New Zealand plotting to knock off Australia on back of series win against England
Fresh from leading New Zealand to a series win against England, skipper Kane Williamson is now scheming how to bring down Australia in a the Trans-Tasman contest is sure to liven up the summer.
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New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has pledged to spend the next seven days plotting a game plan that can deliver the Black Caps their first series win against Australia since before he was born.
Fresh from posting an unbeaten Test century that secured New Zealand a 1-0 series win against England on Tuesday, Williamson, 29, will get to work on combating a pace attack that Brett Lee declared could be the greatest in cricket history.
The Black Caps will touch down in Perth on Saturday for the three-Test series that should revive the Australian summer after the snoozefest against a dispirited Pakistan.
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The Trans-Tasman Trophy will also pit Williamson (21 Test centuries) against Steve Smith (26) in a showdown between two of the best batsmen on the planet.
“It was a brilliant series win for us (against England), but we’re going to have to adapt quickly over there,” Williamson said.
“Generally their surfaces are a little bit different to ours, they bring a bit more bounce and as a side we’re going to really want to commit to the plans that give us the best opportunity over there.”
The batting genius said that Tim Paine’s side had proven to be “very clinical” on home soil as he prepared to play the first Boxing Day blockbuster of his career.
Australia has not hosted the Kiwis at the MCG since Jeff Crowe led the visitors in 1987.
The tourists have a couple of big injury concerns, with Trent Boult (side strain) and Colin de Grandhomme (abdominal tear) given until Friday to prove their fitness.
Coach Gary Stead said they were recovering but were no guarantees for the first Test.
“I don’t know if I’m really confident, but I’m quietly optimistic that they are both tracking where we want them to be,” Stead said.
“The plan that we’ve got for both of them gives them both a chance to be right for the first Test but it’s still just a little bit far out to know for sure.”
Stead has warned his team to ignore their own ICC ranking of second, which was further cemented by the home series win over England.
“We’re under no illusion that Australia are playing really good cricket at the moment. They appear to be somewhere back to their best,” Stead said.
“Our challenge will be to stand up to make sure we’re in that fight for long periods.
“We ask it of our players all the time but we need to be somewhere near our very best to beat the best teams and compete with them.
“If we’re in that frame of mind and we can take the games deep, who knows what can happen?”
One man who backs a possible boilover is beaten England captain Joe Root, whose team drew 2-2 at home to Australia before their 1-0 loss in New Zealand.
“I think (New Zealand) have got all the tools that can be successful out there for sure,” Root said.