Black Caps in India
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It was great to listen to the original Little Master, Sunny Gavaskar, as he talked about Kane and also Tom in terms of their application, subtle batting smarts and footwork. Unlike most of the other "analysts/media twonks", he doesn't blow smoke up the arses of the immediate past generation or current crop of Indian batsmen. When he started mentioning Kane in the same breath as some of the truly great batsmen to tour India (Bert got a mention as well), I really sat up and took notice, particularly given that NZers aren't the prime audience for that comms team.
And yeah I rate Sunny as one of the best batsmen, certainly one of the best openers of all time. He faced Lillee and Thommo at their best, The first and best wave of Lloyd's pace like fire (Roberts, Holding, Croft and Garner , Patterson, Daniels). Did it without a helmet as well, the plucky fluffybunny.
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I was pretty happy when the rain arrived yesterday, because the ball was starting to turn sharply. I hoped it might settle down overnight, but it hasn't. We need to play a few shots wherever we can, because it's very difficult out there.
Can't really see us getting parity from here - need to try to get within 50 runs - bowl them out for bugger all and hope to chase 150 in the final innings.
India in the box seat.
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Hopefully Ronchi can get a few. I've got no doubt Nicholls would already be back in the shed so not a bad decision to play Ronchi as a batsmen. Yup I'm allowed to go completely 360 on what I said earlier in the thread, because the Fern.
The older the ball gets the harder it gets to bat. India will be in no hurry to take the new ball.
It's a great challenge. I do enjoy the different conditions you get around the world. It has to be within reason but I've got no problems with India preparing pitches that turn. The groundsmen in NZ have been fucking me off recently preparing fucking roads instead of green seamers that would benefit our swing attack. Aussie just dined out last summer.
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That's a bugger about the quick wickets - Kane's was a jaffa
As mentioned the ball is turning square. Stick it out boys
It's tough to win in India and that's fine. As No Quarter mentioned countries should prepare pitches as they want so long as they're good enough to pass playable scrutiny. All countries actually behave the same way despite what social cricket warriors postulate (except that time when India threatened not to tour and the financial benefits if we greened things up too much).
The appealing, the noise, the smells are all part of the Indian ride and I'm pleased that we don't whine about these things.
Interesting game situation and we need to fight against the grip India have on us and are getting from the wicket.
Ravi Shastri is a dick of a commentator and the current cricinfo commentator could do with toning down his shit too:
Ashwin to Williamson, OUT, he makes sure it needs a bit of magic to get him out, and Ashwin has produced it. You little beauty! He had to go back, because the length was a touch short. -
That was a delicious drive from my boy Ronchi.
Now off the backfoot for 4, 10 from the over. These two have done well to at least postpone the collapse.
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That was a delicious drive from my boy Ronchi.
Now off the backfoot for 4, 10 from the over. These two have done well to at least postpone the collapse.
@No-Quarter Yeah - I'm not at all unhappy to see Ronchi there. We need someone who will play his shots.
What is Kohli playing at pulling Jadeja out of the attack to bowl the part-timer and the seamer? Should be keeping the foot on the throat!
Let's hope it's a case of too much speedwork not enough fitness!
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Who here thought days 2 and 3 would be best for batting? I did, and it looks like rubbish - Day 1 is the goods, after that it's just damn hard work
@nzzp said in Black Caps in India:
Who here thought days 2 and 3 would be best for batting? I did, and it looks like rubbish - Day 1 is the goods, after that it's just damn hard work
I guess it's relative.. If this looks rubbish, imagine what day 5 will be like..
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Ronchi gets a shit decision and has to go. Fuck sakes, didn't need that.
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That really is a shit decision. Left arm over to the right hander, the only way it's hitting is if it pitches outside leg. Otherwise it's always going to be going away too far with the angle and the spin. So much fucking doubt, LBW was not a dismissal he can really get bowling over the wicket.
In saying that... why is there still no DRS? Playing against India is like going back in time.
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I reckon the Indian commentators are under instruction not to question decisions too much - and the directors not to provide too many replays when there's doubt. There have been a few iffy ones IMO.
That was a strange session. Indian spinners looked ready to run through us like a very hot curry - getting our best three batsmen in four overs. But, then Kohli almost immediately took Jadeja out of the attack and, I reckon, let Ronchi and Santner off the hook. Suddenly the ball didn't seem to be turning as sharply - even from Ashwin (commentators speculating that he's got damage to his fingers) and we've pushed on much better than I expected.
Does the ball reach an optimum softness and then get a bit too soft?
In any case, they've now taken the new ball, which will bounce more, but shouldn't turn as sharply - and they'll use their seamers a bit.
I reckon Kohli's made a bit of a mess of things. If the new ball doesn't really start to grip for another 20 overs - with a bit of luck we could get quite close to their score by then.
Having lost the toss I'd take a second innings shootout against them - and would have bitten your hand off to have what we've got now, when Kane went out.
