On to the Tests ..

[zubinpepsi]

Why only middle order? Why not the top six or seven or the entire batting line-up? Or you expect the opener, keeper and the tail to fail completely? Why are you looking forward to see what our bowlers can do here?

well ofcourse i want everyone to do well... but to be honest i have more faith in the openers than our famed middle orders.. who feckedup time and again.. laxman is only good against ozz.. sachin will b there.. not sure abt yuvi... and dravid is a joke... im sure bowlers zak, ishant n bhajji n the tail will do fine ....

[suraj]

Hope Zak and Ishant open the bolwing After first few overs are defended phir mauja hi mauja

[King]

I expect India to stream roll New Zealand not with standing what type of pitch is produced. Indians have been in this country for quite some time now and should have no issues dealing with weather conditions. The only weakness I can see is in the Indian middle order. As long as the Indian middle order can perform as well as their track record suggests India will win the test series hands down. The middle order of Rahul, Sachin, Laxman and Yuvi can stutter as they have in the past in some crucial games. If the ball does a little too much they will get cute and start blocking ball after ball. As long as they can take up the fight and bat aggressively they should be fine. Time and again they have lost one test match at least resorting to defensive tactics. I hope that doesn't repeat in this test series.

[Feed]

Cricket: India are pushing for a 12pm start in the first Test After agreeing to integrate Indians Test cricketers into the State Championship New Zealand Cricket seems set to bow to Indian wishes once again More... India push for midday start Published: 5:11PM Tuesday March 17, 2009 Source: Newstalk ZB Reuters After agreeing to integrate Indians Test cricketers into the State Championship New Zealand Cricket seems set to bow to Indian wishes once again. Discussions are underway to delay the start of Wednesday's first cricket Test in Hamilton from 11am until midday, which would be 4:30am in New Delhi. That makes it more favourable to sub-continent television viewers. But Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni says it would be a challenge starting that late, but the players may relish the extra hour of sleep. Dhoni says it will be very different for them because it will feel like they're playing at night. Meanwhile, New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori says they haven't made a decision on pace bowler Chris Martin's involvement. Vettori confirmed that he's a big fan of Martin, and he's prepared well for the Test. It follows reports that his selection was forced by Vettori against the wishes of the selectors. The reports were denied by the 30-year-old on Monday.

[Feed]

