*Official* New Zealand vs India Tests & ODIs

[Rik]

He won't need to with the Indian batting as it is!

True!!! Whoops...I'm supposed to be supporting them :saint: Well...not till the WC comes around

 

[James]

Talk here is that Cairns will play - I would expect to see him in the starting eleven.

 

[Rik]

Talk here is that Cairns will play - I would expect to see him in the starting eleven.

I would have given him a chance to get fit enough to bowl in the last ODI rather than give himself another chance to injure himself more seriously...

 

[James]

I don't think Cairns is going to bowl in the World Cup. Have a read of this article:

Cricket: Cairns replaces Oram for fifth ODI

08.01.2003
By RICHARD BOOCK in Wellington
The long wait for Chris Cairns' return to international cricket ended yesterday when he was drafted into the New Zealand side for today's fifth one-day international against India.

Cairns was racing the clock to be fit for next month's World Cup after his rehabilitation was held up by an unscheduled trip to the knee surgeon, but received his opportunity after a training ground accident involving Jacob Oram.

Oram dislocated the small finger of his left hand during fielding practice yesterday and was ruled out of at least today's game, and possibly also the sixth match in Auckland on Saturday.

The mishap might have been bad news for Oram, but it created a chance for Cairns to return to the side after a year out of the ODI scene, and will undoubtedly boost New Zealand's hopes of being at full strength for their first World Cup game against Sri Lanka on February 10.

It has been a frustrating past couple of years for Cairns, who was sidelined for 12 months before returning against Australia last summer, and then spent most of this year recuperating from an operation on his patella tendon.

Considering his vulnerability at the bowling crease, he is unlikely to have a role with the ball for the remaining three games against India, and may also play as a specialist batsman during the World Cup games.

The concern is not so much that he may not be as effective with the ball, but that he may jeopardise his ability to bat if he sustained another injury at the bowling crease.

For his part, Cairns has already acknowledged that he may have to reinvent himself as a specialist batsman this year, a stance that represents a complete about-face on his previous position concerning his future as an all-rounder.

"Chris feels he is ready to step back into international cricket and he is looking forward to testing himself at the highest level," chairman of selectors Sir Richard Hadlee said yesterday.

"Had Jacob not been injured, Chris would have been considered for the game in Auckland."

It is not yet known whether Cairns will be included in the playing XI today, but it would seem odd for him to be drafted in, only to end up carrying the drinks.

If he does play, the team management will probably opt to rest either Kyle Mills or Daryl Tuffey, two of New Zealand's best-performed paceman in the series so far.

Cairns' call-up means New Zealand are at full strength for the first time since last summer's test series against Australia, when players such as Cairns, Dion Nash, Daniel Vettori and Shayne O'Connor were all available after 12-month lay-offs.

Manager Jeff Crowe said it was hoped that Oram would not be out of action for long.

"Jake was attempting to take a low catch and was struck on the end of his little finger.

"He was immediately taken to hospital where an x-ray revealed the fracture."

Oram was to see an orthopaedic surgeon last night.

 

[Rik]

He's got to be fit for the World Cup...he's a Matchwinning bowler!

 

[Top_Cat]

New Zealand in early trouble against India at 2/0. Zaheer has them both as he picks up Astle then Sinclair next ball with his second and third deliveries for the match.

Ball must be moving around bit because Zaheer bowled Sinclair with one which he shouldered arms to.

 

[Top_Cat]

Update: 3/3. Harris given out leg-before, shouldering arms again. Zaheer once again. This is the start of dreams for an opening bowler.

 

[Kimbo]

NZ make 168.
i am very disapointed with the nz top order. sinclair is useless get rid of him. harris cant bat at four. nz was missing a top order batsmen or two. its hard when you take out macca and vincent and oram. if this wasnt world cup build up i think someone would have been brought in- papps maybe.
disappointing that adams got himself out with a silly shot when he already had 8 off the over. he could have made a real difference.

 

[Kiwi]

Shocking effort by the Kiwis, poor shot selection and lucky that the lower order can bat.

As for papps - he should have been tried early in the series, as a trial for the world cup. He is a great guy and he doesn't know what more he needs to do to get a run. I see him quite often as he is my captains boyfriend.

 

[Kimbo]

We have one of the best lower orders in world cricket. Even no 11 Bond can bat... usually.

