***Official*** New Zealand in Zimbabwe & Zimbabwe/New Zealand/India ODI Tri-Series

[SJS]

Its impossible to look terrible against this Zimbabwe side. Still India managed to look pedestrian.

- The batting did not look good at all.

- NewZealand scored at 9 an over against the same attack and India managed 4.5.

- Kaif played and missed at more than a dozen balls from heath streak. He wasnt good enough to get a touch and get out.

- With 11 overs to go, India were 130 something !! A last ten over flourish thanks to Dhoni's pyrotechnics brought them over 200 but it was still a terrible batting performance.

- Bowlers one had never heard off were treated with kid gloves.

- Just 18 months back, if India got 275 in 50 overs we felt they had got 30 runs less than they should have - and this against teams like Pakistan. Today they get 200 with difficulty against no-hopers like this Zimbabwe team and we think they have done well.

How the mighty have fallen !

 

[Tim]

What are Indian supporters thoughts on Greg Chappell thus far? He's only in his second ODI series but what impression has he made so far?

 

[Rosh]

I really feel sorry for Dravid. #3 spot is his. Why is the Indian batting line up being dealt like a pack of playing cards? Is there a new gambler in the Indian camp? If it is I can bet it is Mr Chappel.

 

[SJS]

What are Indian supporters thoughts on Greg Chappell thus far? He's only in his second ODI series but what impression has he made so far?

He is reported to be extremely disilllusioned by the lack of discipline and refusal to listen in the team.

He has sobered down and stopped talking as tough as he used to when he first came.

He had called the team for early acclimatisation/nets in Zimbabwe. Only three juniors came. The skipper himself did not come citing his wife's birthday or some such excuse. Greg was waiting and finally gave up.

He was said to be livid but has since quietened down.
They will make a lamb or a John Wright (take your pick) out of him sooner rather than later.

It started with his being upset at not being involved in the selection of the captain. He was pointedly told that he wasnt to attend the meeting. It was known that he was not in favour of a change in captain. This seems to have worked against him further since the new captain as well as all the players seen to be Ganguly's boys are acting tough/indisciplined.

Mr Chappell is learning how Indian "superstars" behave.

There are rumours around , Kapil also hinted yesterday, on Sehwag's "flu". There is further speculation on the batting order. Venu's position in both games and rahul's demotion.

Whatever the actual facts, its clearly not a settled "side" that Greg Chappell is suposed to be handling.

Of course, he will get the flak for the poor performance of the team.

Yesterday, Mr Gavaskar conducted a "clinic" to show what the Indian batsmen were doing wrong. It looks like every Indian coach will have to do with inputs from domestic self appointed coaches.

 

[ramkumar_gr]

Kaif's shortcomings to the fore

It is a pity we have to watch Kaif playing for India at no.3. If anybody had watched the live telecast, one would wonder how Kaif could make the Indian team of 14, leave alone the 11. the fact that he does not have a single agressive shot, no timing, and all the shortcomings were on display in abundance. As i had repeatedly written in different threads, he not only puts pressure on himself but also does the same on the entire team.

Poor Dravid was again Kaif's victim. If you follow the match pattern yesterday, Yuvraj took a lot of balls to score his first 25 runs, but he compensated for that in the slog overs. But i had never seen Kaif doing that and will never see that happening in the future too.

With the likes of JP Yadav and Pathan becoming very consistent with the bat, i dont see any reason for Kaif to be in the team.

I can assure till the time Kaif plays, India can only defeat Bangladesh and Zim.
But i can tell you Kaif will always try his best to put India below Zim and Ban in the table.

 

[Arjun]

It is a pity we have to watch Kaif playing for India at no.3. If anybody had watched the live telecast, one would wonder how Kaif could make the Indian team of 14, leave alone the 11. the fact that he does not have a single agressive shot, no timing, and all the shortcomings were on display in abundance. As i had repeatedly written in different threads, he not only puts pressure on himself but also does the same on the entire team.

Poor Dravid was again Kaif's victim. If you follow the match pattern yesterday, Yuvraj took a lot of balls to score his first 25 runs, but he compensated for that in the slog overs. But i had never seen Kaif doing that and will never see that happening in the future too.

With the likes of JP Yadav and Pathan becoming very consistent with the bat, i dont see any reason for Kaif to be in the team.

I can assure till the time Kaif plays, India can only defeat Bangladesh and Zim.
But i can tell you Kaif will always try his best to put India below Zim and Ban in the table.

One good thing about Kaif is that he supports his strike partner. Not to mention, he's a fantastic fielder and excellent runner between wickets. There are more than a few found wanting in these aspects in this team, particularly the captain. Then there's the temperamental Yuvraj Singh who often plays self-destruct shots when needed least.

Kaif's support acts have often helped build partnerships with frontline batsmeen, which have won matches for the team. Remember the Natwest final of 2002? He ran hard, pushed for lots of singles and a massive partnership was built with Yuvraj, who did all the hitting. Then there was the World Cup match against Pakistan, where the partnership he forged with the rampaging Tendulkar took the match away from the opposition. He then came good against the Paks yet again in Lahore, when he and Dravid were the only batsmen left standing, and both formed another match-winning partnership. He's very much the backbone act in the Indian side, so why do you want to discard him?

