Black Caps v Pakistan

First test is underway! Decent start for us so far.

Anybody really care, with all this other awesome cricket going on? :>

Yawnfest!!

McCullum looking edgy, McIntosh fails again

There's a definitely x factor missing from New Zealand cricket at the moment. I'm still bemused at just how badly we're performing in test cricket, and recently across the board totally.

I look up and down our batting order and, with the exception of McIntosh, I see dynamic players who pretty much all punch below their weight. Particularly disappointing at the moment is Ross Taylor, he seems like he doesn't really care and has no hunger for runs. That said, McCullum and Ryder have proven to be pretty consistent test batsmen over the past 12 months or so, so we just need a couple of the other guys to develop their consistency - especially under pressure. Bowling is a bit harder, we have the same pop gun look that we pretty much always have, so it's really just about executing plans and bowling as a unit.

I'm interested to see how we go here, because in theory we should be well on top of this Pakistani team. Sure, it lacks the big arena atmosphere of the Ashes, but we'll see.



gc.

Im not sure what theory you are working on here. This is a pretty good Pakistan team that held SA to a 1-all draw less than 3 months ago.

I agree with you on the NZ team, when you look at that batting line-up you see guys with potential that just doesn't seem like they want to be there. BMcC has shown that he might have what it takes to be an opener, for NZ at least but will see how he performs against an Aus (:lol attack later this year and then SA at the start of 2012 I think.

No sure what to say about the bowlers, I cringe when I look at them all ... When is Mills back?

:music;

Can't be the same mate. These bowlers have hardly played at all? Plus weren't Umar and Kamran Akmal over there in SA? This is a very inexperienced Pakistan side, and they're bowling Younis Khan ffs. Once again we're playing ourselves out of the match though.



gc.

Pretty sure Sami was playing and not Riaz but other than that same team bowling wise. Batting they didn't have the two older Akmal brothers but the younger one Adnan was keeping. Khan fancies himself as a bit of a part timer to speed things up and keep the runs down.

Yup stupid shot selection and just a no care attitude is doing this. Not sure what else you can change to get things right though ... its painfull

Ahh yeah remember that stat that Kallis took more wickets, scored more runs and took more catches than all of the Pakistani team put together? yeah def a young team that haven't played to much but have shown some caracter.

ffs, the way Black Caps batsmen throw their wickets away is the most frustrating thing in sports

What series were you watching?

It was a 0-0 draw and south africa were pretty dominant the whole series but they were playing on roads in the UAE

Nice suprise to see Southee show some form with the bat, remembering his debut it looked like he could possibly bat well, nada since then. As for the calls for Franklin to replace Williamson, they were plain ridiculous so it was great to see him batout the day as well

Three 130 km/h bowlers operating

If they could mvoe the ball it wouldn't matter
they werent much quicker

FUCKING USELESS!!!!

McIntosh was painful, how many more chances does he get. Him Ross and Dan are woefully out of form, thats too mnay for any batting lineup let alone ours. We have ti make at least one change so i think McIntosh has to make way at last for the next test

Obviously with dan being unwell thats a big part of our game nobbled, but its no excuse for a feeble effort like that. I thought the bowlers went well but the batting was as uncommmitted as ever. In fact I thought I detected an even more irresponsible attitude than normal. Perhaps with thing with Wrignt is not starting out all that swell

IPL auction mid test hardly helps, Ross gets talked about all morning as the million dollar man and promptly drops a sitter, wonder what he was thinking about (and who can blame him)

NZ batting order is all fucked up. WTF are they doing having Willaimson come in at #3 and then Ryder at #5?

Because Ryder has scored all his runs at 5 and Williamson bats 3 for ND. The order is fine, it just needs people to actually do their fucken job and not get out after making starts.



gc.

Bit of grit today!

Haha so I find myself betting against the weather again. NZ currently paying $5 to win the match. I think we can do it, especially if McCullum bats through tea today. The question is will it rain?

Now, there's a warm front approaching from the North, but so far its skirting around the city. I think the test will be unaffected by that. There is also a cold front approaching from the southwest, due to hit wellington about 2am. HOPEFULLY the rubbish will all happen overnight and tomorrow will be a cool day, and they'll get a full days play in.

So get on NZ at $5s boys - I did

They're not even really going for the win by the looks of things :s Strike rates are very low.
We're gunna need like 380ish before end of day, and even that might be a bit risky?

Yeah, need to score more quickly.

Maybe if they get to 200 ahead and have wickets in hand they might start going for it?

Guppy and Kane gone.....I think making sure we dont lose this test will be foremost in their minds now. tbh Pakistan have looked to have had our meaasure the entire series, especially their top order batsmen

Im not actually watching though....Perhaps the pitch is/can deteriorate extremely quickly and 260 is a monster to chase?

