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

[straw man]

Feeling ambivalent towards this match right now. We're still in a fantastic position and to finish up a win would be a great achievement, and really that should make me happy. However it's hard to get past yesterday's horrific batting.

On the follow-on, McCullum has already copped it from numerous people (cricinfo comments etc) for not enforcing, which I think is unfair - either way if things don't pan out as planned then people will point to the follow-on and say that was the reason, when actually we just were crap for a period and the opposition were better. Damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. Personally I would lean firmly towards enforcing more often than not (including in the Dunedin test vs WI where enforcing didn't go well), even considering that we are over-reliant on two of our bowlers.

There still should be plenty in the pitch if our bowlers can extract it, so fingers crossed for early wickets.

 

[Blocky]

It's very easy to say "We should've enforced the follow on" when you already know how our second innings panned out. At the time it was the right decision, he wasn't to know that A: All of his top order would bat like muppets. B: The only one that didn't bat like a complete muppet would run him out.

It's disappointing that we handed the chance back to India to come into this game and win it after such a dominant start, but if our vaunted bowling attack can't find a victory with 400 runs on the board, then maybe they're not as good as we think they are.

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

Yeah, exactly.

If NZ lose this, it won't be because of the follow on decision, it will be because of what happened after that decision.

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

Oh come one, Steve Davis.

You've made some crappy decisions, make a few more.

 

[Blocky]

Recent history also indicates enforcing the follow on impacts your chance at victory. Batsmen are just too good these days to be hindered by a tired bowling attack with an old ball.

No swing for Boult at all and he's trying to bowl miracle balls rather than be patient and hit a line and length. Trying to attack the stumps at the moment and look for the miracle swing will just let them knock you around for easy runs. I'm almost of the mind that we need to dry their runs up completely and be more patient than them, put some old school style scoreboard pressure on.

 

[Blocky]

There we go, Mr Southee hitting line and length outside the off stump and eventually getting a feather on it. A bit of seam on it, beautiful stuff.

 

[Athlai]

I think this morning shows why Southee is a better bowler than Boult.

WAG! Reward!

 

[straw man]

Southee you absolute gun.

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

Southee, **** yeah. A couple more to ease my nerves please.

 

[Flem274*]

2outhee you beauty!

great corridor bowling

 

[Eds]

Southee you beautiful man.

 

[Flem274*]

I think this morning shows why Southee is a better bowler than Boult.

WAG! Reward!

I think Boult is more of a genius when there's swing but Southee is better across the board.

 

[Athlai]

Southee, **** yeah. A couple more to ease my nerves please.

#nerveseased
#restorethefaith
#bringbackGuptill

 

[ohnoitsyou]

Southee is the third best fast bowler in the world at the moment.

 

[Contra]

that was a massive wicket, wouldn't have been as sad if Dhawan got out but Pujara, ugh.

 

[straw man]

No swing for Boult at all and he's trying to bowl miracle balls rather than be patient and hit a line and length. Trying to attack the stumps at the moment and look for the miracle swing will just let them knock you around for easy runs. I'm almost of the mind that we need to dry their runs up completely and be more patient than them, put some old school style scoreboard pressure on.

I think this morning shows why Southee is a better bowler than Boult.

WAG! Reward!

Yep, agree with both of these. Early in his NZ career Boult definitely used to go searching and lose some control - tbh I though he was much less prone to doing that these days, but really hasn't been hugely accurate this match.

Southee is just hitting that spot on the pitch almost every ball.

 

[Athlai]

I think Boult is more of a genius when there's swing but Southee is better across the board.

This is pretty fair.

It's amazing that Southee now averages 30 though. Remember what he averaged after 50 wickets?

His career is progressing in a similar manner to Anderson but instead of being a proper swing king he is just learning to get it right in all conditions. His performances in Asia and spells like this just show how world class he is.

 

[Blocky]

I think this morning shows why Southee is a better bowler than Boult.

WAG! Reward!

I'd say Boult pips him with the brand new cherry, but Boutl generally needs the ball to be swinging to be a threat. Southee is starting to show an ability to do a McGrath like job after the new ball goes, bowling outside off stump, getting it to nibble a bit and using his height to extract a bit of pace out of the wicket.

Southee must be the most improved bowler in the last couple of years though, he's gone from being threatening on his day to being absolutely consistent with performance - taken an average of 42 down to 30 within two to three seasons.

 

[Athlai]

Southee is the third best fast bowler in the world at the moment.

1. Philander
2. Johnson
3. Southee

Controversy.

 

[Blocky]

I have a funny feeling that Wagner and Southee are going to do a job here for us, get the Indians about 6 to 7 down by the new ball spell and Boult will come back and clean it up.