Bat rules the ball in Canberra

New Zealand will try to stay alive in the Chappell-Hadlee cricket ODI series on a ground where statistics present a compelling story.

Having lost the opening game by 68 runs in Sydney, New Zealand square off, on one day’s rest, against Australia at Manuka Oval in Canberra, which could be dubbed the batsman’s friend.

In seven ODIs there since 2008, only once has the team winning the toss chosen to field.

Sri Lanka did and managed to beat India by eight wickets in 2008. But since 2013, the bat has ruled. West Indian Chris Gayle plundered 215 off Zimbabwe at Manuka Oval during last year’s World Cup; shortly after South Africa flogged Ireland for 411 for four and a 201-run win. Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis helped themselves to centuries.

Australia have played three ODIs on the ground, winning each toss and batting first.

They then piled on 329 for seven against the West Indies in 2013 who replied with 290; 329 for five against South Africa (256) and 348 for eight against India last January, and they responded with a decent total of 323.

That’s 1006 runs for the loss of 20 wickets for Australia; 869 runs for the team batting second.

Opener Aaron Finch has scored two centuries in those games, Shane Watson, Amla again, and Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli one apiece.

And if that puts undue pressure on the captain to win the toss and give himself team a better than 50-50 chance of victory, so be it.