Nothing really unusual about the manner of NZ's 40-run defeat at Guwahati yesterday. Batting first, India took full advantage of a wayward kiwi start with the new ball before the bowlers pulled things back to ensure a gettable, if difficult, total. The top-order built some sort of a foundation only for the middle/lower order men to falter and it was left to the McCullum-Mills duo to keep India interested and provide some respectability to the score.
Some observations:
Yesterday's chasing effort pretty much said it all, if you needed a clue as to why NZ struggled in Bangladesh. The batsmen are simply unable to work the spinners around (Yuvraj Singh was the chief tormentor, for chrissakes). They'll simply have to get this sorted out somehow if they plan to compete in the World Cup, and I can only hope this is the first thing Duncan Fletcher will help them with.
Martin Guptill is a treat to watch till he gets into the 30's, after which he mysteriously dies a premature death. Would this make him the Marilyn Monroe of cricket?
I've already said enough on what I think about the continued selection of Gareth Hopkins. But sending him as nightwatchman in the tests and now below Daryl Tuffey in the batting order isn't much of a vote of confidence in his batting ability, is it? I wonder if the search for a wicketkeeper-batsman will turn out like the current Australian quest for a specialist spinner.
No one personifies NZ's trait of playing above themselves when given the underdog tag and crumbling when expectations are high, more than Kyle Mills. He remains an excellent one-day bowler and handy lower order batsman, but play him in a test or give him a promotion in the batting order and he comes undone.
Top Cricket From The Second Tier
13 years ago
3 comments:
Hard to believe that Hopkins averages over 35 in first class cricket. Hilariously accurate call about Marilyn Monroe.
Apparently BJ Watling can also keep? Thought he'd be a better short-term choice till they find someone who can fill BMac's shoes.
I also don't really understand James Franklin's presence in the squad..is he there as a batsman/bowler/allrounder?. He filled in for Bennett in the test series and now is Ryder's replacement. If they really wanted someone to bat ahead of Hopkins at 7 that should've been Jimmy's job, though I don't think he should be in the side anyway..
Some 2 years ago, NZ selectors played Mills at No 6 Against Aussies and that was a fair bit of success as well.
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