SYDNEY - Coach Darren Lehmann has promised no complacency after Australia's solid victory over New Zealand in the first Test, saying Tuesday that his young team needed to do it all again in Perth. Australia crushed New Zealand by 208 runs in the first Test at the Gabba on Monday and now head to the WACA ground one up in the three-match series as the Kiwis manage several injuries.
Lehmann said the new-look Australian team, missing veterans such as Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin and Shane Watson, played well in Brisbane but there was room for improvement. "For us now it's about getting back to Perth... making sure we are backing that performance up," he told reporters in Brisbane. "We've started well but we've got to back that up -- that's the challenge for a young group, to back that up day in, day out."
Lehmann said the Australians needed to improve their fielding which he said was "a little bit sloppy" as well as put more pressure on the New Zealand openers with the new ball. He said he was impressed with new skipper Steve Smith and how he dealt with paceman Mitchell Starc, who was fined half his match fee by the International Cricket Council for throwing a ball dangerously at New Zealand batsman Mark Craig.
"I was very happy with the captain and the way he handled that," Lehmann said. "He's had a chat to him and that's done and dusted from where I sit." Australia had the match well in hand with the New Zealanders one wicket away from defeat when Starc impetuously hurled the ball in Craig's direction after the Kiwi had smacked him for two successive fours. Lehmann said Starc, 25, had to find his "happy medium" on the field. "They're all great kids, they are all learning their way in international cricket," he said. "You love to see the aggression, it's just making sure it's at the right time." Lehmann said a decision on the final team for the second Test would be made after an inspection of the pitch later Tuesday. "If it (the line-up) changes, it changes, but obviously someone is going to be unlucky to miss out again," he said.
New Zealand, who suffered the dubious dismissal of Brendon McCullum in the second innings at the Gabba, head to Perth with a question mark over pace spearhead Tim Southee, who has a back injury. His fitness will be assessed Wednesday. All-rounder James Neesham has already been ruled out of the series with back trouble. "We know that they are a good side and we've got to play well again in Perth and certainly start the Test match well," Lehmann said.
New Zealand coach Hesson wants more aggression from quicks: New Zealand coach Mike Hesson has demanded more aggression from his fast bowlers in the second Test in Perth after they were punished by Australia's batsmen in the opening match in Brisbane.
The tourists took just eight wickets on a fast, bouncy wicket at the Gabba and were plundered for over 800 runs across both innings in the 208-run defeat. While hampered by a back injury to new ball bowler Tim Southee, who remains a doubt for the second match starting on Friday, seamers Trent Boult and Doug Bracewell were both feasted upon by Australia's top order.
"We need more aggressive intent with the ball," Hesson told reporters in Brisbane on Tuesday. "We are a bit underdone from a skill perspective. I was disappointed with the way we bowled ... outside of Tim, who was very good."
New Zealand were denied some match practice in the leadup to the series opener after a tour match in Sydney was called off due to a poor pitch, but Hesson declined to blame the hosts for failing to provide proper facilities.
"We have plenty of good nets in Brisbane to be ready on the first day, and we weren't. We have no excuses," he said. "The first-innings bowling would suggest we weren't as good as we can be but there's many reasons for that. Whether it's nerves, whether it's the fact they attacked us and took us off our lengths, I'm unsure," Hesson said.
The Black Caps now have a huge task to win the remaining two matches in Perth and Adelaide if they are to seal their first test series on Australian soil since 1985/86, but Hesson has not given up hope. "Ideally you never want to be one down but we've shown a heck of a lot of character in the past to come back and either win or draw the series," he said. "It's a tough place to come and win but we know we can perform better as a team and we'll certainly be looking to do that in Perth."