Indian view : India has the firepower to script a memorable Test series Ishant, Zaheer hold the key on a wicket that has something in it for the seamers More... India has the firepower to script a memorable Test series S. Ram Mahesh Ishant, Zaheer hold the key on a wicket that has something in it for the seamers Hamilton: There’s something decidedly therapeutic about watching cricketers in soft cream flannels play on sun-dappled fields, and while that may sound like advertising copy of the sort Neville Cardus is criticised for, its truth cannot be denied. Everything changes when Test cricket is upon us. Seddon Park, which hosted the fourth One-Day International, already looks a different place from the carnival ground that had Batman, Robin, Phantom, and a Roman senator traipse to the food stalls, not terribly fussed if they missed an over or three; just as well there was no crime to fight. Should those gentlemen make it to the first Test, beginning here on Wednesday, they’ll doubtless act with more gravitas. The brick-cobbled lanes of Ward Street seem like they were designed to carry an ambling cricket fan to his point of rest on the morning of the first day; the grass banks and the hedgerow that surround Seddon Park give it a distinctly village-green feel. But while the feel of the place might have transformed, the cricketers of India and New Zealand will direct their interest to the playing surface, for it controls all. No win in 13 Tests India’s triumph in the ODI series was historic, no doubt, but it lacked the scale of a Test series victory. Considering India hasn’t won a series in these parts since 1967-68 — and has in fact gone the last 13 Tests in New Zealand without a win — M.S. Dhoni’s men will be keen to carve themselves a more significant slice of history. Which neatly brings us back to the playing surface. After the Auckland ODI, the New Zealand team is of the opinion that it’ll be better served on strips that have bounce and movement. In good batting conditions, India’s quality will prove too much; and on damp, green seaming tracks, it’s a lottery — but India, in Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma, have men who between them should manage the winning ticket. So what is sought is a sort of via medium, which ticks the boxes for a good cricket wicket. The strip here was re-laid five years back, groundsman Karl Johnson shipping Waikari clay in from Canterbury to replace the temperamental Naike soil. Waikari clay, Johnson says, responds more consistently to water, and so there is greater control over preparation. Grass on the surface The track for the game had a covering of grass — parts of it live, parts of it dried by the sun — on Monday. Often very little can be read from pitches on match day; venturing an opinion two days before the game just isn’t rational, so it’s best to leave it to the groundsman. “This track has got a moist base, and grass growing through the surface,” said Johnson. “We find that it holds together, and has a bit of pace. We’ll leave some of the grass on — around 7 mm of it — which is more than is common in India. So there’ll be something in it.” The ball also has a history of swinging in Hamilton, which is to do with the humidity of the atmosphere and the openness of the ground. A lot of India’s success in overseas Tests in the recent past has owed itself to the seamers exploiting such conditions. Forced on docile domestic tracks to learn how to manipulate their wrists for swing and cut, they thrive when there’s help. But will they be able to put the ordeal of the one-day series behind them? Zaheer certainly can — not only did he bowl a lot better than his figures suggest, he has reached a stage of his career where he knows thoroughly his craft. He bowled within himself in the nets on Monday, indicative of a man who knows when to turn it on. Ishant was bested in a duel with Jesse Ryder at Auckland. Although the 20-year-old eventually got his man, he seemed under-par. He profited enormously on Monday, bowling to Sachin Tendulkar, who Indian fans will be glad to know showed no signs of discomfort from the abdominal injury that cut short his one-day series. Tendulkar’s advice Tendulkar felt Ishant’s wrist wasn’t fully behind the ball; as a result his fingers were slipping down one side too quickly, and not enough back-spin was being imparted. The great man coaxed Ishant to pitch it up with the wrist behind the ball — “Don’t worry if it’s over-pitched, once you get the release, the control will come” — and soon Ishant was bowling the angular in-swinger that cuts back further. Ishant then proceeded to bowl with greater control of length to Virender Sehwag, who had spent 20 minutes hitting the spinners to all parts. It helped Ishant that the odd ball straightened without him intending it to. Rahul Dravid, who made a century in each innings here in 1999, and V.V.S. Laxman looked in fine touch, and the Indian session had a joie de vivre characteristic of winning units. The teams (from): New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (Capt.), Tim McIntosh, Martin Guptill, Daniel Flynn, Ross Taylor, Jesse Ryder, Brendon McCullum (wk), James Franklin, Kyle Mills, Iain O’Brien, Jeetan Patel, Brent Arnel and Chris Martin. India: M.S. Dhoni (Capt. & wk), Virender Sehwag (vice-capt.), Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, V.V.S. Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Munaf Patel, Amit Mishra, Lakshmipathy Balaji, M. Vijay, Dhawal Kulkarni and Dinesh Karthik. Umpires: Simon Taufel and Ian Gould. Third umpire: Gary Baxter. Match referee: Alan Hurst. Hours of play (IST): 3.30 a.m. to 5.30 a.m., 6.10 a.m. to 8.10 a.m., and 8.30 a.m. to close.

[h4te]

wtf?

[Mr. Wicket]

You have got to be kidding me...

[EnterTheVoid]

After agreeing to integrate Indians Test cricketers into the State Championship New Zealand Cricket seems set to bow to Indian wishes once again What gutter journalism. At first glance, you'd think the BCCI asked for a recreational golf course for the "Indian 11" on the crraters of the moon Excellent these people are at twisting words to generate controversey. The request for the delay was done to achieve greater viewers, with the BCCI and NZC being the beneficiaries of greater viewers. By the way the opening sentence is worded, you'd think the poor and gentle NZC is being picked on by the big bad BCCI

[DomainK]

How will they finish all the overs in day light if they start at 12? And then there is the threat of rain!!

