clash at Eden Park

"You might have, for the spinners, everyone on the straight boundary and no one there (square of the wicket) and make them try to hit a reverse sweep and maybe get a wicket. You've just got to think on your feet when you're out there.

"It's a challenging one but at the end of the day I don't think it (was about) how poorly the bowlers bowled at all. The bowlers bowled well."

Warner said Australia are yet to confirm their XI for the decider and he's kept the door ajar for the possible return of Adam Zampa.

The leg-spinner missed just one T20I between his debut in 2016 and the opening match of this tri-series, but has been overlooked after losing his spot to left-armer Ashton Agar, who’s now seemingly entrenched as the first-choice spinner.

A slightly-worn Eden Park pitch, the same strip that was used for Friday's onslaught, could play into Zampa's favour, though showers from the fringes of ex-tropical cyclone Gita may leave some added spice in the track.

Williamson ponders how to keep control at Eden Park

Heavy rain and blustery winds hit Auckland on Tuesday afternoon but the city is not expected to be feel the worst of the storm.

"The other day it looked a little bit drier than game day," said Warner. "Obviously a bit of weather around, we'll probably get a look at it tonight hopefully if the weather holds off."

Williamson added: "Hopefully it starts to take a little bit more turn and offers a little more assistance to the bowlers to create that balance between bat and ball.

"If that's the case, spin will come into it a little bit more as an attacking option."

New Zealand coach Mike Hesson said Monday that left-arm tweaker Mitchell Santner was expected to recover from a minor knee injury to take his place in the Black Caps side for the final.

Possible Australia XI: David Warner (c), Aaron Finch, D'Arcy Short, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey (wk), Ashton Agar, Andrew Tye, Kane Richardson, Billy Stanlake/Adam Zampa.

Possible New Zealand XI: Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Kane Williamson (c), Mark Chapman, Ross Taylor, Colin de Grandhomme, Tim Seifert (wk), Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult.

Trans-Tasman T20 Tri-Series

First T20I Australia beat New Zealand by seven wickets. Scorecard

Second T20I Australia beat England by five wickets. Scorecard

Third T20I Australia beat England by seven wickets. Scorecard

Fourth T20I New Zealand beat England by 12 runs. Scorecard

Fifth T20I Australia beat New Zealand by five wickets. Scorecard

Sixth T20I England beat New Zealand by 2 runs. Scorecard

Final Australia v NZ, Eden Park, February 21. Scorecard

Australia squad: David Warner (c), Aaron Finch (vc), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Travis Head, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, D'Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa.

England squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Vince, David Willey, Mark Wood.

New Zealand squad: Kane Williamson (c), Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, Tom Bruce, Colin de Grandhomme, Martin Guptill, Anaru Kitchen, Colin Munro, Seth Rance, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Ben Wheeler.