Salamuddin
International Debutant
Stephen Fleming has criticised the tri-nations in schedule in India.
1) It's not like 8.30 am and 9 am starts are anything new in India. They've been going on since the '87 world cup.
NZ have experienced batting first in these conditions on their previous trip. So they really should have known what to expect.
2) It's all a question of adaptation Fleming. This is exactly what you told the Indians when they repeatedly flopped batting first on the questionable tracks the Kiwis dished out last summer.
I agreed with you -- India failed to adapt.
However, same thing applies here. You adapt.
NZ made 258 in Pune. If their top order had shown more application, they probably would have won that game.
Don't go blaming the schedule or the pitch for your top order's inadequacies.
3) NZ did have an advanatge batting first which Fleming conveniently overlooked. Chasing on Indian pitches is never easy because the ball invariably holds up in the afternoon session forcing batsmen to make the play. Furthermore, picthes also start turning more and this was indeed the case in Pune.
4) The claim that the schedule is biased in India's favour is laughable -- India play all their games at night. WEll anyone will tell you that chasing under lights is an extremely difficult proposition (particularly on the grounds that India are to play on). And there is no gurantaee India will always bat first as occurred in Mumbai the other night.
There are disadvantages to playing both day and d/n games, Mr Fleming.
It's not as if your side is being singled out.
Perhaps you are embarrassed at the performance of your batsmen in front of a second string Aussie attack and looking for a cheap excuse....
1) It's not like 8.30 am and 9 am starts are anything new in India. They've been going on since the '87 world cup.
NZ have experienced batting first in these conditions on their previous trip. So they really should have known what to expect.
2) It's all a question of adaptation Fleming. This is exactly what you told the Indians when they repeatedly flopped batting first on the questionable tracks the Kiwis dished out last summer.
I agreed with you -- India failed to adapt.
However, same thing applies here. You adapt.
NZ made 258 in Pune. If their top order had shown more application, they probably would have won that game.
Don't go blaming the schedule or the pitch for your top order's inadequacies.
3) NZ did have an advanatge batting first which Fleming conveniently overlooked. Chasing on Indian pitches is never easy because the ball invariably holds up in the afternoon session forcing batsmen to make the play. Furthermore, picthes also start turning more and this was indeed the case in Pune.
4) The claim that the schedule is biased in India's favour is laughable -- India play all their games at night. WEll anyone will tell you that chasing under lights is an extremely difficult proposition (particularly on the grounds that India are to play on). And there is no gurantaee India will always bat first as occurred in Mumbai the other night.
There are disadvantages to playing both day and d/n games, Mr Fleming.
It's not as if your side is being singled out.
Perhaps you are embarrassed at the performance of your batsmen in front of a second string Aussie attack and looking for a cheap excuse....