We're one of the worst teams in the world and all you guys saying go for the win?
you walk before you run
over aggressive cricket is why we suck nowadays

"all you guys"?

but anyway.....its a 2 test series and we are down one-nil. Taking slightly more risks is reasonable when teh result of this test has a non linear effect on the series result. Thats is....we should be more aggressive than we would be if the series was standing at any other scoreline than it is now

PLUS....psssttt has a bet on. gogogogogogogogogogo

I think its shaping up to be quite exciting, if Pakistan is set 250 ish and the pitch starts playing tricks AND we bowl well...last day could be a cracker

I have to add... I checked the odds when we were 200-odd for 3 and Pakistan was paying $7.50 to win... so I got on with a pretty tidy cover bet. All I need is a result for an epic collect (NZ win is more tho heh)

And pray for no rain!

Indeed, looks like it'll be fine all day in Welly Actually if a couple of early wickets fall or Pak smash a lot of early runs the draw price will skyrocket. Might be worth a saver on that too. In theory, I can bet an all three results at different stages of the game and profit. Awesome.

1 down...

Biggest edge in the history of the game turned down.....

Does it count as a draw if it gets rained out, or is that abandoned match even at this late stage?

One of the worst games for umpiring that I can remember.



gc.

the result is a draw if its rained out, yes. Fuck that caught behind decision was awful.

The odd thing is they're not checking for the edge, but two balls later spend 3 minutes playing replays about whether a ball went to the boundary or not. I could Loughner the ICC right now.

hot spot apparently didn't show anything

I saw the white dot in the edge, the commentators didn't.

Yeah it's been atrocious! I've only watched a few hours of the test match but must have already seen 3-4 shockers from the umpires

TBH I tihnk one of the main reasons the ICC didn't come to an agreement with whatever tech company here is that the cameras they're using are SHIT! Their frame rate is far too low and the images are blurry - just makes it more confusing.



gc.

2 wickets... 3 wickets... FUCK. YES.

I won't rest easy until we get Younis out though. IMO he's in the top 3 batsmen in the world.

And doesn't Vettori look the goods on a helpful wicket! This could be over much sooner than I though.

120 runs required. 36 overs to get them. 7 wickets in hand.

Looking like a Pakistan win ...unless it starts pissing down.

Fuck Vettori winds me up......

Why on earth would you muck around with Arnel and Franklin? Get Kane on and even though Vettori hasn't spun a ball since 1996, get him bowling in Tandem....

Land a few in those footmarks....

Lost a wicket just before tea. That will probably slow them down. Draw then?

lol @ Pakistan. What a bunch of fkn girls blouses. They were in such a good position to easily reach the target and they're not even trying

Yeah, he's devastating
0-53 on a wearing pitch

Most overrated player ever. he averages 34 a wicket ffs

Was coming in here to comment on just that, if it wasnt for his batting in the past 3-4 years he really would be just aaaaaaverage. How many times now has he failed to take wickets/bowl us to victory on the 5th day

Agree, he's been pretty lame. Fuck, come on Pakistan; get the runs and give me a payday!!!

What a horrible end to what promised to be such an exciting day.

Epic sigh.

Well, Daniel has hung up his captaincy hat in tests, and will do the same for ODIs after this year's WC. This is probably a good thing for him personally, and looking back at his record it has been pretty damned poor. He only won 6 tests out of 32, and 4 of those were against the Bangers. It's odd because I really respect him as a cricketer and personality - I think his desire to succeed and work ethic are pretty obvious for all to see. Unfortunately he's probably not the 'leader of men' that Fleming was, and perhaps he's realised this.

This leaves us in a bit of a hole in my opinion. Obviously Ross Taylor must now take over as captain? Another fairly respectable bloke off the field, but is he really the leader that we can rally behind? He regularly throws his wicket away, frustrating the public and no doubt senior management. Clearly our classiest batsman when going well, but his mental capacity is clearly lacking the tenacity and hunger to be a true great, or a true leader. Perhaps I'm being too harsh, only time will tell I guess.

Another note on Vettori - it's a shame that he's lost all traces of being a real threat. I think he's suffered a bit from being a 'stock' bowler, trying to tie up one end in the hope of creating pressure for our pop gun attacks to take wickets at the other end. And then of course there were the stress fractures in the back which clearly changed his action for the worse, and whatever small amount of turn he used to get when he was younger, pretty much disappeared. Finishing with a test average of 34 will see him finish amongst the mediocre ranks of test cricket history.



gc.

Interesting team for the ODI today

Ryder
Guptill
Taylor
Styris
Franklin
McCullum
Oram
Vettori
Nathan McCullum
Southee
Bennett

Brendon McCullum been moved down the order. We need to do something different, having lost 9 on the trot and I like the different decisions being made. Jamie How on board for batting cover too. Patchy weather by the looks so no doubt there will be a few interruptions.



gc.

Weather looking all good- it heating up.

Glad McCullum got told to get fucked and bat where he is told!

Not happy Oram included though.

Hopefully a big scoring, entertaining match at the Tin

LOL- opening the bowling with franklin.

I know I'm an idiot, but why no Mills in team? He was playing fro Auckland, has he got an injury?

