Australia’s Test woes are irrelevant to ODI side, says New Zealand coach

Mike Hesson believes hosts’ one-day unit is far more settled than Test side

SYDNEY: New Zealand coach Mike Hesson said that the troubles plaguing Australia’s Test side will have little bearing on their one-day side’s performance in the three-match series against Black Caps.

Steve Smith’s Test side have been pilloried by fans and their own media after they lost their latest series 2-1 at home to South Africa. That defeat came on the back of a 5-0 ODI series loss in South Africa and a 3-0 Test series defeat in Sri Lanka, leading to plenty of questions being asked about administrators, management and the players.

However, Hesson said Australia’s one-day unit was far more settled than the Test team and his side could not presume such turmoil would be evident at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday.



“It has been remarkably consistent barring the South African series,” Hesson told reporters in Sydney on Thursday.

“They have been very good for a number of years and are currently number one in the world.

“I don’t think the unsettled nature of the Test side will carry over to the one-day side,” he added.

The timing of the one-dayers, which includes matches in Canberra on December 6 and ends in Melbourne on December 9, has been questioned by some Australian pundits, with it falling between Test series against South Africa and Pakistan.



Smith also told reporters in Sydney on Wednesday it was not “ideal” but his team would just need to adapt, something Hesson agreed with.

“Both teams have been aware about that calendar for the last 18 months so I don't think it has snuck up on anybody,” said Hesson. “We are all aware that we have to rotate from one form or another on a weekly basis and that's just part of being an international cricketer.”

Hesson added with the international retirements of players like former captain Brendon McCullum, Grant Elliott, Daniel Vettori and Kyle Mills, his team were in transition from the one that lost the 2015 World Cup final against Australia.



“We are missing some key players. We lost over 1,000 international games (of experience) since the World Cup,” he said.

“Replacing that experience is a real challenge, but we have got a few new guys who are unknown. Lockie (Ferguson) is one of those,” he added of the uncapped fast-bowler.