 

[Kimbo]

oh, and Rob Nicol should get a go too.

 

[anzac]

Didn't see the match & won't be able to see the highlights tomorrow........don't think I would want to anyway.....

congradulations to India for achieving their 1st win on their Tour......

NZ learned some harsh lessons today that will need to be addressed b4 the WC - ie their top order is still vulnerable (even more so when batting 1st), and the bowlers are conceeding too many extras - particularly wides (16!!!!!!). It's not as if it's the part timers who are guilty either - it's the guys who are likely to be the preferred attack!!!!

I know that the middle / lower order all rounders made some useful contributions with the bat (Cairns, Adams, McCullum), but I would still prefer to see one less all rounder for another specialist batsman. (Sorry if I sound like a broken record on this one!!!)

I am looking forward to the next game in Auckalnd to see how the Kiwis bounce back from this defeat, and how the Indian team respond to this confidence boost......

 

[Anil]

At last!!! A victory on what has been a wretched tour for India! Great job Zaheer! Ganguly is in appalling form and he should do something about it, quick. Sad that Sachin got a horrible decision in his first match back. Anyway, he has 2 more chances to get among the runs. Hope luck favours him next time.

 

[QuickFire]

Cheers for the Indian Cricket Team.
Hope, they manage to get the series 4-3 which will surely lift them up for the World Cup.

It's still a long way to go...

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

but I would still prefer to see one less all rounder for another specialist batsman.

I disagree. I think that with another good bowling option, New Zealand could have won. Think about it, Cairns came in for an allrounder (Oram) and an in form all rounder at that, and played as a specialist bat. In the end, New Zealand still lost.

If New Zealand decide to bring in another specialist bat, then the Kiwi attack may not be as threatening as it has been over the past year or so.

 

[warrioryohannan]

Well guys, India is back to winning ways, hopefully India might win the next 2 matches too, or atleast one of the remaining two.

Ganguly should opt out of the remaining onedayers and the team should be captained by Dravid.Right now Ganguly is totally out of sorts, hopefully he will regain his form by the time WC gets started!

 

[Rik]

Well guys, India is back to winning ways, hopefully India might win the next 2 matches too, or atleast one of the remaining two.

Ganguly should opt out of the remaining onedayers and the team should be captained by Dravid.Right now Ganguly is totally out of sorts, hopefully he will regain his form by the time WC gets started!

He never really shows any form in countries where the ball moves around or there is a lot of bounce. He's only ever been good at home really, where the ball doesn't bounce very high and the pitches are slow.

 

[aussie_beater]

He never really shows any form in countries where the ball moves around or there is a lot of bounce. He's only ever been good at home really, where the ball doesn't bounce very high and the pitches are slow.

That statement is completely untrue as far as Ganguly's ODI performances abroad are concerned.Here's how his averages look for away ODI matches.

Played-in Average 100s 50s
------------------------------------------
away 40.54 6 14
neutral 40.79 9 17


If you need more granular stats from his performance in countries which have bouncy wickets and movement etc. then here it is....

Played-in Average 100s 50s
------------------------------------------
Australia 44.87 2 1
England 38.26 1 2
NZ 22.80 0 3
SA 43.35 2 2
WI 51.60 0 2

As you can see from these stats that his performance abroad is very close to his career average.Only place where his average looks quite poor is NZ where he has played 10 matches in all and five of them have been in the current tour where all of the Indian batsman are at sea.If you take out these five matches, he has scored at an average of 41.6 in the previous 5 matches.

If you are talking about tests, even then you can't say that he has been no good abroad.He averages 74 in England

In tests his averages dip remarkably in Aus and NZ. He was averaging 55 in NZ before this current series.Also he averages 40 in WI and 32.44 in SA.

Look at the stats pal before making such sweeping statements.

 

[V Reddy]

Ganguly was the best player for India in AUS and Saf scoring 2 hundreds in each series when he was last there. Hardly bad is it.

 

[Rik]

If you are talking about tests, even then you can't say that he has been no good abroad.He averages 74 in England

Actually I was talking about in Tests. And wow he averages well against England, maybe thats because he managed to score a few runs in his debut Series when England has such world famous bowlers as Chris Lewis and Allan Mullally...

He's been on a huge dip in form for a few years now.

Also as for all your ODI stats...what a waste of time!