***Official*** New Zealand in Bangladesh

[Prince EWS]

Yeah just joshing with you but if Saleh is getting worked over by Jacob Oram on a wicket where the ball struggles to get above waist height, his going to get killed at Centurion against Morkel.

His back foot defence is something that's always actually been pretty good, relative to his peers anyway. It's what has always set him apart. He's a bit loose on the front foot outside off at times but he's typically unBangladeshi-like in the way he plays the short-of-a-length ball.

I didn't see his innings but it seems he was at least able to stick it out, even if he wasn't scoring freely, which suggests that at least his technique hasn't fallen to pieces even though he's quite clearly out of touch and underdone in terms of serious cricket. Obviously the innings would have been somewhat painful to watch but I think it'll do him some good just to be back out there playing serious cricket again for a session or no. He isn't in the ODI squad and Bangladesh don't play many Tests.. he was dropped from Tests for a brief period recently as well and the domestic season has only just started so he hasn't played a lot of cricket of any note in the past 12 months.

If he struggled to defend on the back foot against Oram as suggested, though, he really has regressed.

 

[TT Boy]

His back foot defence is something that's always actually been pretty good, relative to his peers anyway. It's what has always set him apart. He's a bit loose on the front foot outside off at times but he's typically unBangladeshi-like in the way he plays the short-of-a-length ball.

I didn't see his innings but it seems he was at least able to stick it out, even if he wasn't scoring freely, which suggests that at least his technique hasn't fallen to pieces even though he's quite clearly out of touch and underdone in terms of serious cricket. Obviously the innings would have been somewhat painful to watch but I think it'll do him some good just to be back out there playing serious cricket again for a session or no. He isn't in the ODI squad and Bangladesh don't play many Tests.. he was dropped from Tests for a brief period recently as well and the domestic season has only just started so he hasn't played a lot of cricket of any note in the past 12 months.

If he struggled to defend on the back foot against Oram as suggested, though, he really has regressed.

I always thought of Saleh as a good player of spin, uses his feet well and impressed me with an innings against the Indian spinners not so long ago. I never really thought of him as a decent player of pace bowling. He may look competent on the back foot at home but he has all the time in the world to play back to the ball.

 

[Nate]

Can't believe no-one has given this partnership massive wraps. Amazing stuff, simply awesome.

 

[Jungle Jumbo]

Yeah, top stuff from Mehrab and Mushfiq. It got me through double French this morning anyway, the combination of new language lab, cricinfo desktop scoreboards and Asian cricket has been working a treat recently.

Hoping that with these two, plus Naeem and Shakib can move us to around 300 tomorrow. I reckon we've got half a chance here the way the Kiwis have been batting recently...

 

[Precambrian]

Shows how unpredictable Bangladesh is really. Worst imaginable start to their innings, capped by one of the best partnerships ever intheir history.

 

[Polo23]

After batting so bloody slowly on a road Bangladesh HAVE to score in excess of 300. And even then, they would have to bowl NZ out bloody quickly given how much time they would have wasted.

Anything less than 300 and I think they can kiss the match goodbye.

 

[Nate]

Sick of the argument that run-rate is oh so crucial in Tests. Doesn't hold any water afaic. Bangladesh battled through the new ball trickiness and then made runs when things got easier.

 

[Polo23]

Sick of the argument that run-rate is oh so crucial in Tests. Doesn't hold any water afaic. Bangladesh battled through the new ball trickiness and then made runs when things got easier.

Run rate is of course less crucial in tests, as long as you are going at something respectable (3 an over). You can't win a game without scoring runs.

I also have no problem with a team blocking out the new ball, but i'm sorry mate, the new ball does not last 50 overs. After about 10-15 overs there was no swing, no seam movement, and the ball was coming on nicely...but the Bangladeshi's continued to block and never tried to score runs. Mehrab completely saved their arses. What would have happened if he got out early? And even if he gets out early today Bangladesh is in big trouble on such a flat pitch.

To be 4/50 after 50 overs on ANY pitch in ANY form of the game is ridiculously terrible batting.

 

[Craig]

What if the bowling was really good? (I don't have coverage for this series, so it was a general comment)

 

[Nate]

Run rate is of course less crucial in tests, as long as you are going at something respectable (3 an over). You can't win a game without scoring runs.

I also have no problem with a team blocking out the new ball, but i'm sorry mate, the new ball does not last 50 overs. After about 10-15 overs there was no swing, no seam movement, and the ball was coming on nicely...but the Bangladeshi's continued to block and never tried to score runs. Mehrab completely saved their arses. What would have happened if he got out early? And even if he gets out early today Bangladesh is in big trouble on such a flat pitch.

To be 4/50 after 50 overs on ANY pitch in ANY form of the game is ridiculously terrible batting.

Agree to disagree then, won't get into it any further.

Terrific innings by Mehrab. Keep up the fight Rahim.

 

[NUFAN]

Run rate is of course less crucial in tests, as long as you are going at something respectable (3 an over). You can't win a game without scoring runs.