[Feed]

School boy offers Vettori tips to get Sachin's scalp New Zealand cricket captain Daniel Vettori has reportedly received some tips from a schoolboy on how to get the wicket of Sachin Tendulkar. More... School boy offers Vettori tips to get Sachin's scalp ANI Posted: Mar 17, 2009 at 1058 hrs IST Hamilton: New Zealand cricket captain Daniel Vettori has reportedly received some tips from a schoolboy on how to get the wicket of Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar. According to the ?Waikato Times?, Owen Robinson told the Black Caps skipper that Tendulkar is susceptible to the lofted drive after bowling to the cricket superstar in the nets. The St Paul's Collegiate bowler, however, was initially reluctant to offer an assessment after bowling to the Indian star in the Seddon Park nets on Monday, but after some persuasion reckoned Tendulkar might be susceptible to getting out to a lofted drive. "I found Tendulkar likes to drive and drive on the up and put a few in the air but he might have just been toying with me though," said Robinson, laughing at the prospect of tearing apart the form of a player who has scored more test centuries than any other cricketer. Robinson was one of a handful of promising Waikato cricketers who helped the touring side with their batting practice. He had no joy with swashbuckling opener Virender Sehwag at all. "He smashed me," said Robinson. Vettori is the last St Paul's old boy to play for the Black Caps and Robinson admitted that "the school still idolises him". But he predicted the New Zealand side would have their hands full trying to win the three-test series against India. "I think they'll go well in Hamilton but it'll be tough in the other two tests," Robinson said. Leg spinner Jono Hickey, a New Zealand and Northern-Districts under-19 representative, had more than just a prized scalp to take away from the session Indian opener Gautham Gambhir gave him one of his bats. "It was a privilege to bowl to them pretty overwhelming really," Robinson said.

[EnterTheVoid]

Well, even if the full day is available for play, teams never bowl the 90 odd overs they're supposed to bowl. For them to blame light / rain / wind / sight screens :mad: etc is a bit rich The 12 A.M start, given the dreaful conditions is a concern, but my major gripe was with how the article was presented. Seriously, what the hell ? The BCCI goes around looking for controversy? Geez, with the amount of flak directed at the BCCI, you'd get the impression that the remainder of the cricketing fraternity are such little angels who can do no wrong and have never done anything to the contrary in their cricketing existence to this point ffs :mad:

[Guest Hiten.]

Let's get it straight. Neither team India or BCCI want this delay. It's Sony (who are broadcasting partners with Sky NZ) who are asking for a delay to get more viewership.

"It will be very different for us, playing at night it seems. It will be difficult, I've not played a test that's starts at 12."

[fineleg]

Broadcasters or BCCI - one of them is proposing the change. Who? Noon start!?? Crazy people are trying to drive Test cricket into the dust :mad: I hope NZ board says :finger:

[cowboysfan]

Broadcasters or BCCI - one of them is proposing the change. Who? Noon start!?? Crazy people are trying to drive Test cricket into the dust :mad: I hope NZ board says :finger:

they did.

[King Tendulkar]

If there are no issues with light at end of play, then its actaully a good idea. As people can then go from work in NZ to watch maybe two sessions at the ground or watch on TV after work/school. People are proposing day/night cricket so whats the major issue here? Also the fact indian public has better viewing hours makes it a win win situation. As long as no issues with light at end of days play for which I have no idea.

[SachDan]

^^ also I can sleep till 2:30 am instead of 1:30 :winky:

[King]

The sun usually sets at about 8:30 pm so 12 noon start is not a bad idea. In the middle of the third test the DST kicks in and the clock is put back by an hour. The game will then have to start at 10 am instead as the sun will set at around 6 pm. I'm surprised the TV broadcasters and the cricket boards haven't taken into account the day light savings that will kick in next month.

[DomainK]

The sun usually sets at about 8:30 pm so 12 noon start is not a bad idea. In the middle of the third test the DST kicks in and the clock is put back by an hour. The game will then have to start at 10 am instead as the sun will set at around 6 pm. I'm surprised the TV broadcasters and the cricket boards haven't taken into account the day light savings that will kick in next month.

If the sun sets that late, the match should still start early keeping the weather in mind. If rain interrupts, they could still finish the quota of overs.

[Feed]

