*Official* Pakistan v New Zealand in the UAE 2018

[harsh.ag]

They should come out swinging and try and score hundred in the first hour and declare.

 

[trundler]

Yeah time for all or nothing. A loss or a draw wouldn't count for much a victory would be pretty memorable.

 

[OverratedSanity]

its an overseas series win, there's big turn and only kane has scored quickly all series. put on 50 tomorrow asap then bowl wicket to wicket. pakistan can risk the variable bounce if they dare.

nz gotta go for this.

I usually side with the safe declarations camp but I'm inclined to agree. A CdG 27(11) would be perfect.

 

[Gnske]

TBF the only two men who have earned the right to be aggressive are at the crease. I endorse this anti-cricket.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

wait am i still dreaming?

 

[Athlai]

Bat the first hour (and a half?) declare at 270 odd.

 

[Ahmad Zahir]

NZ should attack now and score 270 and then declare.

 

[NZTailender]

In todays edition of "I woke up to", this has been the best wake up score yet. At best I thought we'd have Watling plus one of Kane and Nicholls. At worst, I thought Pakistan would be batting.

From all accounts on Cricinfo commentary, Pakistan not taking the new ball and general demeanor suggests they're looking for a draw rather than a win. Although it might be a more cunning tactic. Unless NZ accelerated yesterday to set a really big score to defend, it really becomes all about what they do. If they feel like they need more runs tomorrow, that's less time for Pakistan to bat and more likely they can draw it. Conversely, if they declare early to get the most time at them, it gives more chance for Pakistan to win. It's pretty passive but Pakistan are in the 'least likely to lose' position atm. The first test 4th innings will still be fresh in their mind, and their two innings since then have been more disciplined (at last in the top 5).

If Pakistan want to win they should look at promoting Babar and Sarfraz tomorrow to attack after the openers have seen off the new cherry, with Ali, Sohail and Shafiq as safety.

 

[NZTailender]

loved watching him bat once he learned to let go and went mental. the only blots were the first tour to sa which made him as a skipper and the 5 disgraceful tests against our mental block team, australia, who nz will always perform less than the expected fight against unless they're completely written off.

that final ton tho. it warms my heart that somewhere out there in this hellish world, both richard and benchmark were watching that and bleeding internally for very different but equally unstable reasons.

Yeah, in the words of a friend who previously didn't have much time for NZ cricket, "he made the game more interesting."

What I liked about him was his willingness (or was it over-enthusiasm?) to keep trying out different roles and succeeding at each of them to some degree - wicketkeeper, pinch hitter, test match opener, captain, specialist number 5.

also lol at baz stats in that period. average of 50, strike rate of 100, 3 tons in 12 tests. as soon as he became skipper it was like he was on drugs

He finally earned the right

He was basically an avant-garde figure in NZ cricket in some regard. Tore down some walls and changed the mindset of the scrappy underdog who are never expected to win. Can't remember any time before where we were actually touted as opposed to back-handed compliments.

And like most avant-garde figures, they smash a new path that's a bit rough around the edges and in some ways not refined enough (see crazy field settings every 5 minutes, being toooo aggressive), and it's those who come after who take the spirit, polish it, and put it to good use to create a proper methodology and consistent way of operating that will get legit results that won't be one-offs.

 

[nzfan]

Kane's batting in this test match is great on so many accounts

1. Nearly a 100 in the first inning.
2. Back to the wall stuff. Has batted out 4 sessions of the test match.
3. Batting last on a deck that is still offering fair bit.
4. Easily Pakistan bowling vs Kane at the moment.
5. Dubai conditions, hot as.
6. Away from home and in conditions that generally Kiwis aren't used to.
7. Captaining as well, more burden having to worry about so many other things than just bat.
8. Good bowling attack considering the conditions.

I could go on and on and on but this test match for Kane stacked up against other legendary knocks will stand tall still. There's a 100 in every test generally but considering the above few criteria this is as good as it can get.

I'm not surprised he's done it again but his performance gets stronger and stronger when the situation gets more challenging. He's a one off and should be treasured. Love watching him bat. Besides, amazing role model. Plays cricket in the right spirit.

 

[Bahnz]

It's a tough one, but I say make the game safe. This pitch hasn't broken up as everyone expected, and we don't have the big spinners needed to rattle through Pakistan if they bat sensibly. I wouldn't want to declare for anything less than 300 off 70. Put the onus back on Pakistan to push for a win (remember how spectacularly they combusted under similar circumstances in 2016). Hoping that maybe the big DG will slap a quick 40 tomorrow against a newish ball and get us into position to declare maybe a bit earlier.

Well done to Nicholls for hanging tough, really hopes he pushes on to a hundred this evening.

 

[Days of Grace]

Yeah, make sure we don't lose the match and the series considering all the work these two have done to get us to a safe position. It's very hard to accelerate on this pitch it seems so setting a run-rate of 3.50 will probably be beyond Pakistan. So 270 off 70 would be great. Would rely on de Grandhomme coming in next and smashing it though. New Zealand's intentions will be clear when we see who comes in next.

And such a great knock by Big Daddy Kane. Knowing that if he went early today we probably would have fallen over very quickly. That kind of context my ratings cannot take into account. Same goes for Nicholls. If this partnership only realised 100, we would have been all out by now. Really hoping Henry pushes on for a hundred today.

 

[Ahmad Zahir]

The best thing I can think about this match is that its Hafeez last Test match

 

[Ahmad Zahir]

Song for Hafeez after his retirement opening his departmental store in Solihull.

 

[straw man]

wait am i still dreaming?

In todays edition of "I woke up to", this has been the best wake up score yet. At best I thought we'd have Watling plus one of Kane and Nicholls. At worst, I thought Pakistan would be batting.

Even though I only missed the last hour I was still amazed to wake up to Williamson and Nicholls still both at the crease too. All hail Kaneh and Henreh.

260-270 seems about the right number - that only gives Pakistan the tiniest of sniffs at winning and give us 70 odd overs to bowl them out. Innings run rates this match are 2.35, 2.57, 2.61 - even a chase of 260 from 72 overs is 3.6 per over, which looks extremely unlikely on this wicket on the final day. It's just not one where you can force the pace without a lot of risk (or a lot of loose bowling, which I don't expect). Even, touch wood, if we lost the last 6 wickets for 40 we'd be pretty comfortable imo.

We won't get the luxury of a second new ball though - NZ have often needed that to bowl sides out in 4th innings, but here it's going to have to be the spinners to do most of the damage. That Will 'Somers Somerville' 'Not Greg' Somerville Guy on track for a debut 10-fer?

 

[Burgey]

Lot of credit to NZ and particular KW here. Wonderful come back. This seems to have been a really entertaining series. I'm sorry I've not seen more of it.

 

[Days of Grace]

https://youtu.be/2l2O-JOXG_I

 

[MagicPoopShovel]

Kaneh has seriously excelled in this series to keep NZ still in this. Should go down as one of the ATG batting performances in a tour tbh.

He just makes it look way too easy in very tough situations. 260+ and then have a real crack!

 

[straw man]

Has any non-subcontinental team ever won a series against Pakistan in the UAE?

 

[Bahnz]

Has any non-subcontinental team ever won a series against Pakistan in the UAE?

Nope, the best anyone's managed is a drawn series (SA twice and us once).

Tbf, Pakistan are patently not the same team that they were prior to MisYou's retirement.