0-0 was the just result

The drawn test series against the West Indies, which leaves NZ stuck at eighth place in the rankings just below the Caribbean islanders, is a bitter pill to swallow but I will accept it was a fair result. The kiwis failed to push forward their moments of ascendancy, while Chris Gayle played the sort of innings which ought to be regarded as a match-saving classic of our times.

Prior to this series, the last seven tests between these two cricketing nations saw two draws and five kiwi victories. The gap has closed since, if 0-0 is any reflection. While the kiwis could still have won the second test with a bit more imagination and perhaps, more self-belief when it came to chasing 312 in 60 overs on the final day, the West Indians held fort when it mattered. Overall, the series did have its moments, especially during the exciting second test. But this could be put down more to the fact that the sides were evenly matched than the quality of the cricket itself.

The kiwis badly needed the win to restore some confidence in their abilities as a test side, but there were still quite a few positives they could take out of this series. There was the 136 from Tim McIntosh at Napier, a long exercise in crease occupation and grinding as the kiwis could have hoped for. For the time being it will put to rest the search for a quality opener, even though critics have already noted Timmy Mac's weakness against the rising ball. He will face sterner tests in the future, but he has shown an instinct for survival at the crease which is all we can ask for at the moment.

Then there were fine individual performances from Vettori, Iain O'Brien and Jeetan Patel. Patel's five wicket haul in Napier was a particularly good reward for some courageous bowling. Despite being whacked all over the park by Chris Gayle he responded time and again with flight and drift, often having the right-handers caught behind the wicket. O'Brien's stock continues to rise though he will be disappointed at having leaked so many runs on the fourth day when Gayle was on song. Daniel Flynn and Jesse Ryder switched batting positions for this series and it proved to be mutually beneficial, though Ryder continues to be undone by soft dismissals. The rest of the batsmen did very little of note, so perhaps Jacob Oram needs to return soon at number seven, if only as a batsman. Neither Kyle Mills nor James Franklin could make much impact upon their return, but maybe the one dayers will get them match-fit again.

In Napier, Vettori received a fair amount of criticism for not treating the final day target of 312 off 60 overs as a gettable one day total, and thereby opening with Ryder and Brendon McCullum. He probably figured the side realistically had only six batsmen, with the lower order not making much of a contribution of late, so the chase was a long shot. The controversial dismissal of Brendon McCullum might linger like a bad taste in the mouth, but it was always a tough ask.

From a more sentimental standpoint, Chris Gayle's 197 was a draw-worthy effort if there ever was one. It's a little sad that it's come so soon on the heels of matchwinning tons in big chases from Graeme Smith (at Perth) and Sachin Tendulkar (at Chennai); if it were to have been played in a more high-profile series, it would have been hailed as a modern classic. I'll be putting up a small post on it very soon.