NZ v India.

Of course the series starts next week with the T20s in Chch & Wellington, then the 5 ODIs and 3 (woohoo!) tests. Predictions, and preanalysis... State your cases!

India will hammer us in at least one of the T20s. I think we'll lose the other in a tight game. So 2-0 to the Indians.

I think rain will play a factor both the ODI and test series, so something like another 2-2 series draw is definitely not out of the question for the ODIs. I think this is our best chance to be honest. We can produce wickets that suit us and hopefully bowl to plans. If not, our grounds aren't big enough to hold the likes of Sehwag, MSD & Yuvraj. Could be a couple of scores at 350+. Look to Jade for that.

Test series I think we're in trouble. They've finally got a decent bowling attack these days and Sharma is a real danger. From memory Zaheer Kahn has always performed reasonably well against us and will trouble our right handers with the swinging ball. Their batting needs no mention with the likes of Sehwag, Dravid and of course The Little Genius himself. As usual there will be 'positives' to take out of it from an NZ perspective, but we don't have the fortitude to play 15 good days of test cricket against these guys. There's a reason why we're so low on the rankings after all. 2-0 to India here.



gc.

Yeah, sounds about right... we suck at T20... ODIs we're pretty decent, but they are better... Tests we're obviously rebuilding... I would be happy if in the T20/ODIs, we give it a good go and aren't forced to drop any players... i.e. people like Guptill, Broom, O'Brien cement their places... I think we have a chance of taking the ODI series with a home advantage, but that'd be a mammoth effort...

Tests, we may sneak a win if we get the best of the conditions, but it's unlikely... again, I'd just like to see some players cement their places, Flynn, McIntosh, Ryder... maybe give Guptill a go as well, depending on how he goes in the ODIs. It's really about getting some players who could be part of a good side in a couple of years time

remember India have not won a series in NZ for 41 years, they have had some good teams in that time. Always seem to struggle here.

They have a well rounded attack though, so will be a close series.

We'll draw the T20's, win the ODI's and get walloped in the tests. This is my prediction.

I think we will be lucky to win a few games in any of the forms. The T20's will prob be our best bet but we are still showing to much inconsistancy, lack of balls to grab a game by the scruff and shake it in the ODI's to think that we will take on a very established Indian team. When it comes to the Test well the only thing that will help us is the rain.

In saying that everyone is making big ho-hum about India and sure enough they have been playing very well but its also been on home soil for them and its ALWAYS been hard times to beat India at home. There is always that possibily that we will see that flakey touring India side turn up and get hammered.

Here's hoping!



gc.

In saying that if we do get smacked by India in the tests I would like to see some good innings from the new guys like Ryder, McIntosh and will Guptill be playing? Flynn is looking good so 3 odd good innings frmo these boys int he 3 Test will be awesome. Not sure what we are going to do about the bowling, am I the only one that is worried about that? I think we are making good inroads toward a new breed of batsmen but nothing happening in the bowling arena.

Was talking to Flynn yesterday and he reckons he is a 50-50 chance of being a 100% fit for this coming series. seems his injury is worse then he antcipated. Joey yovich reckoned he was more than ready to take his place haha

Im with you Re-Action, i still think our bowling is lacking. Southee needs to be quicker, which im sure he will get once he bulks up a bit. right now he needs more variation. guys like Boult, Davis etc are promising, but still need time to develop. Cant really think of any other up and comers in the bowling dept. right now though.

Sounds about right (touch wood on winning the ODI's though).

Bumped into Southee not long ago in the bar, was surprised at how big he is IRL.

Southee's pace is fine. He's bowling mid 130s consistently and the occasional 140ish ball. That's definitely quick enough for international cricket. However he does seem to bowl along the deck a bit- I think less variation with Southee is the key. If he can find a McGrath type attitude and patience, that's when we'll see the best of him IMO.

Saw Trent Boult bowl 2 balls of the super over the other night. Looks very young, very slight, and medium pace at best. Haven't seen anything else of him, but I'm hoping he proves to be a little bit better than the trundler he was then.

Still pretty heart wrenching to see Shane Bond playing in these provincial T20 games. Looking sharp as a tack too.



gc.

He's bowling 135kmh inswinging leg cutters

He's become Glenn McGrath in his old age!

Was much quicker than that the other day I reckon. 140-142 probably.



gc.

