As this is likely to be the only day of the test match that I can watch in full from wo to go I thought I would offer some reflections as the day progresses.
- B-Mac got a peach, thats gonna happen when you open. I dont think we should be to hard on him for it. He was very promising in the first test.
- Sreesanth is bolwing one hell of a spell. Hopefully the kind of swing and seam bowling we can see from Tim Southee when we get to bowl.
- Gupps looks solid 90% of the time but every now and then just hangs his bat out at one he simply doesn't need to.
- Danny Morrison is a truly horrific commentator.
- Weather doesn't look promising, bit of a shame to win the toss in great batting conditions and then the cloud rolls in to make bowling look very very appealing.
- Harby getting plenty of turn early, goes to show how much the speed of the turn matters as already he looks more dangerous here than with the slow turn he was getting in Ahmedabad
- LUNCH
- Solid session, at 74/1 you would have to give it to us but without scoring at a quick clip all the good work can be quickly undone if these two don't convert good starts.
- Dhoni has a great record as a captain but he seems very defensive. I thought he was slow in declaring in the first test and has been very quick to put the field back here. Doesn't have much saving the single, has close in fielders for the spinners and then guys back on the boundaries. Its an interesting mindset, in the end though he is the guy that has finally taken this Indian team to #1 in the world so you can't take to much away from him.
- That cover drive that Guptill just played off Sreesanth reminded me a lot of Stephen Fleming. Obviously a right-handed version but the way he just lent into it and powered it through. Guptill really is a talent but so many of our batsmen are. Its just about turning talent into acheivement on the international stage.
- Guppys LBW felt out the first time I saw it. Good innings from him though would have been great if he had kicked on. Timmy needs to step up now and score the big hundred. While he is doing that the strokemakers can bat around him.
- Does look to be plenty of turn in the pitch.
TEA
- Simlar really to the first session, solid for us without ever getting away from the Indians. Guppy was threatening but I think Harby and Ohja bowled really really well in the last half an hour. We need to kick on after tea otherwise we waste the hard work done in the first two sessions.
- Going well here, had to make sure that Taylor and Timmy built a partnership which it looks like we are doing. Even seems like Timmy is looking to up the tempo which is great to see. I remember the Pakistan test at Napier when Dan and Brendon cashed in late in the day they said much of it was down to the work Tim had done earlier in the day blunting the bowlers. Hopefully he has done the same here and him and Rosco can cash in late today.
- Well that was woeful, credit to Zaheer but really what was Ross doing. Just hung the bat out.
No comments:
Post a Comment