New Zealand Tour of India, November 2010/11

[AbhishekS]

Finally the Indians strike. I see this match heading towards a draw!

 

[CG123]

When are India going to learn to produce some proper pitches?
Do they just take a piece of the road from outside the ground, and stick it in the middle of the field?

You know it's pretty close to the flattest pitch in the world, when a NZ opener scores 100 in the first innings for the first time in six years overseas, now by the looks of things McCullum's going to score another one, and it was the first time in ages we've has a 100 run opening partnership.

 

[riz7khan12]

When are India going to learn to produce some proper pitches?
Do they just take a piece of the road from outside the ground, and stick it in the middle of the field?

You know it's pretty close to the flattest pitch in the world, when a NZ opener scores 100 in the first innings for the first time in six years overseas, now by the looks of things McCullum's going to score another one, and it was the first time in ages we've has a 100 run opening partnership.

Its pretty hard to make decent wickets due to the climate, and btw shouldn't you be happy?

 

[CG123]

It doesn't really prove much, India have a pretty very average attack without Zaheer, and the pitch isn't doing anything.

I don't mind it being flat for the first three days, but it really should have broken up by now.

Yeah, I'm not really pissed off as our top order are actually getting runs.

 

[subversive]

Do they just take a piece of the road from outside the ground, and stick it in the middle of the field?

Considering the state of most roads in India, you'd get way more help as a bowler if they actually did that

India's practically a 1-man bowling attack these days - if Zaheer Khan doesn't fire, they struggle... Anyway, why hasn't he bowled again after he came back on? Injured yet again?

 

[-D-S-B-]

Anyway, why hasn't he bowled again after he came back on? Injured yet again?

He can't bowl again until he's been on the ground for the same amount of time he was off. That must be why or else there would be no point in having him out there.

-D-S-B- added 0 Minutes and 38 Seconds later...

Ryder gone, no hope of drawing this one now.

 

[AbhishekS]

Get that McCullum now and the stage will be set for India's victory.

 

[SciD]

I have funny feeling that this will be draw and Kiwis will nick one in next game.

 

[War]

Exciting times for cricket atm with all these aggressive openers. Got Sehwag, Gayle, Dilshan and now McCullum all opening. Unlucky for McIntosh but hes secured his spot for a few more matches.

Not really i'd say. In past era of quality attacks & more difficult batting conditions, openers like all of them with so much technical flaws would be quite average. Of course Gayle has always been average in tests his average shows that.

But in this era of flat decks & joke attacks (although i see a revival in quality pace attacks), guys like them will always be useful at the top.

 

[khalek]

Tamim Iqbal also and Shane Watson if he decides to play a bit more aggressively.

 

[angryangy]

Not really i'd say. In past era of quality attacks & more difficult batting conditions, openers like all of them with so much technical flaws would be quite average. Of course Gayle has always been average in tests his average shows that.

But in this era of flat decks & joke attacks (although i see a revival in quality pace attacks), guys like them will always be useful at the top.

I'd agree; if aggression tends towards the norm, then it's surely less exciting when it happens. There must be a balance between risk and reward. If it's too rare that the bowling poses any threat, then any old mug becomes a hero.

But I don't think attacking openers are by definition hacks. Sure these days they seem to rely on carving and slashing everything through the offside, but they're creatures of their time. In the days before helmets, fast bowlers aimed high and even against the best of them, the really good batsmen played more hooks. On the same day Thomson was clocked at 99.68 MPH at the WACA, Roy Fredericks made 169 in 145 balls. Perhaps the key difference is the frequency; Fredericks was rarely so cavalier, but for Sehwag it's pretty much every day.

Quite a few batsmen could stand to earn that right to be aggressive. Sure, you can draw a massive line between Sehwag and the rest, but he's probably also the most one-dimensional of the lot. If everyone starts doing it, it really loses any meaning.

 

[AbhishekS]

If everyone starts doing it, it really loses any meaning.

But everyone can't do it. It requires some special abilities and skills.

 

[relentless_rock]

But everyone can't do it. It requires some special abilities and skills.

and character..

To keep the game as simple as Sehwag does, is in itself a challenge for others to emulate his success of aggression with consistency

 

[Papa_Smurf]

The Kiwi's have done well to compete evenly with India for a 2nd consecutive test. Well done to McCullum Who would've predicted that all three of McCullum, Bhaji and Gayle would score tons today.

 

[CG123]

I was slightly hesitant about McCullum opening, but ATM this has been a match saving knock, without his 124 runs we'd still be trailing by nine runes.

It'll be a big first session this morning/afternoon wherever you live, if India can snare a couple of early wickets they'll very much be in the hunt, but if NZ can bat into session two a draw is on the cards.

I believe Hopkins is good enough to play at this level, so hopefully he'll be able to prove it today.