Faulkner: Expect big scores if ball doesn’t swing

Australia

Australia allrounder James Faulkner is expecting high-scoring games in the upcoming three-match ODI series in New Zealand, unless the ball swings like it did during the World Cup last year.

The boundaries on New Zealand fields are not the biggest but batsmen from around the world often fall into the trap of going for big shots and lose wickets early as the new ball usually does something.

The Aussies and Black Caps met in the World Cup at Eden Park in Auckland, where the first ODI will take place on Wednesday, and the visitors could only muster 151 all out even though the straight boundary is only 55 meters.

Although the Aussies eventually lost by one wicket, Faulkner, who did not play in that specific game because of injury, still feels big scores could come into the equation.

Faulkner said: "There's no reason why… teams can't get 350 or 400. A lot of it just comes down to conditions. If it's swinging around, which we think it would over there, the ball will be moving like it did throughout the World Cup.

"It's obviously a lot tougher and early wickets tend to fall. Every team at the moment is setting up to go hard in the first 10, consolidate through the middle and try and have wickets in the shed to try and launch.

"Especially with the smaller boundaries, I think if you find the ball isn't moving, there will be high scores. But if it is, it's obviously a lot tougher for the opening batsmen to adjust.

"More times than not at the moment 300 tends to be the base and every run over that is so valuable because every single batter in most teams can bat these days, so it makes it really tough for the bowlers."

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