Really? I saw a couple of scorecards where he was getting absolutely hammered

http://stats.cricinfo.com/newzealanddomestic/engine/records/bowling/most_wickets_career.html?id=4644;type=tournament

oh, I haven't seen any t20 score cards

and looking at the full one day stats too, he seems to be doing pretty well.

yeah, i don't think he'd be quite as devastating any more, but he'd be easily our best bowler, and one of the best in the world..

still think there's a faint chance he may play for NZ again... the ICL stuff should be resolved soon (this year)... would be good to have him around for the WC, which would probably be about when he'd look to retire anyway

Oram back in for the T20, as a batsman only:

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/nzvind2009/content/current/story/391664.html

Ryder and Taylor back too, but no Mills

That's actually quite a solid team with those fellas back. Shame about Kylie though.



gc.

What amuses me are writers saying NZ deserves a chance to see the "magnificent" Indian batsmen doing their stuff. Said it before, will say it again, we don't want to see "world class" batting, we want to see NEW ZEALAND WIN.

would be cool to see both at once i.e us chasing down 350 in ugly fashion, after a glorious Indian innings.

I'd rather see both actually.


Even if we did lose, I wouldn't mind as long as I was entertained. This is sport not war.

Id rather see both too but thats not very realistic

Anyway I enjoy test cricket the most when sides are struggling to put 300 together on juicy tracks. To win this test series and we have to

# Produce the green tops

# Kinda hope that Sharma/Khan et all are out of form, cos their pace attack is not weaker than ours


^^ Still our best hope, and I will be furious if the decks are flat. However India are the financial powerhouse and it wouldnt suprise me to see that jellyfish Vaughn shove his tongue down the back of their trousers to make this not happen. the last thing Indian cricket needs right now in their ascendancy in the game is to have their batsmen look like flat track fools


My memory is hazy but I think their last *disasterous* tour here from pre xmas or just after..... when the conditions are a lot different/there is much more moisture in the air....this fact + plus our bumper summer + CEO Vaughn mean optimism should be muted. I dont think we will win much

What? WHAT!?!!

Sport is War!

geeez Dale



Fuck he needs to stop smoking crack!

http://content-nz.cricinfo.com/nzvind2009/content/current/story/391896.html

fuck me

Tix selling quickly to the Eden Park ODI boys, get in there.

Big up my gf, perfect valentines gift

yeh saw that last night, i think he has more test caps than the whole NZ team as well.

a bit of debate about giving Ijndian players some warm up time in the local comp,

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10558016.

IMO dont agree with it, no other country in the world lets a touring side's players just drop in and out of the first class comp. Look what happened with Anderson last year when we let him! Either get a proper contract as an overseas player, a la Strauss, or use the nets.

Meh, the amount of money that NZ cricket is making out of this tour, I say let the little buggers have pretty muchfree reign. We're getting $25m just off the broadcasting rights ALONE from the Indians. Then NZ cricket makes more money off SkyTV, advertisers, gate takings etc. NZ cricket will make more than $30m from this tour alone.

The big thing is, though, is that we agreed to alter the schedule and play 3 tests (here here!) as per the Indian request. This has meant that with the tight international schedule there's no time for a schedule of warm up games.

This arrangement is better for everyone IMO. It gives players who aren't in the NZ team a chance to play against the superstars, and those players will draw even more money in through the gates of those local games. The Indian players will be spread out across the provincial teams... I think it's great and shows flexibility and progressive thinking from NZ cricket.



gc.

Bro you've seen me watch a game of cricket, I get into it and hate fuckers as much as anyone else but above all it's about entertainment, nothing more to it than that.










Unless we're talking about the Warriors.

i know this is reality, but i hate that cash is the prime motivator behind fuckin everything.


They could have played a couple of festival games against local state 'A' sides.



fair and valid point, which i will accept for the good of the game in NZ.

http://www.stuff.co.nz//blogs/sidelineslogger/2009/02/24/india-dining-in/

From what I gather there really isn't enough time in the schedule? That's what Deaker was saying on Monday night on the radio anyhow..



gc.

yeh, goddam 20/20 clogging up tours. If they were hard they could have had a hit out yesterday, and the rest of the squad not playing 20/20 could easily have turned out for a couple of games prior the first ODI.
Basically, it's 20/20's fault though, which also causes cancer and AIDS (proper full blown AIDS, not just a wee case of the ol HIV pos), world famine and global economic crisis's.

India get 162/8. Some disappointing bowling towards the end. A few too many full tosses and too short deliveries.

Should be a very gettable score. Would have preferred NZ to restrict them to under 150 though.

High expectations. Exceeded. In almost every area. Well done New Zealand!



gc.

Yeah, pretty good effort... we didn't play that well, but still won...

Our batting lineup looks a lot more solid with Oram there.

I wonder what Guptill is worth to the ICL now? (or is it IPL)

kind of feels like India lost it rather than we won it tho

How do you figure that?

Why do we continue to leave so many balls in T20??

