Thoughts on Day One

[Fontaine]

Very pleased from the first days play: 1. From the outset it was clear that it was going to be a pretty good batting track with true bounce and the bowlers would have to work really hard to put the pressure on and coupled with the uncertainty of Munaf and the lack of spin on offer I am pretty happy to see the Kiwis bowled out for under 300. 2. The way our seamers operated was fantastic. Apart from maybe a few overs after lunch they were bowling in the right areas, getting the move around both ways and seaming the ball. When you're fast bowlers can do that right at the start of the a test series in the first session then it's sets the tone for the rest of the tour that NZ will have to work really really hard for their runs. Our bowlers are in the right position to keep on doing this for the remainder of the test series. Absolute class. 3. Lastly, our fiedling needs to improve. Two easy run out chances missed and a dropped catch. Sooner or later it's going to cost us big if don't take those chances.

[sandeep]

Disappointing to see Kiwis escape to 279 after 60/6. But as Ravi said, it makes it a bit less one-sided. And judging by what I saw in today's first session, this series is shaping up to be very one-sided, unless the kiwi bowlers magically raise their games significantly. Zaheer has got to be one of the most unluckiest bowlers around. Time and again he bowls well, beats the bat umpteen times but just can't break through. Contrast that with one irfan pathan who i have seen take DOZENS of wickets with terribly bad balls. I re-arranged my entire schedule, woke up at the crack of dawn, went to the gym in the morning instead of evening, left work early - all in the expectations of watching Veeru slap around these pedestrian kiwi bowling "attack". Laziness on veeru & gambhir's part ****ed things up nicely. Now for a nice 3 hour Dravid bore-fest. Don't get me wrong, its all good but watching sehwag bat in test matches at a decent time on the east coast doesn't happen very often...

[Dhondy]

Gutted. Sehwag run out? Is there a crueler way of killing off my biggest reason for watching cricket?

[King]

Disappointing to see Kiwis escape to 279 after 60/6. But as Ravi said, it makes it a bit less one-sided. And judging by what I saw in today's first session, this series is shaping up to be very one-sided, unless the kiwi bowlers magically raise their games significantly. Zaheer has got to be one of the most unluckiest bowlers around. Time and again he bowls well, beats the bat umpteen times but just can't break through. Contrast that with one irfan pathan who i have seen take DOZENS of wickets with terribly bad balls. I re-arranged my entire schedule, woke up at the crack of dawn, went to the gym in the morning instead of evening, left work early - all in the expectations of watching Veeru slap around these pedestrian kiwi bowling "attack". Laziness on veeru & gambhir's part ****ed things up nicely. Now for a nice 3 hour Dravid bore-fest. Don't get me wrong, its all good but watching sehwag bat in test matches at a decent time on the east coast doesn't happen very often...

Yup agree with that. However great Rahul or Tendulkar look there's nothing like watching the score board tick over quicker than pins cleared by a professional ten pin player when Sehwag is batting. Even if he gets over 50 runs it seems like watching was worth it. The audacity with which he plays is awesome.

[coffee_rules]

One-sided contest Indian batting is too good for NZ bowling NZ top order is average against Indian bowling. I am calling the series for India.. Big wins.

[Anakin]

Let's win this match first

[punjabi_khota]

I have put 3 million on Indian series victory and another million on victory in this match.

[Shehezaada]

it's not over till it's over guys. Let's focus now.

[Holysmoke]

it's not over till it's over guys. Let's focus now.

you're talking as if we are playing, not the team :haha: