Cricket V

[Stubby]

Vestrit!!

As to the cricket, I was home doing an assignment today and had the telly on the background. Ryder and McCullum played great knocks. Vettori captained well when they were in the field and I was totally impressed. Got the makings of a good side there now. India, OTOH, were disappointing. They bowled shite, dropped catches and were atrocious when running between the wickets.

Might try and watch a bit more tomorrow.

[Vestrit]

[quote name='Paxter' post='1735662' date='Mar 27 2009, 13.57']No, a moderate drop-off isn't surprising at all - it's just that I wouldn't be expecting top order batsmen to have their average cut in half in the second innings.[/quote]

Fair point

[quote name='Paxter' post='1735662' date='Mar 27 2009, 13.57']BTW Vestrit, do you really think Franklin is a no. 6? I think both McCullum and Vettori are far superior batsmen.[/quote]

don't know, haven't seen much of him, I was just going on what the commentators were saying. In what I have seen of him he hasn't been bad, but then I haven't seen a huge amount of him. Remember too that he started his career as a bowler and has been turning himself into a batsman. A stint playing county cricket this season should help with that.
That said, an average of 20 after 25 tests isn't good enough, although in the current NZ team isn't exactly noticeably bad, and we do have a love of churning out mediocre middle-order batsmen

In the cricinfo story about McCullum today, they were saying that his failure to score big runs in tests in the past few years is why they won't bat him higher than 7 - he needs to re-earn the trust to put him there. At one point he was batting no 3 for NZ in the second innings of tests.
I'm not sure how Vettori would go higher up

Hey Stubby, how you doing!

[Paxter]

[quote name='Ser Stubby' post='1735668' date='Mar 27 2009, 23.00']Might try and watch a bit more tomorrow.[/quote]

Tomorrow should be good viewing. Tendulkar is on 0 overnight, but I am still expecting big things from him on this wicket.

[Hereward]

Engalnd vs Windies - I can't bring myself to post the score, but suffice it say that, according to the BBC commentator:

[quote]This could be the worst England batting display I've ever seen. I might get a commemorative tattoo[/quote]

Which considering the number of inept displays it's competing with is really saying something.

Drop the lot of them and pick somebody who actually cares.

[Daeric]

Theres nothing like a good old England Batting collapse with the wind and the raining peltting it down outside to warm ones cockles.

All we need now is a good old queue and we can have a party

[Rimmer]

Well, we forced India to follow on, which almost seems like a victory in itself - and got Sehweg out again to top it off. Never would've thought we could compete this well against India, even if it does end up a draw. I'm going to the last test in Wellington... so 1-1 would be nice ;)

[Paxter]

Am hoping for a NZ victory, but India are starting to show some resistance now - the Wall is living up to his name and the Black Caps have gone wicketless so far today. Actually, this is an important series for Dravid - he has averaged just 25, 17 and 35 in his last three test series - not great numbers for a man who averages over 50 in his career. But he is starting to reverse the trend with an average of over 90 so far on this tour.

TBH, I don't think Dravid's place is under too much threat, because players like Yuvraj, Rohit and Raina just aren't good enough to bat in the top 4 in a test line-up. Still, I would like to see Dravid end his career on a high.

BTW: I noticed that Gambhir's average has just tipped over 50 - meaning that there are now four players with a 50+ batting average in the Indian test team - Sachin, Dravid, Sehwag and Gambhir. Do you reckon this is the first time that's happened in test history? The only other scenario I can think of is when Hussey, Gilchrist, Ponting and Hayden were playing together - but I am nearly 100% certain that Gillie's average had already dropped below 50 by the time Hussey came in to the team.

ETA: no, false alarm. This has happened before: Hayden, Ponting, Hodge and Hussey played together against SA in a few tests back in 2005. All averaged over 50 at the time.

[IheartTesla]

New Zealand got one wicket today, which was dodgy anyways. But I wouldnt say India are out of it yet. I dont trust Yuvraj and Karthik on a fifth day pitch, so really all they need is to get through the current pair and Laxman. I think the morning session tomorrow will be crucial.

[Paxter]

India did it easily in the end, with a hundred for VVS and a timely 50 for Yuvraj.

Some interesting titbits:

1. Mickey Arthur has given England some incentive to hire him - he has tried to show-off his tactical knowledge of the game by making public a dossier of how to dismiss the Aussie top order:

[quote]So a coach has punted his name for one of the biggest and most demanding jobs in world cricket, no big deal. It is, however, the way he has got himself on to the shortlist that could leave a slightly sour taste in the mouth.