Just need to improve the bowling a bit. India wouldn't have gotten so many 6s if NZ didn't bowl so many full tosses or short balls.

But yeah, great win in the end.

I don't think it was so much a case of leaving balls. There were quite a number of swings and misses. Or attempts to run the ball to third man and missing ...or McCullums attempted sweep and reverse sweep where he missed the ball.

That pitch was a shocker!


Good to get the win though.

No one has said anything about that catch!!!
Shades of Vogues from Oram there, looks easy in the slow motion, but watching it at full speed is insane.



Ugly innings by McCullum, but if he can play like that more when he is not feeling pace etc, it is going to be better for the team.
Rather an ugly innings than 5 balls of hopeful blazing and getting out.

Yeah, been raining all week, so a little slower than a normal AMI pitch, which is usually one of the quicker in the country.

Think Dalai might have been alerting to the fact that the pitch looked like a bunker that had just been raked???



:>

It wasn't just slow, it was wildly unpredictable. That ball that got MS Dhoni was a shocker. There's two paced pitches but this is ridiculous.

I think the days of AMI Stadium's use as a cricket ground should be numbered. With the new stand it's just getting way too small now.

Both Auckland & Christchurch need purpose built cricket grounds. Pipedream for sure but it's just a joke now.

Stooopid Rugby!!!

We do have the Village Green, but more of a test match venue if it were to be used.

Still bigger than eden park though

I thought our working of singles was far better this time, and one of the areas we dominated, along with our feilding, that won us the game. The Indians failed with the block bash approach.

Agree with Dalai, that pitch was very very poor, best example being Dhoni rocking back to short one and getting bowled under his bat.

How was it ugly?

With the stand where it is now, that's debatable. At least at Eden Park, the shortest boundary is at an odd angle, fine leg or long off for right handers, and I understand they are shifting the new stand to allow a bit more room there. At AMI it's an entire side!

Still... Eden Park is still a crap cricket venue.

confirmed by the fact we have had about 2 international games this whole summer Will tests ever come back to Auckland?

A number of swings and misses and odd shots that just didn't come off. Didn't really connect with the ball that well and didn't score as fast as he wanted to ...he even described it as "ugly" himself when he received the man of the match award and said that he couldn't quite get his timing right and was thankful the guys at the other end were striking the ball well.

i think everyone looked ugly then if thats the definition, pretty much comes down to the pitch being multi paced.

Disagree, think McCullum was out of sorts.

Summed up by the second six he tried to swat after grabbing his fifty.


Also, Ryder really needs to get some footwork going.

This series has got to be Ryder's final chance IMO. If he doesn't smash at least a couple of convincing tonnes then he can gtfo.

p.s yeh it was ugly, i just wanted to argue with Nacoa.

Pretty much summed up by those guys, lack of timing etc... it was a pitch you could score off, just needed to play cricket shots and not across the line, like Guptil did.

Blame our rugby friends. Actually theres a heap more to blame, but rugby is the main culprit.

Agree, he needs to man up and take responsibility like the rest of the players have been the last month or so. Def needs to sort his feet out, trees move more.

nah blame rugby, league is our friend

The worst place they played cricket on was Mt Smart

have more width than there

Yep, im happy to sail it that blame boat. They should turn one of the Auckland club grounds into a nice 3-5000 people test venue. Cornwall park maybe?

What a great idea. You should run for council, I bet noone there has thought of it

His performances have been pretty good this summer? Aside from the drinking thing, why the sudden hate?

not hating, i want him to do well, because he has talent, but i started to worry about his in game headspace after that dismissal against the windies where he prwtty much got sledged out. Theres an inkling of softness up in there.

Heh, I forgot about that. That was the best sledge ever!



Please note for the record that Darren Powell made the 'drinky drinky' motion.

just the fact that if they'd batted sensibly they could've probably got 190... instead they tried to hit every ball for 6 in the first 10 overs

Attn: cricket experts.

Sport section of the Herald today has a photo of a right-handed batsman hitting a shot. He's got a big tattoo on his right arm and is wearing a 42 below wrist-band on his left arm.

The Herald says it's Jacob Oram. I never realised how much he looks like McCullum.

Yeah they do that shit way to often. Last year they talked about some Warrior not suer who it was but had a photo of Mannering in the artical ... much lol!

ha ha yeah that was funny

Trainspotter Points for who can remember, dont think it was a bro cos that would have been too_much roffles....in fact I have an idea it was a non-warrior kiwi?

Trainspotter points to me. It was an article about Mannering but they had a picture of Todd Byrne.

