***Official*** India in New Zealand 2013/14

[hendrix]

I think 300 will be barely par on this pitch. We've got wickets in hand and only 19 overs left. Should 20/20 it and score another 160 - 170.

The rain is really annoying though. If it rains and our innings is ended prematurely, it's better to have wickets in hand, isn't it?

Makes it quite difficult to decide on an MO.

 

[Dan]

Difference is, one is a public personality. The other is someone who has no attachment to cricket except being the sister of someone who played.

One is very clearly fictional. We don't even know if you have a sister, let alone the absurd notion that Guptill slept with her.

But we all know who McGoldrick is and honestly I really don't give a crap who she's slept with - and neither should Guptill - but the fact that you're using that idea in a derogatory manner is pretty poor.

Look, I asked for this to be ended. I'm giving both of you the benefit of the doubt here, but if I see another post on the topic (this McGoldrick character/*** with people's sisters, ftr) after I make this one, expect 8 infraction points.


I reckon Taylor and KW have to start the charge now, tbh. With the potential for rain (and Ishant Sharma bowling), it's better for Taylor at least to start going for it. Waiting too long and getting caught in rain will stop the momentum and might make it a bit harder to go as big at the end.

 

[thierry henry]

Probably definitely splitting hairs, but it bugs me how we set our stall out for 280-300 (rather than just "as many as we can get") by batting with a lack of intent through the middle overs. I guess you could say it's disciplined, playing to a plan etc, but it just sort of feels like selling ourselves short.

 

[Zinzan]

Anyone know how much time can be lost before overs are deducted?

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

Jeez, I look away for a minute and all of a sudden the covers are on.

Hopefully there is a lot of wind to push those horrible clouds away.

 

[thierry henry]

Also, maybe stating the obvious/oft stated, but Taylor is pretty much the poster boy for this lack of intent. Again, cool that he's not batting like an idiot, but he seems to have somehow lost the ability to bat like an idiot when required. It's like every time he plays a sensible shot his ability to play a big shot decreases. Invariably just scores slightly too slowly these days and skies any big shot he attempts.

Too harsh?

 

[Blakey]

the break may help the two batsmen evaluate when they should up the tempo.

 

[BeeGee]

I reckon Taylor and KW have to start the charge now, tbh. With the potential for rain (and Ishant Sharma bowling), it's better for Taylor at least to start going for it. Waiting too long and getting caught in rain will stop the momentum and might make it a bit harder to go as big at the end.

Yeah, I agree. This delay could be a bit longer.

 

[Blocky]

Actually I think the vast majority of us have criticised your points and not you. It's certainly always my intention to debate that way, and I'd like to think I've stuck to that here. And you've been making disparaging remarks about our intelligence throughout this tiresome and repetitive debate.

EDIT: Sorry for dragging it out more, guys! But I felt a bit insulted by this and couldn't let it go unchallenged.

Bollocks, that's not the first sister jibe thrown my way and the amount of various slurs thrown at me? Look, I don't really give a crap, but when I'm the one guy constantly using records, perspective and stats about a player (who confirmed everything I said during this innings) while others are either posting meme videos or sister insults, it's not exactly point versus point now is it.

 

[hendrix]

I think you could possibly have said that about last game, but here we're going at over 5 an over. I'm happy with the speed we've gone at through the middle overs, and I'm especially happy that we haven't given Ashwin, Kohli or Jadeja a wicket.

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

Too harsh?

Nah, I think you're spot on.

 

[Blakey]

Also, maybe stating the obvious/oft stated, but Taylor is pretty much the poster boy for this lack of intent. Again, cool that he's not batting like an idiot, but he seems to have somehow lost the ability to bat like an idiot when required. It's like every time he plays a sensible shot his ability to play a big shot decreases. Invariably just scores slightly too slowly these days and skies any big shot he attempts.

Too harsh?

His ability to increase the scoring and his intent to do so has changed.

He now sees his role as setting a launch pad for the power hitters down the order, rather than being one of them.

 

[_Ed_]

Also, maybe stating the obvious/oft stated, but Taylor is pretty much the poster boy for this lack of intent. Again, cool that he's not batting like an idiot, but he seems to have somehow lost the ability to bat like an idiot when required. It's like every time he plays a sensible shot his ability to play a big shot decreases. Invariably just scores slightly too slowly these days and skies any big shot he attempts.

Too harsh?

No, I think that's a fair point. His Test batting has flourished, but I feel like his ODI and T20 batting has stagnated in that time. But, hey, if it means he's awesome in Tests, I'll take it.

 

[Blocky]

Also, maybe stating the obvious/oft stated, but Taylor is pretty much the poster boy for this lack of intent. Again, cool that he's not batting like an idiot, but he seems to have somehow lost the ability to bat like an idiot when required. It's like every time he plays a sensible shot his ability to play a big shot decreases. Invariably just scores slightly too slowly these days and skies any big shot he attempts.

Too harsh?

No, his last innings was definitely guilty of that but I think he's still trying to work out his mode here. This innings, he's not doing too badly, he's getting quite a bit of strike to Williamson while he starts to build his innings and has looked to hit boundaries where he can, got to remember also that he doesn't have the luxury of the powerplay where if he finds a gap, invariably it'll be a four. He's hitting some pretty good balls for singles.

With duckworth lewis in the calculation mix, they've almost got to be a bit conservative when the aggression goes on, each wicket is worth about 8 to 16 runs depending on match situation in a DWL calculation once it starts reducing under 45 overs.

 

[Blocky]

No, I think that's a fair point. His Test batting has flourished, but I feel like his ODI and T20 batting has stagnated in that time. But, hey, if it means he's awesome in Tests, I'll take it.

I'd argue he was never actually that great in international T20 and had a reputation based more on his performances at domestic level (IPL and NZT20) and some innings he'd played in ODI.

 

[_Ed_]

I'd argue he was never actually that great in international T20 and had a reputation based more on his performances at domestic level (IPL and NZT20) and some innings he'd played in ODI.

Yeah, that's fair.

 

[_Ed_]

Bogan in Melbou: "The more I watch Williamson the more he reminds me of former ND and NZ star Shane Thomson."

Faint praise.

 

[thierry henry]

I think you could possibly have said that about last game, but here we're going at over 5 an over. I'm happy with the speed we've gone at through the middle overs, and I'm especially happy that we haven't given Ashwin, Kohli or Jadeja a wicket.

Pretty much got to about 6 an over and then scored at about 4 from there. For me you don't need an extended period scoring at 4s on a good pitch,

 

[BeeGee]

Faint praise.

Williamson has more talent in his little finger than Shane Thomson.

 

[Prince EWS]

He now sees his role as setting a launch pad for the power hitters down the order, rather than being one of them.

Yeah this is spot on. With Anderson coming in for Elliott, there's now a lot more importance on Taylor and Williamson batting long periods, particularly if early wickets fall. To give the freedom to McCullum, Anderson and Ronchi that they need to be at their most effective, the top four need to set up the game for them and give them a strong platform. The team is just set up a bit differently than it was when Elliott and Watling were the guys vying for the number five spot.

It's annoying that Taylor has basically just got out as soon as he's tried to launch of late, but if anything that's a good example of why he's not really launching too late. I'd probably agree that his scoring rate when building these innings probably has been a little slow; unless you end up 15/3 or the pitch is really hard to bat on, you should be at least looking to score at a strike rate in the 70s. It hasn't been a big drama though; his role now is actually make the runs of the innings and set up the final assault.