Eden Park may have diminutive dimensions, the sort that cause overactive salivary glands for cricket batsmen, but the figures seem to indicate that it is the bowlers who have had the edge.
The historical figures paint the true picture of the Auckland ground.
The last two times the Aussies came to visit, they could manage only 151 and 148. Those totals are not outside the production for a single batsman, so for an entire side to be limited to those figures, it would imply that the size of the oval does not ensure cheap sixes.
Nor have low totals been exclusive to tourists. The Kiwis had a total of 156 against the Windies, 185 against the pogs and 206 by the Proteas.
Kiwi bowler Mitchell Starc offered some perspective on the seeming contradiction betwixt ground size and scoring proficiency.
According to Starc, the key is patience. “You’ve always got more time than you think, especially in 50-over cricket. You don’t need to go and get 300 in the first 40 overs.”
Modern batsmen, however, perhaps with too much exposure to shorter formats, seem to be shunning patience for the same aggressiveness that serves them well in Twenty20, often leading to dismissals before much damage can be levied.