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

[BeeGee]

India still clear favourites for the next game with the TAB.

That just means there is more money going on India than NZ.

 

[_Ed_]

Well, it's the way they framed the market when they opened it for the first time this morning.

 

[Howsie]

Ugh. Can we just please please get rid of Nathan McCullum? He's the biggest scrub going around. Since the start of last year, 24 games, 17 wickets @ 51. Williamson on the other hand, who Brendon just refuses to give a decent bowl, 18 games, 15 wickets @ 28. I mean it's obvious why he doesn't run with Williamson more than he does because he'll run his brother out of the team but **** me it's frustrating. You could play Neesham in that position who is an infinitely better batsmen and would provide this team with another genuine death bowling option, which New Zealand lacks in this current team.

Kyle Mills has to go also, no way in the world does he make it to next year and he should never take the new ball ahead of either Southee or McCleanaghan. Not only that but he's absolutely puss in the field. Wicket taking ability is the key in one day cricket these days, more so then ever. Neither McCullum nor Mills offer that.

 

[_Ed_]

That irritating and clichéd narrative reappeared once again in the Herald this morning.

The little-team-that-could had enough desire to repel the rampant visitors, who threatened deep into the 42-over rain-reduced match.

 

[Blocky]

Ugh. Can we just please please get rid of Nathan McCullum? He's the biggest scrub going around. Since the start of last year, 24 games, 17 wickets @ 51. Williamson on the other hand, who Brendon just refuses to give a decent bowl, 18 games, 15 wickets @ 28. I mean it's obvious why he doesn't run with Williamson more than he does because he'll run his brother out of the team but **** me it's frustrating. You could play Neesham in that position who is an infinitely better batsmen and would provide this team with another genuine death bowling option, which New Zealand lacks in this current team.

Kyle Mills has to go also, no way in the world does he make it to next year and he should never take the new ball ahead of either Southee or McCleanaghan. Not only that but he's absolutely puss in the field. Wicket taking ability is the key in one day cricket these days, more so then ever. Neither McCullum nor Mills offer that.

His job isn't really to take wickets though being fair to McCullum, he's found ways to contribute with the bat in quite a few innings, he's normally a very good fielder and he'll tie up the middle stages of the game similar to what Vettori used to do with us. In the absence of Vettori, he's our best option as a spin bowler in limited overs cricket, second place probably goes to Williamson. We just don't have talent here.

 

[_Ed_]

Kyle Mills has to go also, no way in the world does he make it to next year and he should never take the new ball ahead of either Southee or McCleanaghan. Not only that but he's absolutely puss in the field. Wicket taking ability is the key in one day cricket these days, more so then ever. Neither McCullum nor Mills offer that.

I thought Mills bowled well yesterday. A bad dropped catch and some misfields made his figures look a whole lot uglier than they should have.

 

[Bahnz]

Yeah Mills was excellent with the new ball, kept it really tight during his first 4 or 5 overs and that meant the run chase was pushing 8 almost right from the start. He was also surprisingly controlled at the death. All up it was a very solid bowling performance reflected by the fact that McCullum trusted him with a 9th over and the fact that his figures were the most economical of any of the quicks.

 

[BeeGee]

Well, it's the way they framed the market when they opened it for the first time this morning.

The TAB don't predict the odds of one team beating another. They predict the weight of betting on one team or another. They want to make money no matter who wins.

It'll be interesting to see how their odds change between now and the next game. If they change a lot then the TAB got their predictions wrong.

 

[_Ed_]

Yep, for sure. I also see that they've got Ryder as favourite to top-score for NZ, so I'm assuming his finger is OK and he'll be good to go?

 

[Howsie]

His job isn't really to take wickets though being fair to McCullum, he's found ways to contribute with the bat in quite a few innings, he's normally a very good fielder and he'll tie up the middle stages of the game similar to what Vettori used to do with us. In the absence of Vettori, he's our best option as a spin bowler in limited overs cricket, second place probably goes to Williamson. We just don't have talent here.

He's a bowler, it should be his job to take wickets. I also don't see how taking 1-50 is tying up the middle overs, he just get's milked providing no wicket taking threat whatsoever. Vettori tied up an end but he also took wickets.

 

[Bahnz]

Interesting to see Dhoni espousing Fleming's old philosophy that you should almost always chase in ODI's as it's generally easier because you know what score you have to get and can thus pace your innings accordingly. Wonder if that's something he picked up from Flem at the Superkings.

 

[Bahnz]

He's a bowler, it should be his job to take wickets. I also don't see how taking 1-50 is tying up the middle overs, he just get's milked providing no wicket taking threat whatsoever. Vettori tied up an end but he also took wickets.

I agree re NcCullum, and it's beginning to get hard to believe that nepotism isn't involved in his continuing stay in the side. I mean, other spinners haven't even really been tried in ODI cricket since NcCullum became a regular despite his dreadful performances (hint Jeets hint). Still that being said, he did a good job keeping it tight while India were trying to accelerate last night.

 

[hendrix]

thought both NcCullum and Mills were excellent last night.

It is very difficult to see a long term future for Mills given that he occupies the same role as Southee, just that Southee does it better now and also has death bowling and excellent fielding to his bow.

 

[BeeGee]

Yep, for sure. I also see that they've got Ryder as favourite to top-score for NZ, so I'm assuming his finger is OK and he'll be good to go?

I hope so. I don't see any mention of it in the media so I guess he must be OK.

 

[Prensel]

I reckon guptil could bat at 4. Sure he may suck against spin, but at least there would be gaps in the field by the time he comes into bat so that he can at least get some singles or twos instead of being 3 off 20 balls. Ryder could open with Williamson, with Williamson being able to find gaps ryder won't have to be reckless. Taylor can come in at 3. Otherwise guptil just needs to start in t20 mode rather than test mode.

 

[Bahnz]

I hope so. I don't see any mention of it in the media so I guess he must be OK.

From the way McCullum was talking about it last night it sounded like he went to hospital more as a precaution rather than out of genuine concern that his finger was broken. Fingers crossed anyway.

 

[_Ed_]

Breaking news: actual crowd set to attend Auckland ODI.

Doesn't look like they're planning to open the upper South, but maybe they'll have to. Hope so!

 

[Bahnz]

Nice, though I have a sneaking suspicion that not too many in that crowd will be cheering for NZ. Good to see a pretty good forecast for Saturday too.

 

[_Ed_]

Nice, though I have a sneaking suspicion that not too many in that crowd will be cheering for NZ. Good to see a pretty good forecast for Saturday too.

Yeah, you're probably right! But hopefully NZ's efforts in the first two games and the chance of clinching the series might attract a few more black shirts to the stadium.

 

[Prensel]

Or orange shirts because another person won 100k