I also have no problem with a team blocking out the new ball, but i'm sorry mate, the new ball does not last 50 overs. After about 10-15 overs there was no swing, no seam movement, and the ball was coming on nicely...but the Bangladeshi's continued to block and never tried to score runs. Mehrab completely saved their arses. What would have happened if he got out early? And even if he gets out early today Bangladesh is in big trouble on such a flat pitch.

To be 4/50 after 50 overs on ANY pitch in ANY form of the game is ridiculously terrible batting.

It was very slow, but when you consider Bangladesh usually make about 160 all out from 50 overs, I'm fairly certain that the team would be happy to only be 4 down after 50 overs.

They have now faced 102 overs and are only 5 down, it would be great for Bangladesh cricket to last until half way through the second day. Not too many NZ batsmen bat at a fast rate, so there is a chance that this could be a draw, a result that Bangladesh would be happy with it IMO.

 

[TT Boy]

It was very slow, but when you consider Bangladesh usually make about 160 all out from 50 overs, I'm fairly certain that the team would be happy to only be 4 down after 50 overs.

They have now faced 102 overs and are only 5 down, it would be great for Bangladesh cricket to last until half way through the second day. Not too many NZ batsmen bat at a fast rate, so there is a chance that this could be a draw, a result that Bangladesh would be happy with it IMO.

Well aside from Ryder, Taylor, McCullum, Oram and Vettori, your right.

 

[NUFAN]

Well aside from Ryder, Taylor, McCullum, Oram and Vettori, your right.

Yeah I did check out the career strike rates after making that comment. Oram is at 51, never really looked that fast when I've seen him in the longer game.

It was a more wishful thinking comment, as an early wicket or two could make NZ cautious, and players like Razzaq could be tidy.

Good to see Bangladesh at over 2 rpo now.

 

[Natman20]

For some reason or another I decided to compare First Class batting averages, just thought i'd write them down here rather than anywhere else. Someone else might be interested in seeing them all together.


Redmond - 75 Matches / 3849 Runs @ 32.34 ... (Tests 3 / 54 @ 9.00)
How - 70 Matches / 3777 Runs @ 34.02 ... (Tests 12 / 559 @ 26.61)
Ryder - 39 Matches / 2439 Runs @ 42.78
Taylor - 50 Matches / 3060 Runs @ 38.25 ... (Tests 8 / 597 @ 39.80)
McCullum - 74 Matches / 3974 Runs @ 33.39 ... (Tests 35 / 1697 @ 31.42)
Flynn - 30 Matches / 1379 Runs @ 31.34 ... (Tests 3 / 91 @ 30.33)
Oram - 76 Matches / 3679 Runs @ 34.70 ... (Tests 30 / 1659 @ 37.70)
Vettori - 132 Matches / 4388 Runs @ 27.59 ... (Tests 83 / 2745 @ 26.65)
Mills - 57 Matches / 1718 Runs @ 28.16 ... (Tests 14 / 252 @ 13.26)
O'Brien - 60 Matches / 401 Runs @ 8.02 ... (Tests 8 / 48 @ 4.00)
Patel - 66 Matches / 863 Runs @ 17.61 ... (Tests 3 / 67 @ 22.33)

Elliot - 68 Matches / 1341 Runs @ 33.52 ... (Tests 1 / 10 @ 5.00)
Gillespie - 50 Matches / 899 Runs @ 16.34 ... (Tests 2 / 9 @ 2.25)
Hopkins - 102 Matches / 4319 Runs @ 31.29 ... (Tests 1 / 27 @ 13.50)
Southee - 17 Matches / 278 Runs @ 17.37 ... (Tests 2 / 83 @ 41.50)

 

[Somerset]

Bangladesh self destructing here - aweful shot by Naeem Islam, and Mushfiqur Rahim's wasn't much better. Mashrafe caught at bat pad so three wickets for no runs - and New Zealand will probably be batting if not before lunch, then very shortly after.

 

[NUFAN]

Thanks Natman, I did find it interesting.

I didn't expect Mills to be averaging 28, even though he's look decent a couple times in ODIs.

 

[Prince EWS]

Thanks Natman, I did find it interesting.

I didn't expect Mills to be averaging 28, even though he's look decent a couple times in ODIs.

He averaged over 40 with the bat when he made his ODI debut IIRC. It's dropped in recent times.

 

[thierry henry]

What a waste

I can't get over Rahim's dismissal, Vettori bowling rubbish outside leg, and he hits it straight to the one fielder! Unbelievable

And why on earth is Shakib batting at #8!?

 

[Prince EWS]

What a waste

I can't get over Rahim's dismissal, Vettori bowling rubbish outside leg, and he hits it straight to the one fielder! Unbelievable

And why on earth is Shakib batting at #8!?

He's batted that low in his last few Tests. Picked mainly for his bowling, seemingly. You'd think he'd at least bat ahead of Naeem though.

 

[NUFAN]

Gutted 245 all out.

Banga's without Rasel could find it tough to restrict NZ to anywhere less than 50 lead.