***Official*** India in New Zealand 2020

[honestbharani]

He hasn't been that hot today but Shami full and straight at CdG early on could've been trouble.

Yes but problem is Shami has not been either for like 90% of his deliveries. So no point in trying him. Think we are done for the day anyways. Juz gotta hope we get a few tomorrow morning and hopefully not concede a lead of more than 90 or so.

 

[Meridio]

Bad light? FFS. This is a great example of how cricket shoots itself in the foot. Why on Earth do they not either a) start earlier to make up overs; b) get the players through the overs more quickly?

 

[KungFu_Kallis]

There should be 2 light meter readings. One that’s considered “unsafe” for the batting side, one that’s unsafe for the fielders. And the batting team should be offered it first. Yes NZ would most likely have accepted. But the umpires shouldn’t be deciding unilaterally. It takes something away from the game and can in fact ruin the entire game, e.g. the final Ashes Test in 2013. Chalk another one up to great ICC committee regulations.
P.s. Don’t tell me that light was unsafe even for the option of spinners to bowl.

 

[Daemon]

Good thing is we’ll be fresh when the new ball is due.

Great last session for us, thanks to a bit of luck with KW and Ishant bowling well. Ashwin did his job of getting rid of Nicholls well too.

 

[Daemon]

Bad light? FFS. This is a great example of how cricket shoots itself in the foot. Why on Earth do they not either a) start earlier to make up overs; b) get the players through the overs more quickly?

They would have but apparently some sort of deal has been inked where they can’t start too early based on Indian timing. Dire.

 

[honestbharani]

I am assuming then tomorrow we will being with Ashwin and Shami after Bumrah completes his over? And then let Ishant rip with the new ball. Getting through at least another 4 overs today would have really helped with that.

 

[cnerd123]

The reason you don't let the player decide whether or not to keep playing in poor light is because most professional athletes are more than willing to compromise their safety for a win. If a batting side needs 10 runs to win they'll gladly bat in pitch darkness against 90 MPH bowlers to get it. We know this because it has happened in the past, back when asking the batsmen if they wanted to go off for bad light was a thing.

There is also no way you can arbitrarily pick a level of 'light' that is deemed 'safe'. The meter isn't perfect - a certain reading in one set of conditions could appear brighter or darker than that same reading in a different set of conditions. That's why what the umpires do is take a reading when they feel conditions are dark, and wait and see if the light level improves. And if it doesn't improve on that initial reading, they come off. Common sense dictates that as the day wears on, it will only get darker not brighter, but this method helps cover circumstances where heavy cloud cover makes things dark temporarily. Once light improves, they can come back on.

 

[cnerd123]

They would have but apparently some sort of deal has been inked where they can’t start too early based on Indian timing. Dire.

cricket now exists to make money and not the other way around

why did we let businessmen run our beautiful game.

 

[trundler]

Pretty good from Ashwin at the end.

NZ aren't in a situation too dissimilar to India's yesterday. This is probably the Indian attack best at rolling over the tail cheaply but Sam Curran and Chris Woakes happened not long ago. Really hoping for another Watling special. Keep that average over 40.

 

[morgieb]

Looks like a great knock from Williamson, but getting out when he did is not ideal.

India should've been well out of it by this point. Might still be in severe trouble if Basin doesn't play to type.

 

[veganbob]

Yea supernatural knock from kane but just out at a bad time. India right back in it. Anyone's game if lead is under 100! .

 

[trundler]

Doesn't Basin go flatter than Taylor Swift on the last 2 days?

 

[SteveNZ]

Looks like a great knock from Williamson, but getting out when he did is not ideal.

India should've been well out of it by this point. Might still be in severe trouble if Basin doesn't play to type.

For batting nerds, Williamson's weight transfer seemed to be off the whole innings. He hit a couple of boundaries off Shami and Bumrah down the ground where he wasn't typically Kane in being over his front knee, but got away with it on pace/true pitch, until the ball he got out when it finally cost him. He's still not hitting it that well but his incredible focus gets the job done.

 

[cnerd123]

Doesn't Basin go flatter than Taylor Swift on the last 2 days?

 

[honestbharani]

For batting nerds, Williamson's weight transfer seemed to be off the whole innings. He hit a couple of boundaries off Shami and Bumrah down the ground where he wasn't typically Kane in being over his front knee, but got away with it on pace/true pitch, until the ball he got out when it finally cost him. He's still not hitting it that well but his incredible focus gets the job done.

I dunno about weight transfer but he had that finger injury in his bottom hand. I felt some of his drives were going uppish maybe due to some issues with that. We never really had a regulation extra-cover until he got out and most of the time the guy was either too close for the catch or not present at all.

 

[slippy888]

What is this

 

[cnerd123]

your theme song slippy

 

[Bahnz]

Doesn't Basin go flatter than Taylor Swift on the last 2 days?

It has often in recent years but I don't know if it will so much this time. It's been pretty cloudy and cool throughout the first 2 days which has stopped the surface from drying out, and the forecast is for more of the same tomorrow. I think even a lead of just 100 might prove to be decisive.

 

[Bahnz]

Great day at the Basin today. Full kudos to the organisers for getting such a great array of food trucks in. Nothing like snacking down on some Mititei Souvlaki from the Greek Food Truck while watching Kane batting. It's also lovely to see the old Museum stand with some people in it again. Now if only they'd do up the toilets and slapped some lights on the ground we'd be completely set.

 

[Moss]

NZ have done well no doubt, but not ruthless enough with the bat given India took their time to acclimatise with regard to bowling. Can't let a team like India have a sniff after bowling them out cheaply, but looks like there's still life in this pitch. Need a 100 run lead at the very least, wouldn't want Ashwin to become a factor in the 4th innings.