New Zealand vs Australia 2016: Five Player Battles To Look Out For

Dec 3, 2016 at 1:24 PM

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New Zealand vs Australia 2016: Five Player Battles To Look Out For

The Trans-Tasman rivalry is all set to begin as New Zealand will face Australia for three One Day Internationals in the Chappell-Hadlee series, starting December 4th in Sydney.

Tipped to be the most exciting teams in the limited-over format, both these sides have a lot to offer in the series. The hosts on one side are desperate for a series win now, after getting thrashed 5-0 by the Proteas in ODI’s before succumbing to 2-1 defeat in the Tests in Australia.

New Zealand, on the other hand, is coming with a Test series win over Pakistan under their belt, their first against them in 31 years.

The three One Dayers promises to produce some spine-tingling cricket over a week and thus we bring you the five player battles to look out for.

David Warner vs Tim Southee

David Warner will play a crucial role if Australia were to win the ODI series against New Zealand.
David Warner will play a crucial role if Australia were to win the ODI series against New Zealand.

Arguably, the most dominant opener Australia has produced in a decade, David Warner will be the highlight for hosts in the series. Over the years, his batting order has assured plethora of runs coming his way but his struggle to tackle in-swing deliveries has been a concern till date. Having said that, the presence of Tim Southee in the Kiwi line-up might ruin his chances of returning to form after a poor show against South Africa in Tests.

Despite the likeliness of wickets assisting the batters, the left-handed batsman is mature enough to not rule out the Southee from his way considering his six-fer against Pakistan in recently concluded Test series.

Steve Smith and Trent Boult

Trent Boult of New Zealand would look to breakthrough the top order early on in the series.
Trent Boult of New Zealand would look to break through the top order early on in the series.

With more red marks on his report card as a captain so far, Steven Smith would be eyeing for a better performance from his side in the series against New Zealand. His performance on the personal note has also been a concern, something he would like to get rid of. Facing the challenge, Trent Boult might act as a thorn in the flesh for Smith.

Unleashing the pace, swing and bounce on the Australian wickets, the equation might just get bad for the Aussies while the Kiwis pace attack seems lethal too. Dodging Boult from the start sounds good as an option for Smith rather than choosing an attacking approach and gifting his wicket away.

Kane Williamson vs Mitchell Starc

Mitchell Starc of Australia would look to spread his magic with the ball during the ODI series against New Zealand.
Mitchell Starc of Australia would look to spread his magic with the ball during the ODI series against New Zealand.

The battle between the top-seeded batsman and a bowler calls for nothing but sheer excitement for the fans. With Kane Williamson and Mitchell Starc likely to face off in the series, the contest would be mouth-watering to look at. Coming into the series with some good form on their back, both these players will look to make the difference.

With defensive technique favoring Kane, pace and swing will vouch for Starc.  Their contests over the years have not been that memorable but the status and responsibility will now mount pressure which is likely to bring the best out of them.

Mitchell Santner vs Glenn Maxwell

Australia's Glenn Maxwell hits a shot during a practice session.
Australia’s Glenn Maxwell hits a shot during a practice session.

Glenn Maxwell, the ‘big-show’ as he is known to be is making his return into the national side after five months, having played the last tournament in West Indies in June. His contest against Mitchell Santer, the all-rounder who has impressed with his bowling and batting, will be an eye candy for the crowd.

Young and an exciting prospect, Santner is in some good form lately. His ability to extract wickets even from a non-turning track will give him an extra edge over the Aussie all-rounder.

Often seen to go against the spinners early on, Maxwell needs to be careful and should be selective with his shots while facing Santer in the series.

Adam Zampa vs Jimmy Neesham

Jimmy Neesham would love to play the role as a finisher for New Zealand in the ODI series.
Jimmy Neesham would love to play the role as a finisher for New Zealand in the ODI series.

Adam Zampa and Jimmy Neesham, two of the talented youngsters in either of the side will share some spotlight too. The leg-spinner Zampa has been in some good touch for a while. Good with his flight and flippers, the leg-spinner caught the eye of Indian skipper MS Dhoni during the IPL for his impressive performance.

Jimmy Neesham on the other hand is not more an unknown entity to the fans. His responsible knocks lower down the order in the bilateral series against India helped him gain confidence and with his bowling extracting wickets every match, his effect on the game seem to only rise.

The above five contest would be something to look out for.

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