Not too sure bro - even commentators were hinting at the mystery. Basically just a kick in the pants I think? Isn't he still in the top 10 ODI bowlers?



gc.

We have to have him back. Bennett's action is so ugly I almost lost my lunch watching him

ya I hate Bennets action too, Ive always hated actions like that. Even when I was a kid and every other big-kid fast bowling bully tended to have one and bowled a rather " hard ball"

Im worried about Mills and I wondr if his best years are behind him. I read an article a few months back aboyut him being "available but not really available" for test cricket due to some chronic signs of aging. As well as that....Ive been following his figures in domestic cricket lately and they havent been at all good. Selectors have a right to wonder how a guy going for 10-0-69-1 in NZ domestic cricket will go in the unforgiving environment of the worlds best in the subcontinent. He has been selected on reputation and a hope he can return to form

Mills is just the wrong pace for over there too, I think if he plays games he will be tonked and that might be the last we see of him. It will be a shame if he is and his career ends this way. He's a guy who was roundly ridiculed for years when 1st selcted (including around here)...and made the most of his limited skill set to become a world class ODI player. Only a failure of nz coaches to instill some self belief into his batting stopped him scored many more runs oo

Bennett's action is like a hybrid of Kerry Walmsley and Shane Bond! I like it! Haha

Agreed about Mills though. Will be odd if he fades into nothingness.



gc.

A much better return for Millsey vs Otago on the weekend 10-0-27-2


PS vadz….OTAGOWNED again, do you ever beat us?

If they bowled Mills 7 in the start then 3 overs between 30 and 40 he'd be the best we have
He's not a death bowler
He's got I think the 3rd most wickets ever for NZ in ODI?

Yeah many a time he has been 7-2-16-1 and in control and Ive yelled for him to be bowled through (or at least 1-2 more), he bowls in the last 6 overs and ends up like 10-2-58-2. Annoying. if Dannys isnt going to take wickets maybe he should be darting them in at the end. At MIlls pace and the old white ball even his good length efforts can dissapear. he lacks variety in slower balls to bowl at the death

hahah

Mills was 7-0-19-1 and finished 10-62-1
hahah

I know...isnt it a joke, happens so often to him

Why not just let him bowl through or have a quick spell and get his 10 over in before the 30 over mark. Then we are literally banking one bowler to go 10-1-30-1. Its so bizarre that they dont try it. When a guy who was lethal suddenly gets flogged one can only assume to combination of the older ball and wickets in hand allows this to happen. Well remove both factors?

Mills was touted as a death bowler when he debuted, and its like NZC stubbornly refuse to admit that was a mistake

3 down already

Comments in the media from the players about being perplexed on selection issues are extremely wtf

yeh, seemed odd last night on the news aye? Not the sort of comments you would usually expect to be allowed, they almost seemed divisive. The morning paper blamed the selectors, but i think a couple of the players are getting a bit grumpy about losing the epic amounts of player power they had until big JW turned up.

Mate I didnt even see those remarks on the news, I was talking partly about Dannys comments in the paper today but especially Jakes interview with Veitch on Radio Sport. Where he sounded a bizarre combination of guarded, confused and pissed off. Weird things going on

You actually listen to that cowardly, whining, women beating bastard Veitch?? I refuse to give him the time of day. You should be ashamed of yourself Maestro.

meh. I hear ya....and I dont like him either, but I only listen to radio sport in the car, and whose on...is on

pretty sure hes breakfast anyway and I normally listen in the afternoon....it was "history repeating" so I wasnt actually contrbuting to his numbers, if that makes ya feel any better

PS Pakistan paying $2.55 before play started? jeeeez, hope someone got some of that. Our squad in in disaray!

oohh didnt hear that, will have a listen tonight.

stoked, bowling to the Black Caps tomorrow, will report back with pics and inside info...................

BEAM JAIME HOW IN THE HEAD!!!!

lol...why the How hate? Did he drop the century maker? Thats pretty awesome btw JG, mad jealous

HAY VADZ.....Mills is 6-2-15-1

Can you guess what will happen next?

Was listening to him this morning - Brendan Telfer was talking to him and brought up cage fighting on sky tv - and how they beat each other bloody, and kick and punch each other when they're down... Tony couldn't change the subject quick enough!

Because he's shit useless?

I'm stumped as to why the selectors went for him as backup keeper over Peter McGlashon. Utterly stumped. :-/

However if JG beams him in the head, he'll get knocked out of the squad and McGlashon can get an in! Win win!

Lol @ Ryder, cried like a bitch on Twitter on some poor young domestic cricketer for running him out in Domestic cricket. His reward? Run out without facing a ball

Wtf @ having Francis Payne in the commentary box too. I mean…I enjoy his stats but please get the other commentators to present them. Not Francis whose 2 tone delivery seems to depend on which nostril he is speaking out of.

I don't think JW has as much power/say as people may think...

I like Francis Payne. :>

Ian Smith was snapped yesterday "conducting" him to help his flow when he talks.

Me and you are twins masty!
was thinking exactly the same about Payne.