**Official** Pakistan v New Zealand in the UAE 2014

[BeeGee]

Wait until NZ bat IMO but yeah these pitches are, at a minimum, way too favourable to the team that wins the toss and outright unfair to bowlers otherwise.

The Pakistan spinners will probably tear through our batsmen, but I agree about these kinds of pitches giving the team that wins the toss a massive advantage.

I think we should have a discussion about the odds of winning 3 tosses in a row and how that decreases the chance of winning the next.

 

[Blocky]

The Pakistan spinners will probably tear through our batsmen, but I agree about these kinds of pitches giving the team that wins the toss a massive advantage.

I think we should have a discussion about the odds of winning 3 tosses in a row and how that decreases the chance of you winning the next.

No, I just think you basically need to be highly patient and highly conservative on pitches like this - you know that you need to score 400+ and that 500+ should be the target, and if you're batting second you don't mind if that takes you two and a half days because it then puts the pressure on the opposition to make the play with the bat in their second innings. The problem is that we won't go out there and play that way, we'll go out there and either block the **** out of it without intent, or we'll go out and attack them.

But based on the wicket and their spin bowlers, I'd expect one of McCullum, Taylor, Watling or Williamson to tonne up - and we need a big daddy. It might actually be an opportunity for Kane to show us he's got a big daddy in him.

 

[Spark]

The Pakistan spinners will probably tear through our batsmen, but I agree about these kinds of pitches giving the team that wins the toss a massive advantage.

I think we should have a discussion about the odds of winning 3 tosses in a row and how that decreases the chance of winning the next.

 

[hendrix]

Yeah pretty much. They can get a little quicker at times, especially Boult, but mid-130s is about what you'd expect them to bowl at in this heat.

Southee usually tries to crank up the pace a little when he's going for reverse. He was a bit below standard with the old ball last night though. Nowhere near what he was in the Windies - although the Duke probably helped over there.

 

[hendrix]

It makes no sense to play New Zealand for 3 matches in these conditions. This team embarrassingly flopped against Bangladesh in such conditions last year. It was a boring first day.

What non-SC team would you play 3 matches against in these conditions? South Africa are the only ones that would compete.

 

[smash84]

What non-SC team would you play 3 matches against in these conditions? South Africa are the only ones that would compete.

South Africa were competitive thanks to Imran Tahir. Who would have thought?

 

[Flem274*]

Should have picked Colin de Grandhomme. Zimbabweans are the only team to beat this lot.

Just completely ground them to dust today. And Misbah and Younis aren't even in

I do think, however, that NZ will bat better than Australia. Although a lot will depend on KW and Taylor. Btw, how long has it been since a lineup was dependant so much on a batsman this young?

Ross Taylor was our top six batting from 2008 to sri lanka, second test, 2012. KW was too young, Baz was gradually getting worse and worse opening and Jesse was usually busy drinking.

He had to wait until the spin bowler or the keeper (if that keeper was Baz) to come in before he had any help.

 

[Howsie]

Is it just me or has Jimmy Neesham lost a little bit of pace over the past year or so? I've never rated his bowling but a tall-ish lad who got it through in the late 130's was at least something to work with. He's practically useless as a 130k medium pacer given he has no control nor does he do anything with the ball.

 

[straw man]

Didn't actually think we were too bad with the ball yesterday, despite the score. Admittedly I didn't see the opening ten overs and missed several other patches of play, but from what I saw our bowlers were reasonable and in particular Sodhi, Boult and Neesham bowled better than I thought they would.

Was always going to be a day where wicket chances were few and far between. Don't want to dwell on Watling's missed stumping but that really could have changed the tone of the day's play. Our bowlers were fairly persistent and there were several other almost-wickets that on another day might have gone our way (Hafeez edging Sodhi just short of Taylor, Shehzad French-cutting Sodhi just past legstump, Watling's near catch off Ali's reverse sweep, Shehzad edging through vacant first slip (sigh), Ali gloving Southee just over Watling's head).

They didn't and now it will be a huge battle to keep Pakistan under 500. Just hope conditions are still this easy for batting come our first innings, though I suspect they won't be.

 

[straw man]

Is it just me or has Jimmy Neesham lost a little bit of pace over the past year or so? I've never rated his bowling but a tall-ish lad who got it through in the late 130's was at least something to work with. He's practically useless as a 130k medium pacer given he has no control nor does he do anything with the ball.

Thought he was fine yesterday - was getting some reverse, clearly targeting accuracy over pace but did sometimes bowl an effort ball in the high 130s. Control of length still not as good as it needs to be but generally more accurate than he has been.

 

[Flem274*]

did trent boult do his have a flounce and bowl as fast as he can on the motorway for a spell thing last night?

full 140+ reverse swing is what we need...

 

[r3alist]

If NZ can just bat reasonably well in their first innings it might help alleviate any inner fears they had about facing spin, in the long run that could be more valuable.

So that means not necessarily trying to compete with Pakistan's snore, but just to put enough runs on the board to prove they can succeed.

 

[Flem274*]

btw im going to be a yobbo and call for milne's express pace

 

[Bahnz]

Well so much for the theory that New Zealand's bowling attack was better suited to the conditions than Australia's. I really can't see this as ending up any other way than Pakistan declaring on 600/not many. While the bowling attack probably would've been better off with Wagner in it, I don't think he would've made any difference yesterday.

The only real question is whether the pitch will hold up enough for New Zealand to scrap out a draw. Given what happened here during the Aus test, my prediction is a result inside 4 days.

 

[straw man]

The only real question is whether the pitch will hold up enough for New Zealand to scrap out a draw. Given what happened here during the Aus test, my prediction is a result inside 4 days.

One thing in our favour is that the weather is cooler than it was during the Oz series and so the pitch may hold together longer.

 

[Pratters]

I have never seen Pakistan as an amazing batting team. Conditions are crap but usually they would have thrown half the wickets in such conditions. Ahmed Shehzad was applying himself and took a long time to start making too many runs despite his instinct being aggressive.

Hafees is the weakest of the top 6 and even he almost made a 100. I would bet for this team to win tests and series outside the subcontinent if they show such commitment.

 

[Pratters]

One thing in our favour is that the weather is cooler than it was during the Oz series and so the pitch may hold together longer.

But Nz are not really a top batting side expected to make 500 or so in the first dab. When was the last time they made 500 in subcontinent type conditions?

 

[Flem274*]

i can't remember what we scored in the first innings but three subcontinent tests ago we went big in the sri lankan victory, and watling and the tail scored a billion on their own against bangladesh after that on the back of a strong top order performance. one of those two may have done it.

 

[Flem274*]

im setting us up for a fall here but this particular nz side is reasonable against spin. KW is obviously the superstar against it, but Taylor and Watling are good, Baz is good once he's in (as usual with him) and from what i've seen the three rookies are all good enough.

so expect hafeez to take 6/50 in two days

 

[Days of Grace]

We are usually terrible in the first innings of a series in the S/C though.