***Official*** West Indies in New Zealand 2013/14

[Jono]

Its official, its a draw.

 

[Hurricane]

Dan's bowling has jumped the shark. 25 overs none for 43 is not as good as 25 overs 2 for 80. If we just want someone to bowl maidens then Anderson already seems stodgy enough.

Game over it seems officially by the way.

 

[Days of Grace]

Another gut-wrenching result.

 

[Flem274*]

The pessimist in me sees this making the team too gloomy to get up for the next game and a heavy loss on the cards.

 

[Bahnz]

How would not enforcing the follow-on have made any difference?

would've just taken more time out of the game

Southee and Boult are NZ's best bowlers by light years. If we'd batted, piled up 150-200 in 40 overs, and put the Windies into bat again on Thursday evening, then they a) would've had the opportunity to rest and recuperate before bowling again, and b) would've been able to bowl pretty much all of the first 25 overs themselves ( first 10 on Thursday evening, second 15 on Friday morning). Instead, the exhausted Southee and Boult had to come off after 9 overs and be replaced by Sodhi and Wagner who served up pies to Edwards and Bravo.

Also, New Zealand wouldn't have had to come out and chase any runs today, so we actually would've saved time rather than losing it.

 

[Hurricane]

Another gut-wrenching result.

I love that just to rub salt into the wounds the rain actually stopped in the end but the grounds staff couldn't get the covers off.

 

[Hurricane]

The pessimist in me sees this making the team too gloomy to get up for the next game and a heavy loss on the cards.

I am waiting for someone to bump the gloom and doom thread.

 

[Flem274*]

Southee and Boult are NZ's best bowlers by light years. If we'd batted, piled up 150-200 in 40 overs, and put the Windies into bat again on Thursday evening, then they a) would've had the opportunity to rest and recuperate before bowling again, and b) would've been able to bowl pretty much all of the first 25 overs themselves ( first 10 on Thursday evening, second 15 on Friday morning). Instead, the exhausted Southee and Boult had to come off after 9 overs and be replaced by Sodhi and Wagner who served up pies to Edwards and Bravo.

Also, New Zealand wouldn't have had to come out and chase any runs today, so we actually would've saved time rather than losing it.

Exactly. God, you can just tell the follow on was a batsman's idea. "Well done boys you nipped them out, but I cbf doing anything more in this test so if you could toil away again immediately that would be swell."

 

[jcas0167]

Just call it off. I can't take this anymore.

This result will set New Zealand back for years to come. The team will not recover mentally from this. No matter how many runs they score first innings, or how low a total they bowl a side out for first innings, they will never ever win another test match against top 8 opposition. It's a sad fact, but it's true.

Sure they will, they've beaten Australia and Sri Lanka away from home in tests in the last two years. It was a flat wicket and there was dodgy weather forecast for today - draws are going to happen even from that position of dominance.

KW will return. They've got a promising new leg-spinner. Southee & Boult are excellent. Chin up.

 

[BeeGee]

Should implement Duckworth Lewis for Tests

Bloody hard getting five full days of cricket in New Zealand. Bloody hard to get a game completed in less than five days with the flat pitches. ****ed all round, really.

 

[Beamer]

Commiserations to all New Zealand fans, that's tough to take. You definitely deserved to win. We got very lucky here.

Still, given the zero preparation we had for this series, to escape with a draw (however lucky) is an excellent result. Darren Bravo, you're an absolute hero. Agree with Flem though, we desperately need to rethink our bowling attack. If there is no seam bowler arriving to replace Sammy in time for the next test, I'd definitely bring in Narine to partner Shilly. I'd also bring in Cotterell for Gabriel. Having said that I sincerely hope that they fly over Jason Holder, he would be perfect for these conditions IMHO. He can also bat a bit which helps given how bad our lower order will be in Sammy's absence.

