- Australia vs New Zealand Twenty20 international

[cisco-guy]

Rick Ponting’s Australia is currently at the top on Test and ODI series. Will they reign on Twenty20 international as well? The first Twenty20 international against New Zealand starts tomorrow. Here are some new rules:

- Bowlers are restricted to four overs,
- Two close catchers are needed for the first six overs
- New batsmen have 90 seconds between dismissals to reach the crease.
- No-balls in the 20-over innings are worth two runs and are further punished with a free hit from the next delivery.

[Ehsan]

Originally posted by cisco-guy
- No-balls in the 20-over innings are worth two runs and are further punished with a free hit from the next delivery.

Does it mean that after the no ball if the batsman hits out and gets caught and he will still be not out?

[cisco-guy]

Originally posted by ehsan

Does it mean that after the no ball if the batsman hits out and gets caught and he will still be not out?

I guess so. That implies a huge slogging chance for the batsman after a noball. Huh!

[bourny3]

Yes that is exactly right. It will be interesting.

[fab]

Well it's quite obvious who won..

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Australia's 128-year clean sweep
February 17, 2005 - 8:21PM

Ricky Ponting did the bashing and Michael Kasprowicz the crashing as Australia welcomed Twenty20 cricket into the international arena with a 44-run thumping of New Zealand tonight.

Ponting blitzed a 55-ball unbeaten 98 to propel the world champions to an imposing 5-214 at Eden Park before Kasprowicz took 4-29 to dismantle the Black Caps for 170.

The victory completes a 128-year clean sweep by Australia which also took out the first-ever Test match in 1877 and inaugural one-day international in 1970.

Ponting deserved to become the first-ever centurion in the "bash and crash" game after lustily swiping the penulitmate over of the innings for 30 runs.

The skipper hit Daryl Tuffey for four sixes, a boundary and a two to take his score to 93. But he faced only three balls in the final over off Andre Adams.

In all Ponting, who dug his side out of trouble at 4-53 with the help of Simon Katich (30 off 25) and Mike Hussey (31 not out off 15) belted eight fours and five sixes.

Kasprowicz was just as impressive, taking wickets with his first two balls after NZ started impressively to be 0-49 after five overs.

By the time he took his fourth, and most dangerous, scalp - Chris Cairns skying an edged pull to be out for one - the contest was virtually over at 5-95.

The home side needed a further 110 off only 52 balls.

Scott Styris lost Hamish Marshall and Andre Adams soon after but added some respectability with a whirlwind 66 that included five boundaries and three sixes.

A feature of his 39-ball knock was a straight six off Glenn McGrath which Kaprowicz almost miraculously reeled in on the boundary.

Styris was eventually bowled by Brett Lee with 54 runs needed and only six balls left. Former Test rugby winger Jeff Wilson made an impressive cameo in his international cricket return with a smart 18 off 14 balls before falling in the final over.

The Black Caps may have fallen short but the 29,317-strong crowd went home happy - fuelled by 17 sixes, 31 fours and countless number of memorable 1980s tracks.

It was topped off by Glenn McGrath pretending to deliver the final ball to Tuffey underarm.

Umpire Billy Bowden abruptly stopped him and then showed a red card, much to the Aucklanders' delight.

The hits and misses never let up in the entire three hours of the ultra-abbreviated game.

The laughs flowed freely also with the "Beige Caps" impersonating their cricketing forefathers by turning out wearing retro 1980s uniforms.

They also got into the spirit by growing beards and moustaches in an in-team competition which earned the winner several crates of beer for his home club.

SMH
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These guys are just, simply put, awesome. Hope they drive a steamroller over the pommies!

Edited on, February 17, 2005, 11:42 AM GMT, by fab.

[cisco-guy]

Australia batted magnificently and won by its customarily handsome margin. Rick Ponting hit superb 98*....30 off one over!WoW!
Styris did great for NewZealand.

20/20 certainly proving popular with many fans. 29,000 plus attended the game. This “3 hours” of exiting cricket in prime time TV channel would be perfect for the ratings IMHO.

[bourny3]

Well done to Australia and well done ponting.

[tas]

Hamish Marshall certainly got into the spirit....

[battye]

Nice afro

[bourny3]

hahah that is an awesome afro.