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**Official** Pakistan in New Zealand (3 tests)

Bahnz

Hall of Fame Member
Hah, I can only imagine what the odds would've been on Guptill being the top wicket taker! Should do this tbh. We had a similar chase against the windies last year for 300 off 50, and made it to about 200 off 40 before we gave up the ghost. The only thing I can see stoping us is either massive turn for Kaneria, or perhaps for more likely, rain. Which is forecast to hit in about an hour. ****!
 

straw man

Hall of Fame Member
Not sure what the thinking is, possibly just to see off the new ball and set up a platform before tea.
That's all very well but if we're 20/0 after 10 overs then we're chasing 6 per over from there. Wouldn't have been in favour of McCullum AND Guptill opening, just one of them.
 

Halfpast_Yellow

U19 Vice-Captain
WTF why are we opening with these two. Yes it's test Cricket but we have to take a chance on the win on this featherbed when moving up the test rankings is at stake.

Sure, lose quick wickets and shut up shop, but to send McIntosh and Debutant out is appaling. Black mark against Vettori, whose captaincy with field placings hasn't been that great apparently.
 

Smudge

Hall of Fame Member
I think the plan, judging by the pedestrian pair sent out to bat, is that we see out the bowling until stumps and really have a go at the target on the sixth morning.
 

Jono

Virat Kohli (c)
Even with an awesome spell from Asif and/or Kaneria NZ are/were never going to lose on this pitch in 40 overs. Don't see the point in playing defensively in the first 10. would have been better to launch early and scare the crap out of Pakistan and gain some momentum.

If you lose wickets then shut up shop. A drawn series against Pakistan at home is a poor result for NZ imo.
 

Athlai

Not Terrible
Ian Smith whinging about field placings is so cringeworthy. Vettori wasn't THAT off the mark, sure one more attacking fieldsman would have been great but he just kept going on and on and on.

Is McIntosh supposed to be the anchor for the whole chase and Watling supposed to play the shorts considering his OD pedigree? Are we that afraid of their attack? (did we just want that nice feeling to see the openers lasted more than 2 overs?)
 

Athlai

Not Terrible
I'm not? But when you ask someone "What's the logic" when suggesting moving a pinch hitter up the order you have to wonder.
Southee isn't a pinch hitter yet. Would say McCullum and Vettori would be our designated pinch hitters at this stage.
 

Jono

Virat Kohli (c)
I know the batting quality isn't the same, but comparing this effort so far from NZ to the way Australia went about their chase against England in the Adelaide Ashes test is amazing. And Aust were 1-0 up in that test, NZ are 1-1!

Come on NZ lift.
 

straw man

Hall of Fame Member
Even with an awesome spell from Asif and/or Kaneria NZ are/were never going to lose on this pitch in 40 overs. Don't see the point in playing defensively in the first 10. would have been better to launch early and scare the crap out of Pakistan and gain some momentum.

If you lose wickets then shut up shop. A drawn series against Pakistan at home is a poor result for NZ imo.
Yep, and when was the last time NZ actually won a series against a top-8 side? This is a very very rare chance and we should be having a good stab at it. Sure there is some risk involved if we end up 5 down with 20 overs still to bat, but it's worth it to try to win for once.

Will be annoyed if rain spoils it.
 

Inny Binny

Cricket Spectator
I will be more disappointed if we draw this without trying than if we lose it. We have always lost tests for ages, it's time for a rare shot at winning a series - it won't be a disappointment if we lose the series relative to our past successes, but it WILL be a disappointment if we don't even try to win.

This over is good so far though.
 

Howsie

International Captain
I know the field setting's a very defensive but this is how BJ Watling looks when he plays for ND. He was probably nervous being his 1st test innings and all but he usually looks busy like he has during this innings.
 

Somerset

Cricketer Of The Year
The Sky commentators are absolutely right IMO in that New Zealand's approach is not conducive in allowing us to win the game - when you've got one of the ODI players of the year in Guptill, and two brilliant strikers in McCullum and Taylor, surely you'd want them to face the majority of the 43 overs. With all due respect to Watling and McIntosh, neither of whom have played an ODI before, that pair shouldn't be opening. You almost feel that New Zealand would be better off with McIntosh retiring "out" now that the shine is off the new ball, if that was supposedly the tactic, and hes not intending to step up the tempo.
 

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