Correct me if i'm wrong, but haven't we had that training happening for over a year now?

I think it's a member of the NZ softball team who helps with their fielding. There was talk when the softballers were going to... Argentina?... that one of their members would be delayed…

So we won, but have something to grumble about, in other words a perfect win for New Zealand!

Haddin clearly had his gloves in front of the stumps and appeared to have dislodged the bails himself as the ball entered his hands.

If a wicketkeeper’s gloves are in front of the stumps it should be declared a no-ball.

We watched the replay on Monday morning (first time I…

I want to see it very, very much. My bitter…

Australia are set to use the Brad Haddin-Daniel Vettori spat as motivation when they bid to break a long losing streak on Friday.

Because they're wounded that anyone could think that they could cheat ...

From Israel:

Things couldn't get much worse for the Australian cricket team…

In what sense? Rarking the Aussies up or seriously copping it if we're ever caught cheating ourselves?

I think it will fire them up over and above the hurt pride of losing. I wouldn't be surprised to see us cop a shoeing this Friday. Hope not, and I think Dan…

Brad Haddin, hit wkt, 0

Until about the 10th time.

Watching 'Inside Cricket' on Fox last night (I'm in Sydney) was irritating. NZ described as a 2nd or 3rd grade team, and of course the first 5 wickets to fall were because the Aussies threw their wickets away, nothing about good fielding or bowling. I could go on...

A few…

Maradona Haddin perhaps?

Diego Armando Haddin could work.

In what sense? Rarking the Aussies up or seriously copping it if we're ever caught cheating ourselves?

Nah, cos we actually have a pretty good wicketkeeper.

(Contributing to the former? What, me?)

They didn't…

And given that it’s had a hand in the ACB “resting” Ponting it should work in our favour.

Wow. I was on the tennis at the time and didn't actually catch it till now. That's pretty much indefensible.

I just watched it myself. Literally jawdropping.

Most of the time I play up the 'Australian cricketers suck' rivalry thing for a joke, but that is *appalling*.

Anyone else seeing Haddin-gate coming back to bite us big time?

In what sense? Rarking the Aussies up or seriously copping it if we're ever caught cheating ourselves?

not a chance :).

Oh and I would LOVE to be very wrong.

Now we can all watch for more Aussie cheats and pull apart every action and word Haddin says :).

Looking forward…

What they're referring to — and they should be competent enough to just say so — is his first-class record. He has a century and a dozen fifties at that level, and averages 26.

Yup he is a good 1st class batsman in NZ, against NZ 1st class bowlers.

As…

On the cricket; Anyone else seeing Haddin-gate coming back to bite us big time?

for Haddin cheating

The game was played 28 years to the day since the underarm incident.

"Giovanni thinks Haddin is a scumbag"

I thought Haddin probably had one of his best games as a keeper, until the Broom moment. It is remarkable how the Australian cricketers try and operate in…

I forget who, but one of them was suggesting that the stance & throw of Broom's runout indicated that the Blackcaps might have had some training from someone involved in Baseball.

Correct me if i'm wrong, but haven't we had that training happening for over a year now?

Worse than that,…

Brad Haddin learns from Karl Rove, attacks Vettori for his lack of "decency":

Isn't that a ripper? – fantastic.

Playing the victim, because there is no way that an Australian cricketer would ever stoop so low as to unfairly claim an advantage to win a game or preserve a career…

I mean if Iain O’Brien can become a decent test player over the last 12 months…

The selectors didn't find O'Brien in a bag of chips, you know... He's been a very good performer domestically in the longer form of the game for some time – has the right temperament…

That's pretty much indefensible. He knew what happened.

My facebook status for the last 20 or so hours has read "Giovanni thinks Haddin is a scumbag". Just thought you all might like to know.

I would have loved to hear Ghilchrist speak about it, but the group of commentators on…

He is precisely as good as his average. That's what the averages mean – on average he will get stuff all runs. Which is OK, he is after all a bowler.

What they're referring to — and they should be competent enough to just say so — is his first-class…

for Haddin cheating

Wow. I was on the tennis at the time and didn't actually catch it till now. That's pretty much indefensible. He knew what happened.

That drew an angry response from captain Ricky Ponting, who said if Vettori was calling his teammate a "cheat" he should have the evidence to back up such incendiary claims.

Haddin also retaliated today, saying he was also disappointed that Vettori had not approached him before making his feelings known.

…

for Haddin cheating

So, why is it that people supposedly don't like Kyle Mills?

It's not Kyle himself that bugs me. He's a good enough bowler who can sometime add a few runs.

But why oh why does every NZ commentator have to insist that he's a "much better batsman than his average"…

Don’t agree that Mills is an ODI specialist though. He’s got the range of skills to be a decent test player, and that includes his batting.

I mean if Iain O’Brien can become…

Because his test performances have not matched his ODI achievements. Not even close.

It's not like he, or NZ, have had a lot of opportunities to change that, though.

And, increasingly, this doesn’t appear to bother him.

Why should it? He's a one-day specialist in a team that specialises in…

So, why is it that people supposedly don't like Kyle Mills?

Because his test performances have not matched his ODI achievements. Not even close.

And, increasingly, this doesn’t appear to bother him.

His brother’s actions / comments probably don’t help either.

Well that’s my take anyway.

Favourite commentator moment "With the injuries to their top players New Zealand really lack depth"

Then latter..

"Who is Neil Broom!?"

