Sodhi just never should've been selected in the first place. He should've been told, "Look we reckon India's biggest vulenerability is to pace, so we're going to leave you on the sidelines for this series and go with 4 pacers, but you're an absolute lock for the team when we tour the West Indies in May." Now I almost think he has to be picked, as dropping him would send him the rather dispiriting message "If we pick you we're worried that you'll compromise the team's chances, despite the fact that Southee, Boult and Wagner obviously have no problems taking wickets."I'll be alone in my opinion that I still saw plenty to like in Sodhi's bowling - particularly the drift that he got at times (e.g. Saturday afternoon, but saw precious little of it yesterday) and that he actually turned his leg break. He was always going to get slaughtered bowling to Kohli in particular though (and Dhoni and Pujara too). I liked that McCullum showed some faith in Sodhi and backed him, but aside from his 1+ four-balls per over it was the way that he couldn't land his legbreak at all when the pressure went on that is the real problem - hello 15-run over. He can't play in Wellington - we can't afford that luxury. Not sure what to do for a spinner to the WI, if we want to gamble on Sodhi or go for a finger-spinner.
I think All Black tests sell out almost every time.Apparently they've sold out the 9s. Be the first event ever outside of World Cup.
I'm thinking it's going to be even worse. I'll be avoiding that whole area all weekend.Will be interesting to see if that turns into a disgraceful piss-up like the 7s or whether people actually turn up for the League. I'm not optimistic.
That'd be the only thing though, Super Rugby is dismal and very rarely gets a turn out. Problem for most Aucklander's is that they hate public transport and Eden Park isn't that easy to get to and park. No excuse but it's a good reason why people choose the stay at home option, that and the fact that $45 ticket prices are too stupid to believe considering how few we get to the ground.I think All Black tests sell out almost every time.
I think India might've found a serious weakness in Anderson's technique. He repeatedly looked enormously vulnerable to the right handers bringing the ball back into him from around the wicket. Whether or not he was out in the first innings, he was still well and truely beaten on the inside edge by Ishant, and it wasn't the first time that that had happened in his innings. And in the second innings Shami had no hesitation in coming around the wicket to him immediately, with instant success.
awta both. I guess with Sodhi, this is the reason why most of us are usually against the inclusion of v. young promising players that haven't proven themselves at domestic level and don't really deserve to play for NZ (Southee another one, even if it's turned out well in the end). It's a leap of faith but one that soon enough leaves the selectors in a very awkward position. At some point the young guy gets dropped and is left dislocated back in the domestic scene to start again.Sodhi just never should've been selected in the first place. He should've been told, "Look we reckon India's biggest vulenerability is to pace, so we're going to leave you on the sidelines for this series and go with 4 pacers, but you're an absolute lock for the team when we tour the West Indies in May." Now I almost think he has to be picked, as dropping him would send him the rather dispiriting message "If we pick you we're worried that you'll compromise the team's chances, despite the fact that Southee, Boult and Wagner obviously have no problems taking wickets."
Yeah, that's possibly right.That'd be the only thing though, Super Rugby is dismal and very rarely gets a turn out. Problem for most Aucklander's is that they hate public transport and Eden Park isn't that easy to get to and park. No excuse but it's a good reason why people choose the stay at home option, that and the fact that $45 ticket prices are too stupid to believe considering how few we get to the ground.
I thought he looked unhurried, confident and easy in the first innings. I think the match situation and pressure on him stifled his gameplay in the second innings. He wasn't looking to crash balls through midwicket with his pull shot like he did and never really got himself underway.awta both. I guess with Sodhi, this is the reason why most of us are usually against the inclusion of v. young promising players that haven't proven themselves at domestic level and don't really deserve to play for NZ (Southee another one, even if it's turned out well in the end). It's a leap of faith but one that soon enough leaves the selectors in a very awkward position. At some point the young guy gets dropped and is left dislocated back in the domestic scene to start again.
Anderson vs pace was always going to be the difficult test for him. It's a good time for him to come into the side though - at the moment is arriving at the crease most times with the side in a reasonable position and can play the way he wants to play. Should continue to score runs against the older ball, hopefully against spin too, and will gradually improve his performance against more difficult pace bowling with the newer ball.
$45 for a day?at $45 for an adult I'm not suprised the crowds were ****. **** Eden Park.
Awesome way to give no credit to the opposition.India didn't bowl NZ out for 100.
They got Rutherford for a duck, then you saw Fulton play a bad shot, Williamson play a bad shot, Taylor brain explode and run McCullum out. I take your point that the scoreboard read 100 all out but that was more due to NZ imploding than India being threatening with the ball. They're not a great side away from home and never really have been consistently, because they've never had a seam bowling unit. They've had one or two good seamers and a heavy reliance on spin.
If you got in early, it was half price.Even at the Basin, they're $43.00 for a day, $93 for the match.
That I think is a huge factor a lot of guys at work said they thought about coming but looked at the price and said nah I will stay at home today, these are club cricketers and guys that love cricket, they are now all regretting not coming. Will be interested to see how the Basin goes with numbers.Tickets were $45? Insanity. That'll explain it
Yeah, hate when people do that - and, as a NZ fan, been on the receiving end many times.Awesome way to give no credit to the opposition.