Can't hit the ball? Name onne batsman in the Indian side who can. Sehwag? That's where it stops. Dhoni? That's a mere two out of seven. JP Yadav and Irfan? Let's just hope they play more matches together as batsmen. None of the others can take the attack to the opposition the way Sehwag did, before he ran into yet another slump. So it's not just Kaif's problem. It's global.

 

[Pratters]

This is getting old, but wins against Zimbabwe don't matter. Wins against title contenders do.

We know that but can India win against a title contender in a match vs Zimbabwe!

 

[Sir Redman]

Thoughts on our team for tonight?

We cannot afford to have Bond as the sub. It is taking far too big a gamble on the toss and if we lose and bowl first it would mean either a substitution straight away or Bond would have to come in later in the innings which would be a complete waste of the new ball. If makes far more sense to have Adams/Cairns/Oram as the sub as they are not as likely to use the new ball so well. I think Cairns should be the sub, since then if we bowl first Adams could bowl his 10 overs straight and then Cairns could sub on, giving him plenty of time to bowl and also strengthening the batting order. Alternately, if we end up batting first anyway then Cairns could sub on for Astle/Vincent or any other top order batsman who is out.

Also, for about the millionth time Vincent should not be opening. We know he scored 172 opening against Zimbabwe last time but that is no reason to continue batting him out of position, especially now that Astle is back. It makes no sense to bat a guy at number 3 who has 13 hundreds opening the batting, while putting someone else up the order who is not suited to opening.

So here's my team:

Astle
Fleming
Marshall
Vincent
McMillan
Styris
Oram
McCullum
Vettori
Adams
Bond

Sub: Cairns

 

[marc71178]

If Adams bowled his 10 then Cairns subbed him, Cairns couldn't bowl.

 

[Sir Redman]

If Adams bowled his 10 then Cairns subbed him, Cairns couldn't bowl.

Can't he? I should go and read the rules then..

 

[cricket player]

god please make zimbabwe play good today,

I hope zimbabwe show a good fight in todays match they really have been performing badly.

 

[Sir Redman]

Meanwhile Bracewell's left Zimbabwe to come home because his mother-in-law died. I don't know when (or if) he's going back.

 

[Lyell_Chris]

Bond is being rested

adams and oram should be opening the bowling

mills won't b in now braces is gone

 

[southern man]

Meanwhile Bracewell's left Zimbabwe to come home because his mother-in-law died. I don't know when (or if) he's going back.

he will be in New Zealand on thursday, pretty sure he isn't going back.

My condolences, for his family.

 

[GladiatrsInBlue]

I would like to see who comes out on top in bowling in this competition. Will it be S Bond or IKP???? IKP is at his brilliant best while Bond is making a remarkable comeback, both of them seems to be awesome.

 

[shaka]

If NZ bowl first, Cairns could come on 4 Bond after 5 or so overs, where he is likely to pick up wickets, then Cairns completes the 10 overs and hopefully snares a couple of wickets for himself, so that he moves a bit closer to the 200 ODI wicket mark.

 

[Prince EWS]

If NZ bowl first, Cairns could come on 4 Bond after 5 or so overs, where he is likely to pick up wickets, then Cairns completes the 10 overs and hopefully snares a couple of wickets for himself, so that he moves a bit closer to the 200 ODI wicket mark.

Bond is being rested.

 

[Somerset]

Meanwhile Bracewell's left Zimbabwe to come home because his mother-in-law died. I don't know when (or if) he's going back.

Sad occurance for Bracewell to deal with, don't think he'll be coming back so soon after that tragedy. We have enough experience in the team to cope without him for a few matches IMO anyway.

 

[Somerset]

Thoughts on our team for tonight?

We cannot afford to have Bond as the sub. It is taking far too big a gamble on the toss and if we lose and bowl first it would mean either a substitution straight away or Bond would have to come in later in the innings which would be a complete waste of the new ball. If makes far more sense to have Adams/Cairns/Oram as the sub as they are not as likely to use the new ball so well. I think Cairns should be the sub, since then if we bowl first Adams could bowl his 10 overs straight and then Cairns could sub on, giving him plenty of time to bowl and also strengthening the batting order. Alternately, if we end up batting first anyway then Cairns could sub on for Astle/Vincent or any other top order batsman who is out.

Also, for about the millionth time Vincent should not be opening. We know he scored 172 opening against Zimbabwe last time but that is no reason to continue batting him out of position, especially now that Astle is back. It makes no sense to bat a guy at number 3 who has 13 hundreds opening the batting, while putting someone else up the order who is not suited to opening.

So here's my team:

Astle
Fleming
Marshall
Vincent
McMillan
Styris
Oram
McCullum
Vettori
Adams
Bond

Sub: Cairns

The only problem with having Cairns as the sub is that he is unable to bowl a full 10 overs if he replaces another bowler after his spell. Just a thought - can the sub field before he's actually subbed on? If so, what's to stop Brendon McCullum being the wicket keeper if we bowl first - he can replace either McMillan or Styris for the first half of the innings and then permanently replace either Adams or Bond after their spells while still keeping? Batting first, it would not disrupt the order so much. Just an idea there but would that be capable of working, ie. with the substitute on the field before being substituted?

Shame to see Bond out tonight but it's only against Zimbabwe and I'd prefer to see him play the match against India with a good rest beforehand and put in another quality performance. I presume Kyle Mills is replacing him?

 

[marc71178]

That wouldn't work Somerset because as a substitute fielder, McCullum wouldn't be allowed to keep.