As for New Zealand, I'd keep the same bowling attack, I think they earned that right over the last year or so. Wagner, however, should be being looked at closely. If he doesn't perform at Wellington I'd drop him. Sodhi did ok. Not spectacular, but definitely something to work with. It will be interesting to see how our batsmen play him in the 2nd test having had a bit more time to study his action closely. Personally, I'd drop Rutherford as punishment for his shot in the 4th innings (one of the worst situational shots I've seen). He must be sent the message that batting in that manor is unacceptable. But I don't get the impression that the New Zealand management is like that.

 

[JontyPanesar]

NZ deserved a win, but man these NZ pitches are terrible. It should never come to this. I know I'm in the minority here, but unless there's rain, matches should end in four days. Leave a little grass on the pitch, and Southee and Boult will just rip through WI. I want those green seamers that embarrassed India so long, long ago. MOAR ATTACKING PITCHES PLS

 

[Hurricane]

1) Might be worth resting at least one bowler for the next match - preferably Wagner and getting some fresh legs in there.

2) With the caveat that we recover in time, then I expect we will contain the dangerous Darren Bravo in future games. We will just stay away from his cover drive and bowl at the stumps. His cover drive is superb and next to Martin Crowe's the best I have seen.

 

[Flem274*]

The pitch was flat - not 500-600 flat but beyond the first day and barring the morning sessions was good for batting - but Bravo's monster knock and our bowlers running out of steam thanks to enforcing the follow on killed us, not the pitch.

 

[Beamer]

NZ deserved a win, but man these NZ pitches are terrible. It should never come to this. I know I'm in the minority here, but unless there's rain, matches should end in four days. Leave a little grass on the pitch, and Southee and Boult will just rip through WI. I want those green seamers that embarrassed India so long, long ago. MOAR ATTACKING PITCHES PLS

Especially considering everyone apart from Bravo, Samuels (when in form) and Shiv are gash against the moving ball. And even more especially as the two West Indian bowlers most likely to trouble New Zealand are excellent spinners. Our pace attack on this tour is useless.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

McCullum doesn't enforce the follow on against england with a massive lead. We draw. gets blamed for not enforcing the follow on.

McCullum enforces the follow on against WI with a massive lead. We draw. He gets blamed for enforcing the follow on.

TBH we just need to learn to ****ing win either way, I don't think the follow on was the most important decision in the match. We had plenty of chances to win it and still blew it.

 

[Mike5181]

Despite the unfavourable result, I'm happy with the direction this team is going in. Throw Williamson back in for Redmond in that second test and we have ourselves a pretty useful side.

Random commenf for the day: In Darren Bravo, I've definitely found a new batsman to add to my favourites list.

 

[NZTailender]

You know what caused our draw? SOMETHING UNCONTROLLABLE BY EITHER TEAM!

If we had this rain on day one I don't think the same criticisms would be launched. How can you curtail your actions based on something that may or may not happen? Can't we agree that New Zealand played very well and the WIndies didn't to begin with but fought hard and that actually a draw is not a bad result?

I don't think we blew it.

 

[harsh.ag]

Okay, NZ deserved to win and all that. Bravo what an innings under fire and all that. Taylor, good on you for scoring a massive 200 and all that........

But what the hell were NZ thinking not chasing down the 112 they had to as quickly as possible. RR of 2.63!! They didn't know rain was coming??! Seriously, with the technology around. What were they trying to pull?? You had 30 overs. ****s, get the 112. Hell, you have 20 overs, you get the 112. Idiots.

 

[OverratedSanity]

You know what caused our draw? SOMETHING UNCONTROLLABLE BY EITHER TEAM!

If we had this rain on day one I don't think the same criticisms would be launched. How can you curtail your actions based on something that may or may not happen? Can't we agree that New Zealand played very well and the WIndies didn't to begin with but fought hard and that actually a draw is not a bad result?

I don't think we blew it.

Both teams gave a great fight but imo you definitely blew it, especially in the catching department. The follow on wasn't a bad decision tbh... It only looks bad in hindsight because you didn't take the opportunities at hand. NZ should be very disappointed