Aussie media rip into "wannabe" Black Caps

Australian media has universally criticised the performance of the Black Caps on their current tour of the country, labelling them as wannabes, inept and not living up to their world number two ranking.

After losing the opening test match against Australia in Perth by 296 runs and being dismissed for under 171 in each of their three batting attempts, the criticism of the side can be seen as justified.

Former Australian captain Ian Chappell, writing for The Sunday Telegraph, said New Zealand's bowlers lack penetration and their batsmen have struggled to adjust to Australian conditions.

"New Zealand are No.2, according to the computer Test rankings, but that ignores their capabilities under Australian conditions.

"They can contain the opposition for long periods but the wicket-taking potency required to beat good sides is severely lacking when the admirable Neil Wagner takes a well-deserved rest.

"The deficiencies of their (batting) techniques under Australian conditions were quickly exposed and it was only the gritty Tom Latham who survived the opening blast from Pattinson and Pat Cummins."

Fox Sport's Luke McIlveen was even more ruthless in his assessment of the tourists.

"This was the Test the Kiwis had to deliver – and they showed all the constitution of a lemonade sandwich.

"If the bowlers have been middling, the batsmen have been depressingly inept. The Kiwis haven't looked top 5 this series, let alone second. They need to find some gears to avoid going home in disgrace."

Greg Baum, writing for The Sydney Morning Herald, had high praise for the Australian pace attack, referencing the movie Crocodile Dundee to show how much better they've been than their Black Caps counterparts.

"In one iconic scene, the title character, played by Paul Hogan, reacts to an attempted mugging by a knife-wielding teenager in New York by pulling out his own Bowie knife and saying: "That's not a knife. That's a knife." His assailant flees.

"New Zealand know how that wannabe thug feels."

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission