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

[OverratedSanity]

Anyone that things a green track with nz not having Taylor is worse for India is naive and getting sucked in to old stereotypes. If it plays like it looks, the game just became a lottery. Why would you want that at home? And only one team is missing their best batsman.

Nz probably still favourites but not by as much now.

Agree so much. There's always been a trend where we've been faced with atleast one greentop/difficult tracks on many overseas tours right from the 90s to the present day. In the 90s, no one apart from Sachin had the ability to do well on those surfaces and we kept losing. As our batting got better and better, though, it's no surprise that many of our greatest overseas victories (Headingley 2002, Durban 2006 and 2011, etc) have come on pitches which favour the bowlers. All it does is eliminate our real weakness, which is pace bowling, because any international bowler will honestly cause problems on such tracks . Have no idea why other nations produce these sort of pitches tbh. It's no surprise that when we were faced with sporting pitches, which had something in them for the bowlers, but required good bowling to actually get wickets we usually got clobbered. If this pitch remains this green, I really fancy our chances

 

[hendrix]

not to mention that Shami is actually a good bowler.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Yup

 

[Daemon]

You don't want a pitch that gives Indian bowlers something even after the ball gets a bit old.

 

[eroticfishcake]

I back India to win this one,McCullum with Csk now ����

 

[ohnoitsyou]

We are one up in a series, so we want something that has a good chance of draw, with a result occurring if one side plays good cricket.

Making a result wicket is just a brain fade.

 

[eroticfishcake]

We are one up in a series, so we want something that has a good chance of draw, with a result occurring if one side plays good cricket.

Making a result wicket is just a brain fade.

Sri Lanka does that,not NZ

 

[Days of Grace]

Rain has hindered preparation and besides, the groundsman couldn't predict the result of the first test.

How many days out do you first start preparing a pitch anyway?

 

[Kippax]

We are one up in a series, so we want something that has a good chance of draw, with a result occurring if one side plays good cricket.

Making a result wicket is just a brain fade.

You won't get up to 5th or 6th on the ladder with that '1-0, put men behind the ball' attitude tbh. "I've always been a fan of 'if in doubt, favour the aggressive option'" - McCullum.

 

[ohnoitsyou]

Sri Lanka does that,not NZ

its the basin, there's always going to be a bit for the bowlers there, unlike Sri Lankan pitches. Wasn't exactly asking for a road, just something that will go till at least late day 4/ day 5 so the option for a draw is there if we are behind.

Tbf though, I'm more ranting at Hesson's asking for green pitches than the groundsman actually preparing one and i really shouldn't be judging until we get a good look at it tomorrow.

 

[straw man]

Have an odd sense of trepidation about this match tbh. Must be all those repressed memories of every other time we've been on top in a match/series and failed magnificently.

Jimmy J will save the day.

 

[Bahnz]

Beautiful sunny day in the capital, with a light northerly wind blowing through. Should be a great day to be at the Basin!

My prediction:
McCullum loses the toss
NZL 130
IND 250
NZL 300
IND 181/3
CW to rage for years about Hesson's demand for green pitches.

 

[Mike5181]

Baz will win the toss and India will score 230

 

[straw man]

I refuse to believe the pitch is that green until forced to confront it with ma own eyez. Surely not. I read they're aiming for the same pitch as against WI, so with rain-affected preparation hopefully it will only be a little greener than that. Perhaps slower too.

 

[Bahnz]

I refuse to believe the pitch is that green until forced to confront it with ma own eyez. Surely not. I read they're aiming for the same pitch as against WI, so with rain-affected preparation hopefully it will only be a little greener than that. Perhaps slower too.

According to McCullum, the pitch is lining up to be both greener and bouncier than it was against WI.

 

[hendrix]

I'm sorta torn in that we need our openers - and Rutherford in particular - to score runs to have any chance on a green-top, but Rutherford also needs to be dropped and doesn't deserve the chance he'll get if he does score.

I know how it feels with Ishant as an Indian fan now.

 

[Prensel]

Batting ftl

 

[Mike5181]

Again?!

What is Dhoni?

 

[Bahnz]

Dhoni wins the toss. FFS!

 

[_Ed_]

Eeek.