Yeah, I liked Benaud chiming in to remind people that there are athletes outside of Australia blessed with talent. Of the run out he said, more or less: "My…

Vettori said Haddin's reaction to the incident had been "disappointing" given he believed the Australian gloveman "knew something (was) wrong" with the dismissal.

That drew an angry response from captain Ricky Ponting, who said if Vettori was…

(Federer is Sampras, surely: Nadal is Agassi.)

Yeah, that comparison holds up, not least because although Sampras still holds the record for the most open victories, he never won the French Open, whereas Agassi is one of the select group of players to win all 4 slams. On…

Mind you, tennis is the worst sport for radio commentary:

Yachting would push it.

Only difference is that tennis televises well.

No marks for Radio Sport closing down as soon as the cricket had finished, when the tennis was into the fifth set. There may be some issue of…

"David Hussey has not passed 50 since the first game against South Africa and was unlucky to be given out caught tickling a delivery down leg yesterday. "

So, if he was tickling it, then he must have hit it & if he…

I forget who, but one of them was suggesting that the stance & throw of Broom's runout indicated that the Blackcaps might have had some training…

Favourite commentator moment "With the injuries to their top players New Zealand really lack depth"

Then latter..

"Who is Neil Broom!?"

Every other country invites an opposing commentator to tell us just these things so they don’t have to Google "Broom, N Cricket" when…

And scores against the Bangles and the Windies don’t count for that much.

And the way things are going, even a good score against Australia won’t change…

Nadal, on the other hand, is just this bundle of energy, which means he's tiring to watch. He seems to bustle.

Which is now being bred out of him – his coaching staff are teaching him to play the more fluid traditional approach of Federer because the huge stress that…

The rankings are strange aren't they, Bond was no. 1 for much of last year despite not playing for NZ at all during that time. I've never figured out how they're done, really.

I could be wrong, but I understand we have never been fully told how the ratings are…

A couple of years ago Federer seemed comfortable to lord it over everyone on surfaces other than clay and just accept Nadal's dominance there, now it seems he doesn't even have that.

I have wondered if this is the problem. It seemed like, last time round, Federer had decided to…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUgmBF6IEeM

Our top ranked batsman, but only at 23. I don't know how it works, but he must be top 20 surely?

Styris is 26. Man hasn't played in months.

The rankings are strange aren't they, Bond was no. 1 for much of last year despite not playing for NZ at…

A couple of things about Nadal. One is that he seems to be able to get inside Federer's head – he is so mentally strong that it becomes intimidating, and Federer makes mistakes at crucial times that one wouldn't imagine coming against Roddick…

God, Taylor's in wicked form though, he must be one of the most consistent ODI batsmen in the world right now.

Our top ranked batsman, but only at 23. I don't know how it works, but he must be top 20 surely?

Styris is 26. Man hasn't played in months.

My favourite commentary moment was very early on, when someone asked Justin Langer how the Aussie team would be feeling. "Relieved," he said. "They'll just be so relieved they're only playing New Zealand and not South Africa."

He made it almost the whole way to the end of the sentence…

It was worth staying up late to see the cricket, where despite the cheating Aussie keeper and an unbelievably bad LBW decision on the second ball of the innings, the New Zealanders were able to take the Aussies' slump to a new low.

I'd say, I don't think I've seen…

Gotta love the Aussie commentators.

We had a bunch of other stuff to do yesterday, so we had the radio on for the commentary, and whenever something interesting happened, we'd run to Sky. The radio commentary doesn't make me homicidal.

My favourite commentary moment was very early on, when someone…

How many break points did he not convert?

He only converted 6 from 19, apparently, which is fairly poor by his remarkable standards.

A couple of things about Nadal. One is that he seems to be able to get inside Federer's head – he is so mentally strong that it…

They did trial this for the West Indies tests in NZ last month.

Thanks JP and Kyle for the info. I for one will be pleased if this becomes the norm.

Whoa, he's getting stress leave? That's un-Australian.

Though it is not the first time he has been rested during a series against NZ. Considering how important the current Chappell–Hadlee is to the pride of Aus cricket, you'd think he'd be keen to play on.

I really like how players get to challenge a decision in tennis games (three challenges per set), couldn't this work for cricket matches as the Broom decision was shocking.

They did try it in NZ vs the windies and it worked OK.

The biggest complaint seemed to be that 3…

Ponting to put his feet up.

Whoa, he's getting stress leave? That's un-Australian.

The one thing that annoys me about Nadal , he is always picking his undies out of his bottom when he serves.

Quite. Can't Nike make him some pants that don't get up his crack?

Although I, for one, am glad to see the back of the muscle shirts.

I really like how players get to challenge a decision in tennis games (three challenges per set), couldn't this work for cricket matches as the Broom decision was shocking.

Contrary to what most commentators seemed to think, I liked the challenge system that they've been trialling. And three goes an…

I really like how players get to challenge a decision in tennis games (three challenges per set), couldn't this work for cricket matches as the Broom decision was shocking.

They did trial this for the West Indies tests in NZ last month. Seemed to work OK, though the commentators were…

I like Nadal too, but I really thought Federer would step up here.

Yeah, I'm a Nadal girl, for basically the same reasons I'll support Brazil if they're playing Germany at football: prettier to watch. I'm shallow, who cares. But I didn't expect him to beat Federer on a hard…

Vettori slipped to number two earlier this year, behind Bracken.

Both Mills and Vettori shone last night, and I was not surprised at all to see Mills picked as man of the match. It's…

I like Nadal too, but I really thought Federer would step up here. He certainly had enough game — he just failed to take his opportunities. How…