***Official West Indies in New Zealand***

[Langeveldt]

Umpire inspection at 2:00, so at best play won't be starting until 2:30.

****

 

[Jigga988]

arghhhh this is a joke i might just have to watch family guy re-runs till the cricket comes on

 

[Woodster]

Umpire inspection at 2:00, so at best play won't be starting until 2:30.

Is that the official line or mere speculation ?

 

[NZTailender]

Raining again. Will be surprised if we get some play today at all, itbt.

 

[Uppercut]

Looks like we're in for a certain draw then, this barely looked like a result pitch yesterday from what i saw, even without the loss of rain. Still, with these two batting lineups, anything can happen.

 

[Langeveldt]

Raining again. Will be surprised if we get some play today at all, itbt.

hmm. which is it? all the chat from the TV seemed to be dry conditions a few mins ago

 

[completeNZer]

The only day that Im going to get to watch the game and this!!!!!!!

 

[S.P. Fleming]

this is why you dont play test cricket in Dunedin.

 

[NZTailender]

this is why you dont play test cricket in Dunedin.

**** off. This is the first day it's rained during a match in the University Oval's short history of hosting Test cricket. If you based playing Tests at certain places based on that NZ wouldn't host Tests at all.

 

[Athlai]

Don't get why everyone is saying this pitch is so flat, all the commentators were noting on how the occassional ball was keeping low even on day one. As this match goes on this pitch will almost certainly produce a result. (Unless the rain takes away 60+ overs)

 

[Uppercut]

Don't get why everyone is saying this pitch is so flat, all the commentators were noting on how the occassional ball was keeping low even on day one. As this match goes on this pitch will almost certainly produce a result. (Unless the rain takes away 60+ overs)

Because we're not used to pitches in New Zealand deteriorating to any great extent and it's a slow pitch so accelaration will be difficult at any stage. It's not so much that it's a flat, good batting deck, it's more that it's a difficult pitch to take wickets on that makes me think it'll be a draw. I don't know what the pitches at Dunedin are like though, so perhaps we will get a result.

Also, they've already lost 45 overs to rain, so unless they're recovered we probably will end up losing 60+.

 

[Athlai]

Because we're not used to pitches in New Zealand deteriorating to any great extent and it's a slow pitch so accelaration will be difficult at any stage. It's not so much that it's a flat, good batting deck, it's more that it's a difficult pitch to take wickets on that makes me think it'll be a draw. I don't know what the pitches at Dunedin are like though, so perhaps we will get a result.

Also, they've already lost 45 overs to rain, so unless they're recovered we probably will end up losing 60+.

Remember we can use early starts to catch up on potentially 45 overs or so.

This pitch will go on to show some very very difficult bounce come the 4th innings, and I don't think anyone barring Chanderpaul and Sarwan has the tools to handle that kind of pitch. We just came back from a solid bowling effort against Australia in Australia, I think against West Indies in New Zealand is ours to win.

 

[Beamer]

I don't know this venue very well so I can't comment on what will happen on day 4, but yesterday not one ball deviated and only a few balls kept low in 70 overs. NZ should be in a better position IMO and Ross Taylor should be scolded for that terrible shot.

IMHO Vettori is the only bowler who will really cause us huge amounts of trouble (unless the new ball swings at which point Franklyn will prove a handful).

 

[_Ed_]

So will Mills I would expect.

 

[GGG]

this is why you dont play test cricket in Dunedin.

I thought you were from NZ? http://www.stuff.co.nz/0a15.html?source=nav

Central Otago FTW

 

[Uppercut]

Remember we can use early starts to catch up on potentially 45 overs or so.

Even with that, there could be more problems with the light late in the day. What's the forecast like for the rest of the match?

This pitch will go on to show some very very difficult bounce come the 4th innings, and I don't think anyone barring Chanderpaul and Sarwan has the tools to handle that kind of pitch. We just came back from a solid bowling effort against Australia in Australia, I think against West Indies in New Zealand is ours to win.

Maybe, but the first day ending on 220/4 doesn't suggest the West Indies will have overly long to bat out. Southee's been dropped, and i can't see Gillespie bowling anywhere near as well as Southee would have. Can't see anyone other than Vettori being a match-winner here, and he doesn't win them often.

 

[Bahnz]

Even with that, there could be more problems with the light late in the day. What's the forecast like for the rest of the match?

Very good, though given how off target the forecasts have been so far, I wouldn't be surprised if we got the complete opposite.

Maybe, but the first day ending on 220/4 doesn't suggest the West Indies will have overly long to bat out. Southee's been dropped, and i can't see Gillespie bowling anywhere near as well as Southee would have. Can't see anyone other than Vettori being a match-winner here, and he doesn't win them often.

I could easily see Gillespie out bowling Southee, especially in conditions with little swing.

 

[Athlai]

Gillespie is quicker than Southee, Mills and Franklin are more accomplished with swing than Southee, O'Brien will have it on a nagging restricting length the whole match and Vettori's best bowling comes on pitches with uneven bounce.

I'm quite confident our bowling can take 10 wickets.

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

FFS.
I turned down drinking last night so I can wake up and watch the cricket (7:30am start). Wont be able to watch a full day tomorrow. ;(

 

[Flem274*]

Forgetting O'Brien everyone. Easily our best seamer over the last 6 months or so. Takes wickets in all conditions.

Martin Franklin
Southee Mills
O'Brien O'Brien
Vettori Gillespie
Elliott Vettori

The current attack is better, no question.

Depending on conditions when we bowl, if there's some swing Mills and Franklin will be a better combo than Southee and Martin. If there's nothing then the lack of Martin may hurt depending on what Mills and Franklin's accuracy is like this week, though Franklin has been bowling well on absolute belters in FC cricket. O'Brien is O'Brien and I'm not going to bother predicting Gillespie, he's our version of Johnson/Edwards.

Btw Bahnz, I'm sure you'll be glad to hear the CD flat track bashers are 52/0 on a greentop at lunch. Before you compalin at the lack of Franklin, O'Brien and Gillespie I complain first about no How, Taylor or Oram so