Well another test in India, another draw, another credible performance.
We were in this test the whole way through it, thats the fact. We can speculate though, that if we hadn't let Harby get away from us at the end of the third day and the fourth morning we may have been able to push for a victory. Yes, we probably could have set India a total but unlikely we could have taken those ten wickets needed to get the victory. That of course and we would have opened ourselves upto Viru carting us all over the show.
Looking at the key performances, the big one is obviously B-Mac. Ill be the frist to admit, I was a doubter. I didn't think he had that kind of innings in him, I thought if he was going to score runs he would get quick 30s or 40s and if he really came off might get the odd 100 in 120 balls. However what we saw was an outstanding test match innings. Brian Waddle in his column on the Radio Sport website put it well when he said that McCullums innings had a nod to all corners. Yes there was the attack that we all know he had in the kit bag but also was the defence and the composure that a lot of people (including myself) didn't think he had.
Tim McIntosh was superb in both innings. His hundred in the first innings was what everyone knew he could offer, obviously the downside was that his team mates didn't convert the start he had given the team. His contribution in the second innings was great to as it gave an indication of the real potential in this opening partnership.
Kane Williamson was the other one I just wanted to give a mention to, thought his innings on the 5th morning was just outstanding. He came out and showed real intent and took the game to India. To often in the past a New Zealander would have come out in that situation and defended and looked to see off the new-ball. Kane knew that wasn't going to do much for us so he came out and attacked. This essentially took the game away from India in that first hour.
Our fielding and bowling performance in the second innings was outstanding until Harby and Sreesanth got away from us. We bowled good lines and backed it up with great fielding. That was the only way we were going to take 10-wickets and apart from the obvious we did it really well.
So all in all it was a great performance from us but the great thing is we still have plenty to improve on. Ross Taylor, who is basically our best batsman is yet to produce on tour as has Daniel Vettori. If we continue to get contributions from all the batsman and the bowlers get a pitch that actually does something then I can see no reason why we can't win the third test and win the series.
Who would have thought we would be saying that before the 1st test.....
The current batting line up inspires so much more confidence than the Flynn and How infested line ups of the past couple years. If only we had a strike bowler we would be a bit more of a test force. Tests are about building and sustaining pressure for long periods and we are finally starting to do it with bat and ball. Excellent performance so far, need to keep it up for 5 more days.
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