Who knows how this is going to turn out. We've just had a test which started as a mismatch along expected lines and finished with a Harbhajan century guiding India to the safety of a draw, so understandably everyone's reluctant to call the next one. I'm not going to either. Perhaps India will get back to business as usual and put New Zealand in their place, and perhaps the kiwis can now call upon some real confidence and reserves of determination.
There's been a fair amount of pre-match talk surrounding the pitch at the Uppal, which apparently has some spice in it. If so, it's about time. Recent rain may provide moisture for the seamers, the wicket is supposedly bouncier than the one at Motera, and the spinners should be in business as well.
The previous test was a good one for New Zealand, but they have problems galore. Tim McIntosh is coming off a pair and has been dismissed five times by Zaheer Khan in tests (mismatch within a mismatch?), while BJ Watling didn't look in any sort of form either. Jesse Ryder and boy-wonder Kane Williamson haven't been at their fittest, and Jeetan Patel was far too expensive as backup spinner. Hamish Bennett has returned home and is replaced by James Franklin, which adds to the batting depth but I can't see his medium pacers being a threat in these conditions.
With Ryder not being able to bowl, there's little available in terms of backup. Perhaps Vettori will insist on playing the extra bowler - Southee maybe - in which case someone from the top eight will have to drop out. Watling could be the fall guy then, but everyone will have to move one spot up the order which will be discomforting. Good luck to the think tank on getting the balance right.
India have their problems too. Gambhir is under pressure to keep his opener's slot, Dravid is fading despite coming off a century, and Harbhajan the bowler was disappointing at Motera. But with the advantage in depth that India enjoys, they're more likely to recover from any setbacks. If the conditions turn out as expected, you suspect Harbhajan would outbowl Vettori and Zaheer would cause more havoc than Martin and co.
Man, is this schedule punishing. Three tests in succession with no tour games, and no breaks on either side of the series. I wonder if it'll come down to which side can fight off fatigue longer, just as I'll struggle to keep my write-ups fresh.
Top Cricket From The Second Tier
13 years ago
3 comments:
A classic McIntosh innings. He will be disappointed to be dismissed so close to the end of the day, as he could have pushed on to post a bog-un. Good to see a few of the lads stepping up after the big names (Rosco and B-Mac) failed. WIth Williamson and Vettori still to come we should be looking to kick on towards 500. Though Guptill was very lucky early on.
What do you think of the decision to exclude Jeets and include the two extra pacemen? Whilst Martin swings it in, there's a bit of sameness to the rest of the attack me thinks.
Good stuff from McIntosh but he needs to do this far more often, and he's a vital man in the second innings now. The interesting thing is he looks a good player of spin and seems more comfortable facing the slower bowlers.
I think the composition of the attack was fine, but Arnel needed to keep things much tighter than he did. I wonder if McKay is a possible strater in the next test. Yes there is a sameness to the attack but with Patel being way too expensive there's no other choice.
I agree, McKay should at least be given a go. His left arm pace gives the attack some variation, and maybe some venom.
The reality is that Arnel is just another right arm trundler in a long line of Kiwi right arm trundlers who get a bundle of wickets at first class level, but get pasted all over the car park upon taking the step up. A poor man's O'Brien. Too slow to make a difference, and never going to be test class.
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