Eight things from Seddon
01. New Zealand was 123/1 after 18.1 overs. In the almost 32 overs remaining available they doubled that score. In this series 18.1 has become the new 30.
2. When is Ross Taylor back again?
This is it
3. Milne and Bracewell proved that you don’t leave it to the fast bowlers to make a decision on whether an LBW call should be reviewed.
4. What was more worrying about that poor call and non-referral was the part played by the Australians in getting under umpire Walker’s skin leading up to it. The petulance shown when a Ronchi not out call was not overturned (either call would have been right) meant Walker, subconsciously anyway, overcompensated in the next over. Smith led a pantomime of tea-pots, f-bombs and collar-popping. In a non-toothless world the ICC would come down hard on that kind of behaviour. There was to be a bit of karma when Smith batted.
5. Lyon aside, the Australian treasure hunt for a spinner in the post-Warne era has been an amusing one; Beer, Smith, Doherty etc. But in Zampa they appear to have found a good one.
6. There has been a lot made of New Zealand’s extra bowling depth of late, and some of it has been overstated. But Bracewell and Sodhi showed how recalled fringe bowlers can be relied on.
7. Ish Sodhi played test cricket probably a year or three too early. He is now at an age where he’s probably ready for top level cricket.
8. In his last ODI as skip BMac captained his team to defending the un-defendable. Hopefully that will be recognised in the obits. For example, bringing back Anderson like he did.