Rosco's Birthday Bash: The Review

I'm still trying to come to terms with all that went on at Pallekele on Tuesday. While Pakistan no doubt helped our cause with some awful cricket - fielding and death bowling - as they are wont to do after a brilliant performance - you can't argue with a 110-run victory in the end. No team needed such a win like NZ did, and I still can't help feeling the weren't given their due for it in the press. Don't forget we were without Ryder, and Dan played almost no part in the game. The best piece I've read on the match is Andy Zaltzman's. (A must read. Andy's outdone himself.)

I'm not about to suggest this represents a complete turnaround for NZ and Ross Taylor, though I hope it does. The batting was still characterised by the inability to pinch singles, while the backup bowling looked vulnerable although too much damage had been inflicted on Pakistan for them to be able to cash in. I'll attempt a player-wise assessment this time:

New Zealand

Guptill: Unsung hero of the game, held the first-half of the innings together while How and Taylor were struggling. Bigger scores still wanted.

B.McCullum: Still appears to save his best only for the weaker teams, disappointing.

How: Decent player turned strokeless wonder. Williamson must replace him now.

Taylor: This post I read on twitter says it best: "Taylor did not slog his way into form. He nudged it around for 90 balls and then slogged his way into form. Lesson there."

Franklin: Seems to have lost whatever form he showed in the lead-up. Should swap batting places with Styris, bowling barely servicable.

Styris: Played a good steady supporting role when Taylor was getting set, but wasted at no 6. Retains the happy knack of getting wickets.

N.McCullum: For once, wasn't called upon to save the day with bat and ball, though he did what he was supposed to - blast quick runs, and provide tight backup bowling.

Oram: See N.McCullum. His best game in a long while, though he was lucky to have to deal with the spin while Taylor took care of the fast men.

Mills: Almost back to his best. Incisive with the new-ball, not too good with the older one yet still indispensable.

Southee: Lethal, intelligent bowling in favourable conditions. May not be as effective in India but improving well nevertheless.

Vettori: Hard to imagine a comprehensive win without any contribution from him, but kudos for taking the bold decision to bat first. The knee injury has us extremely worried.

Pakistan

Shehzad: One for the future, but caught between attack and accumulation.

Hafeez: Batsmen found his off-breaks tough to get away, but still lacks impact with the bat.

K.Akmal: Insert your favourite Kamran joke here. (sample: Akmal's pickup line - Can I drop you somehwere?)

Younis: Continues to struggle in World Cups, undone by a jaffa from Mills.

Misbah: Rare failure, Tim Southee actually lived up to his pre-match intent of dismissing him. Along with Younis, prized wicket in the lineup.

U.Akmal: Another soft dismissal. Like Guptill, has all the shots and looks a million bucks before wasting a start.

Afridi: Threatened as usual with the ball but NZ handled him well. Standard cameo fare with the bat.

Razzaq: If Kamran gets discarded, they should bat him higher up. Served up tripe to Taylor in that over, better off taking the new ball and keeping it tight.

Rehman: Was good thinking by the captain to give him the new ball, but things backfired when he had to bowl at the death. Would much rather see Ajmal play ahead of him, though.

Gul: Bowler of the match in my opinion. Perhaps deserved 5 wickets, and you have to hand it to NZ for taking the powerplay when he was finishing up.

Shoaib: As Zaltzman says, his opening spell "had been a microcosm of his career, a mixture of brilliance, wastefulness, and underachievement". His final over was forgettable (if you're a Pakistan fan) but I've seen worse bowling being punished for fewer runs. Taylor was far too good.

One last bit on Taylor: he's too good a player to be forever stuck in the rut he was in, and Pakistan certainly game him a helping hand (glove?) there. However he needs to make this new lease of life count. Craig McMillan also scored a brilliant century in difficult circumstances against Pakistan once, but it wasn't the breakthrough innings it should have been. I hope it's not the same case with LRPL.