Following the Proteas hugely successful summer in Australia, Arthur drew up a plan of attack for his side to pursue as they went, in vain, for Australia's No.1 crown. That information has now been made public and thus available to the members of England's heirarchy in the Long Room at Lord's, who must be rubbing their hands with glee.

It reads as follows, travelling from one to seven in the Australia batting order:

Phillip Hughes: Cramp him up, bowl around the wicket to him and get him on the front foot.

Simon Katich: A solid player. Aim for his off-stump and get him coming forward on the line of a fourth stump.

Ricky Ponting: You have to bowl wide to him. He loves the feel of bat on ball and reaches for it. Bowl to Punter on the line of a fifth stump.

Mike Hussey: Despite the fact that Mr Cricket knows English conditions very well, get him out of his comfort zone. Get under his skin with short fast bowling.

Michael Clarke: He doesn't move his feet outside his crease. Try the three-card trick: two short deliveries, then the all-important third right in the blockhole.

Marcus North: Bowl just outside the off-stump at a player who looks to be a good find and has made the number six spot all his own, following his solid debut tour of South Africa.

Brad Haddin: he stays leg-side and flays through the off-side. Utilise two gullies as he hits the ball in the air in that region.[/quote]

Interesting tactics there from Arthur. I think the plans to the top three are spot on - but I don't think bowling short to Hussey is the answer. I know he has been dismissed in that fashion before, but he makes plenty of runs from the pull and hook shot, so you run the risk of getting him off to a flyer. I would much prefer to see teams bowl full to him, just outside off-stump, and starve him for runs. When he is in an attacking mood, he still looks a fantastic batsman (as we saw in the ODIs vs. NZ last summer), but he has been bogged down in test matches when teams have tried to keep him quiet. I think that is the way to go with Hussey.

2. Changes to the work permit laws in England are making it tough for Aussies to get stints in county cricket, which have historically been very important for player development: [url="http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25262973-23212,00.html"]link[/url].

[Maltaran]

Afghanistan seem to be doing rather well in the World Cup qualifiers - they've beaten Denmark and Bermuda comfortably.

[williamjm]

[quote name='Maltaran' post='1742393' date='Apr 2 2009, 18.45']Afghanistan seem to be doing rather well in the World Cup qualifiers - they've beaten Denmark and Bermuda comfortably.[/quote]

It would be an impressive achievement if they qualified, IIRC they started their qualifying campaign ranked lowest in the lowest division of world cricket and have had to win three qualifying tournaments to get into the final qualifying tournament. Not bad for a country where cricket was banned at the start of the decade.

[Zoë Sumra]

Flintoff has a hat trick!! WI need 33 off 11 balls...

[williamjm]

[quote name='Eloisa' post='1744119' date='Apr 3 2009, 23.04']Flintoff has a hat trick!! WI need 33 off 11 balls...[/quote]

I doubt there would have been many people predicting that England would lose the test series but then win the one-day series (although they did have quite a bit of help from the Windies coach's problems with arithmetic).

[IheartTesla]

If you are a NZ supporter then watching their top order bat must be disturbing. I dont think they have ever reached 50 without losing a couple of wickets this series. I hope the 40 year drought of the Indians finally comes to a close soon.

[Jeor]

NZ top order has always been a problem, ever since the dour Richardsons and Greatbatches went in the 90s. They've been followed by players who are either stylish and technically correct but with no substance (Jamie How) or first-class cricketers who look completely out of their depth (Redmond, etc). The middle order isn't so much of a problem with Ryder and Taylor now looking to set the anchors for years to come, and in the past they've always had a reasonably steady stream of decent middle-order bats - Astle and Styris are good examples of that.

I think Guptill probably has the most promise as an opener right now - he looks to have a good technique. But he might go the way of Jamie How; the technically-accomplished guy who doesn't end up ever making any substantial scores. One way or another they have to somehow try and solve this opening issue - either by getting a competent stonewaller ala their openers of the past, or by getting a big basher (like a poor man's Sehwag). In my opinion continuing to go with two conventional opening batsmen who are only really first-class standard, while hoping that one or two of them might blossom on the international stage, is unlikely to solve the problem.

[IheartTesla]

It just seems a shame because they have decent middle and lower order batsmen (Vettori has apparently scored 3 centuries and 19 50's, and McCullum aint half bad either). If only their top order contributed 50-75 odd runs more they could be quite competitive. And with Shane Bond in the team too they would not spend too long at #8 in the rankings. Ahhh...for what might have been.

When did Martin Crowe leave the team....1996 according to Wiki. I dont remember his batting style too much, but he must have lent some stability to the team as well.

