In this week’s At The Bar, Michael ‘Speedy’ Stratton and The Area News sports journalist Ben Jaffrey talk about the Australians, the kiwis and headbands.

Ben: The Australian cricket team is back!

Speedy: I wouldn’t say we’re back, we definitely don’t deserve to be number one in any format of the game just yet.

Ben: We’re going in the right direction.

Speedy: It’ll be a big lift for the side even against New Zealand but I don’t want to knock the Kiwis. They went out to win the game and could have went close.

Ben: New Zealand have been going alright with a couple wins against Pakistan and they’ve got some handy players.

Speedy: There’s Guptill – he’s a world-class batsman. When he was out there, they had a shot at winning it.

Ben: He’s going to be the big wicket all series and Trent Boult’s been around for a while now and knows how to take a wicket.

Speedy: Don’t discount Williamson. When he’s on, he’s on and I hope Australia stick with the blokes that played on Sunday.

Ben: Our quicks are probably our best asset at the moment bar Steve Smith.

Speedy: He was in some good nick – what about that catch. But yeah, Starc and Hazelwood are our backbone.

Ben: They are the three first picked but before the game I would have liked to see Nathan Lyon in there but then I found out Adam Zampa has the most ODI wickets this year by any bowler.

Speedy: Gee, that’s alright.

Ben: You’re not wrong. Did you get a squiz at his headband though?

Speedy: His head what?

Ben: His headband to keep his hair back when he bowls. It was very Nathan Brackenesque.

Speedy: Oh, yeah. Now I remember. I was on about my eighth can of VB by that point.

Ben: What are your thoughts on it?

Speedy: I don’t know. I need to see him wear it a couple more times before I can form a better opinion.

Ben: If Nathan Lyon played, he wouldn’t have to worry about wearing one of them.

Speedy: He’s got nothing to hold back.

Ben: Exactly. I can’t talk, though. I used to wear one under my helmet.

Speedy: When I played, they hadn’t invented headbands back then.

Ben: Had they even invented helmets yet?

Speedy: Well, no. You’d just have an old baggy to face the fearsome fast bowlers on the Lachlan River.

Ben: That – along with your eyesight – is a winning combo to see out any quick.