Ind-NZ 1st ODI Lineup

[Fontaine]

@Fontaine - suprise that you would like IKP over Munaf If Munaf, a line and length bowler would be ineffective, what about IKP, he would be cannon fodder I would rather have a decent bowler than this floodgate allrounder

On slow, low wickets (like in Sri Lanka) then Munaf would be better as he can cramp up the batsmen with his line/length outside off stump. But I'm going for Irfan on the basis that Napier (and most of the other grounds there) can yield scores in excess of 300 runs. In that case I would rather have Irfan's all round ability plus his inswinging yorkers that no batsmen has been able to handle apart from McCullum.

[SachDan]

My XI wud be: Sehwag Sachin Gambhir Dhoni Yuvraj Raina Yusuf Bhajji Ojha PK Zak ------ we cant play Irfan.. hes very ineffective atm... better to have ojha in place of him...

Dhoni will play Irfan. No doubt about that ! Btw Why should we have two spinners in the X1? :hmmmm2:

[Fontaine]

Dhoni will play Irfan. No doubt about that ! Btw Why should we have two spinners in the X1? :hmmmm2:

I think at some point in the ODI series we will play two genuine spinners. I don't think it will be the first match though.

[fineleg]

Pitch & conditions Napier was warm on the eve of the match but there are showers forecast for Tuesday :omg:. The pitch at McLean Park "looked outstanding", according to Vettori, who expected it to be full of runs. "I think traditionally around 280-300 is a par score so we have to work on that," Vettori said. "If a team can restrict the other team to under 300, like the West Indies game the last time here, you're in with a good chance." Stats and trivia New Zealand have won 18 won ODIs, lost nine and tied two matches in Napier. However, their win-loss record at the venue since 2005 is 3-3. India have only won one out of four at this ground. India have a poor record in New Zealand, winning only nine matches out of 30. Against New Zealand they've won seven and lost 16, including six of the last eight. Among countries where they've played at least five games, only in the West Indies do they have a poorer win-loss ratio.

In 11 day-night games at McLean Park, six have been won by the team chasing, and only three by the side batting first.

Tendulkar has 16,440 ODI runs, 6765 more than New Zealand's 12 players together. Taylor averages 136.50 in Napier, where he's scored 273 runs in five innings at a strike-rate of 95.

[Fontaine]

With Ishant Sharma out the Napier pitch will suit us as it'll be all about the batting. Whatever our new ball bowlers can do will be a bonus but on this track I expect all the bowlers to be carted around. Make use of the new ball Irfan and get those inswinging deliveries going!!!

[Desi Cartman]

is it one of the smaller grounds ?