That was dalai. ^_^

WAY too much hate and over analysis so far for what was actually a pretty comprehensive performance. Let's not forget we held one of the most dynamic lineups in international cricket to 160 off 20 overs (in probably the smallest ground in cricket too) , then ran it down with EASE. Of course we bowled the odd bad ball and played the odd bad shot, we're far from the perfect cricket team... but I think the lads deserve good praise for this win. It was well constructed and well executed. Can't wait for tomorrow's game, and I'm totally salivating for this whole series.



gc.

not wise to get your hopes up

After 3 overs we were what, 8/1 and looking unlikely to pass 100. Ease = looked like winning from ball 1, and nobody was EVER that relaxed.

Incidentally Napoleon once said he didn't want good generals, he wanted lucky ones. Martin Guptill has proven to have a touch of that about him since his debut (he had a fair few lucky shots vs. the Windies) and again with the lbw shout and 2 shots JUST clearing legside fielders we may well have found our lucky charm.

Why not? Fear of disappointment?

Yeah exactly... we were going well half way thru the Chappell Hadlee....

With that attitude you'd fit in well at NZC

Perfect example of over analysis.

needs to be able to see his feet to move them i would have thought...

If you can, check out the 'Masters' T20 game before the Nz V India Game (2:30):



Teams will include:

Samsung NZCPA Masters
Stephen Fleming (Captain)
Kerry Walmsley
Dion Nash
Matthew Horne
Hamish Marshall
Simon Doull
Bryan Young
Shane Thomson
Andrew Jones
James Fuller (U19)
Paul Wiseman

ACA Masters
Darren Lehmann (Captain)
Greg Blewett
Ian Healy
Greg Matthews
Brad Hogg
Andy Bichel
Michael Di Venuto
Michael Dighton
Josh Hazlewood (U19)
Mick Lewis
Greg Campbell
Wayne Holdsworth

WF is Hamish Marshall doing there?

Hope Healy gets a few Bouncers

:>


Wonder if Jones still has his touch, be good to see him put a few to the boundary.

Think Tendulkar is turning out for the Kiwi's too

Correct

Kerry Walmsley is winding them in!!!!

no indians due to hamish Marshall playing

healy didnt get any bouncers but he got whacked in the face with the ball from a great hogg delivery

lol


Sachin Tendulkar, arguably the finest batsman to grace the game of cricket or Hamish Marshall, ummm... a due with big curly red hair.


NZC: we choose Marshall!

and he looks like he will win the game for us

It seems the BCCI pulled them because they don't want any of their players from playing with ICL players

http://content-nz.cricinfo.com/nzvind2009/content/current/story/392501.html

Bryan Young

India charging along again ...but luckily for NZ losing wickets as well.

Dropped catch

WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT LAST UMPIRING DECISION!!!

Another fucking hometown decision goes against NZ!!! Anyone would think we had Indian umpires. Umpire agonises over it for an eternity and gives it out when it clearly came off the bat first.

fuckkkkkk yes. Great result! Although I missed most of it

Has Ryder played himself back into the starting team? He had our best bowling figures of the day by far, and there's something about starting the innings with a six

Shit they made that harder than it needed to be in the end. Some good death bowling by India though. I felt NZ needed to go after one of the spinners sooner and look to get a BIG over in the middle stages.

And yeah, Ryder's bowling was great. And he scored his 26 runs very quickly.

I think perhaps Broom will get dropped for the 1st ODI and Elliot will come in. Broom probably doesn't fit in the team if they are going to play Oram as a batsman.

Mills will most likely be back as well. I wonder who makes room for him? O'Brien has been bowling quite well lately and Southee has been a bit wayward.

i don't think he was ever out of the team... other than thru injury or suspension...

will be an interesting selection for the ODI team... you'd expect Styris to come back into the squad, but he might struggle to get a game... wouldn't really be fair to drop Elliott. And do we know that mills is coming back?

My 11 would be:

McCullum
Ryder
Guptill
Taylor
Oram
Broom
Elliott
Mills
Vettori
O'Brien
Southee

Butler for Mills if he's not fit... Assuming Oram is playing as a batsman only, but would give us a lot of options if he is. And obviously Patel could come in (probably for Southee) if necessary...

With that order, you can potentially drop McCullum down to 7 (but float him higher if necessary).. but I doubt they will since he's scoring a lot at the top right now, even tho it's in T20

This would be my ODI side at the moment:

Ryder
McCullum
Guptill
Taylor
Oram
Broom
Elliot
Vetorri
Mills
Patel/Southee
O'Brien

Plenty of batting. 4 front line bowlers and Elliot/Ryder to make up the rest of the overs (possibly even a couple of overs from Oram at the moment). Option to drop Broom in favour of 5 bowlers as well.

Heh, I must have done my pick while you were posting yours.

Exciting times last night. Liked.