Kiwi View : Bring on Test cricket Test match cricket is coming to a town near you this month.Bring a blanket. And a snorkel, writes TVNZ.co.nz's Max Bania More... Bring on Test cricket Published: 1:00PM Tuesday March 17, 2009 By TVNZ.co.nz's Max Bania Source: ONE Sport Test match cricket is coming to a town near you this month. Bring a blanket. And a snorkel. The three-Test series against India, beginning on Wednesday in Hamilton before moving on to Napier and Wellington, will take us further into the rainy season than any international series ever played in New Zealand. Frustrated viewers may end up spending more time watching replays of Craig McMillan and Simon Doull's heroics against India at the Basin Reserve in 1998 than any live cricket action. Unfortunately, that could also represent the only chance they'll have of watching a New Zealand Test victory over India this "summer". Such is India's superiority over the home team at the moment that they probably feel they could lose two whole days to rain and still comfortably finish the Test off in the other three. The Test form of the two teams could not be more contrasting. India are the toast of world cricket after comfortably dispatching Australia and England at the end of last year. In the past 12 months, the Black Caps have endured home and away beatings by England, an embarrassingly close call in Bangladesh, a two-test thrashing in Australia and a disappointing home stalemate against the West Indies. On paper it should a doddle for the Indians. Recent history, however, tells us that the Black Caps like to save their best performances for when nothing is expected of them, while the tourists have a tendency to do the opposite. Only the Indians will know how heavily the memory of their last tour to New Zealand weighs on their mind. That was back in 2002/3, when they were pulverised by New Zealand's pacemen on green, seaming wickets in Wellington and Hamilton. Four batting survivors - Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman, who tallied a combined 298 runs at 18.6 in that series - will line up in Hamilton. They may possess greater mental fortitude under coach Gary Kirsten, but the prospect of batting first under grey skies against the swinging ball may be enough to send momentary flashbacks through their system. Captain Daniel Vettori will know that everything has to go right for his side to have a chance in this series. He'll also know from his predecessor Stephen Fleming that with a combination of clever, disciplined bowling and astute field placings, even the most dangerous batsmen in world cricket can be made to look foolish. The brainstrust will surely have studied each Indian batsman meticulously, on tape and in the flesh, searching for avenues to unlock their massively talented batting line up. They should already know that Sehwag is a batsman who hates being tied down by tight bowling and can be "choked" into giving away his wicket. Rahul Dravid is not as fleet-of-foot as he used to be and hence is more susceptible to nicking into the cordon. Even Test cricket's most prolific batsman, Sachin Tendulkar, has been made to look fallible by short bowling directed at his body. To rattle the much-vaunted Indian batting line up, the Black Caps need to pick bowlers who can attack, not just contain. With Shane Bond unavailable, veteran Chris Martin should be the first man picked. He is the best strike bowler available and understands the value of breaking eggs to make an omelette: he will pitch the ball up and get driven for a few runs but will back himself to find the outside edge eventually. The fact that India has never faced him before can only work to his advantage. Vettori and Iain O'Brien will be the other automatic selections - although worryingly for the latter, the Indians dealt with him savagely during the ODIs - and James Franklin will contribute some overs, having appeared to take Jacob Oram's all-rounder spot by default. The final bowling place will go to either Kyle Mills, Jeetan Patel or the uncapped Brent Arnel. Mills would probably be the safe option but the danger is that he'll become cannon fodder if the pitch isn't helping him. Patel bowled superbly against England in Hamilton last summer, and if the pitch looks likely to take spin then he may get the nod to partner Vettori with the old ball. Even if the bowling department looks sorely lacking the strike power to knock India over cheaply, it's hoped that the batsmen can at least match their counterparts' big totals. In Flynn, Taylor, Ryder and the debutant Guptill, the Black Caps have the nucleus of what could be a solid top six for the best part of a decade. The Indian bowling attack looks threatening but by no means deadly, and the added carrot of a juicy IPL contract should be all the motivation the youngsters need to perform. The real highlight for true cricket fans, however, should be the batting mastery on display from India's top seven. Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman will likely making their final bow on our shores and accordingly they should be warmly welcomed by the local crowds to whom they have provided many thrills over the years. Black Caps fans will be hoping the departure of these giants will coincide with the arrival of the likes of Taylor, Guptill and Ryder as world world class batsmen. If they do, there's every chance New Zealand will be competitive. Nevertheless, the smart money has to be on India to take out a comfortable series win. Though perhaps the smarter money would be on rain, more rain, and a 0-0 series draw. Likely teams: New Zealand: Tim McIntosh, Martin Guptill, Daniel Flynn, Ross Taylor, Jesse Ryder, Brendon McCullum (wk), James Franklin, Daniel Vettori (capt), Jeetan Patel, Iain O'Brien, Chris Martin. India: Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni (capt, wk), Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Amit Mishra, Ishant Sharma.

[bunny]

How about all the TV broadcasts and the score updates on Web and TV are delayed by an hour? Wouldn't that solve everything? ;)