Brendon McCullum - 5: Started like a train with three boundaries in the first over of the match, but ended up caught in the slip cordon in both innings and was given a bit of a going over by Pattinson on the third evening. However, the Black Caps need him swinging at the top of the order.
Martin Guptill - 4: Got into double figures twice but couldn't get any further after a loose drive first time around and a tame fend to short leg on the fourth morning.
Kane Williamson - 3: Has talent but is too high in the order at three. Struggled against Lyon on day one and was out for a duck attempting to drive a fired-up Pattinson in the second over of day 4.
Ross Taylor - 2: Made the wrong move in choosing to bat after winning the toss and the two shots he played to be dismissed were abysmal especially the wild attempted square drive just before lunch on the first morning. Needs a lesson in responsibility from Vettori.
Jesse Ryder - 5: Showed poor judegment in both innings: the wild flat-footed slash to gully in the 1st innings was woeful enough but the limp scoop to mid-off off Lyon second time around was inexcusable.
Dean Brownlie - 8: It took a man playing just his 2nd Test to show the top five how to do it. Came to the crease both times with his team in desperate trouble and dug in impressively especially in unison with Vettori in the 1st innings.
Daniel Vettori - 9: The side's best batsman, best bowler (he even opened the bowling), best leader and only player of genuine Test class. Although he took his wicket, Mike Hussey proved Dictator Dan's achilles heel running him out with a direct hit attempting a suicidal single just four runs short of a deserved hundred in the 1st innings and then handing him a rare Test wicket with a soft dismissal second time around.
Reece Young - 5: Tidy enough behind the stumps but doesn't exactly inspire confidence with a bat in his hands.
Doug Bracewell - 4: Should have had Clarke not once, not twice but three times and will still be ruing his error in bowling the Australian skipper off a no-ball. Found the Australian batsmen a much tougher proposition than the Zimbabwe line-up he took six wickets off on his debut, which is hardly a surprise.
Tim Southee - 4: Looks more of a third or fourth seamer and faded badly after getting some extra lift to snare Warner early in Australia's 1st innings. Likes a swing with the bat.
Chris Martin - 6: As steady as ever and seems to have Hughes's number after having him caught in the gully in both innings. Desperately lacks quality seam support. As woeful as ever with the bat, Martin is the ultimate number 11.
Where next?
1st Test: Australia vs New Zealand - Australia marks out of 10
Zimbabwe: An example of where sport and politics should mix
India vs New Zealand: 2nd Test - New Zealand marks out of 10
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Think you are being generous to McCullum. Very poor display by the batsmen.
Posted by: Lolly | Monday, December 05, 2011 at 17:15