[Paxter]

[quote name='cyrano' post='1744244' date='Apr 4 2009, 08.18']When did Martin Crowe leave the team....1996 according to Wiki. I dont remember his batting style too much, but he must have lent some stability to the team as well.[/quote]

Crowe must have been a great player. He would definitely be an automatic selection in an All-Time Best NZ XI. For the record, mine would be:

1. G Turner
2. M Richardson
3. S Fleming
4. M Crowe
5. B Sutcliffe
6. C Cairns
7. B McCullum
8. R Hadlee
9. D Vettori
10. D Nash
11. S Bond

It's a pretty handy team, with all players 1-5 averaging over 40 in tests, Cairns and McCullum averaging 30s, Vettori and Hadlee in the late 20s and Nash early 20s. Combined test batting average of the team is around 370. Bowling wise, you would have a fantastic opening pairing of Hadlee and Bond, the reliable Cairns and Nash as first change and Vettori with the variety to keep batsmen honest on flat decks. On seaming decks, Hadlee and Bond would be unplayable. The difficult decision here was whether to play Doull instead of Nash. In the end, Nash's batting (test average of 23) got him into the team.

Well, England picked up an ODI series win, so at least they have something positive to take out of this tour. England's ODI form is really bizarre: they won a CBA series against Aus and NZ back in 07, then played with little conviction in the WC. This was followed by a 2-1 defeat to WI. Then they bounced back with Collingwood leading them to consecutive series wins against India and SL. Then NZ smashed them in two consecutive ODI series (away and then home). Then they demolished SA at home under Pietersen. Then they got demolished by India away. And now they have scraped a win against WI away. That's an overall record of 5 series wins and 5 series losses (if you include the WC). It's not a terrible record by any means, it's just that their form is so ridiculously inconsistent that they have become something of an ODI basket-case.

And a brutal win for Aus last night. They pretty much mauled SA in that one.

[ithanos]

[quote name='cyrano' post='1744195' date='Apr 4 2009, 12.21']If you are a NZ supporter then watching their top order bat must be disturbing. I dont think they have ever reached 50 without losing a couple of wickets this series. I hope the 40 year drought of the Indians finally comes to a close soon.[/quote]
"Disturbing" would be to admit a lack of faith :) At least we're past the denial & depression stages and have settled warmly into the acceptance stage, whiling the summers away while other facets of the team are sured up. It's almost cosy.

Middle order looks most promising. Funny you mentioned Martin Crowe. His is the batting style (think effortless cover drive followed by a hook shot the next ball) that comes to mind when looking at Ryder's style. An intense batsman when his eye was in. I remember watching when he was on the verge of three hundred and then getting out on 299. With head slightly down he cordially walked off the ground with camera following him and only when out of camera view under the stand did we hear the crack of willow on concrete. Intense.

Lower order to tail. I've always loved our tail enders, in fact any team's tail enders. What's a tail for if not to wag? A Cricinfo comment on the India/NZ test posted this [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_NsFh-Z4aE&feature=relatedl"]link[/url] to the great battling presence of C.S.Martin hiding in the tail. :)


Edit to add: Nice team Paxter. Shame about Bond, it would seem politics within the NZCB and other influences means fans are unlikely to see him in the national team again.

[Paxter]

[quote name='ithanos' post='1744294' date='Apr 4 2009, 09.38']Lower order to tail. I've always loved our tail enders, in fact any team's tail enders. What's a tail for if not to wag? A Cricinfo comment on the India/NZ test posted this [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_NsFh-Z4aE&feature=relatedl"]link[/url] to the great battling presence of C.S.Martin hiding in the tail. :)[/quote]

Nice one ithanos. I nearly died with laughter when I heard "like Chris, it's out now" :)

ETA: actually while we're on the subject of Crowe's 299, I read somewhere that Jesse Ryder was disappointed with his dismissal on 201 the other day. Apparently, he was keen to go past Crowe's record. Doesn't that strike you as a) unrealistic, since I am sure Vettori would have declared before Ryder even passed 230 or so and b) pretty overindulgent and selfish, since there is a lot more to test cricket than breaking records and achieving personal milestones (just ask Matthew Hayden whether he thinks his 380 against Zim was his best innings)?

[Jeor]

Martin Crowe has very little competition as the best specialist batsman New Zealand have ever produced. His Test average was healthy (45) but his first-class average of 56 tells the story of a player who could clock up some runs. 17 hundreds and 18 fifties in Test cricket is also a very good conversion rate. From what little I remember of seeing him bat, I recall he was quite handy with the pull and hook shot, and I seem to remember him as being a bit more attacking than a strike rate of 44 would suggest, certainly he was no Kallis-esque slow poke.