***Official*** South Africa in New Zealand 2012

[Nigel Benjamin]

Kiwis can win this easily tbh, but will they?

 

[Zinzan]

Incredible to think that in the time Bracewell's taken 26 test wickets @ 18, Southee's managed a measly 7 @ an average of 55. The fella needs a spell.

 

[Neil Young]

Kiwis can win this easily tbh, but will they?

Probably. By lunch as well.

 

[Hurricane]

Kiwis can win this easily tbh, but will they?

How many 400 run chases are there - 8 or 9 probably (is this correct)

Let me post them hang on

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/222199.html

 

[Scaly piscine]

Love the flip-flopping between extreme pessimism and optimism from New Zealand fans.

 

[BeeGee]

Nah, 401 is still a long way off. South Africa are still favourites by a mile.

400 runs and 130 odd overs is a heavy ask for the 4th innings, especially for NZ.

Thoughts of winning should be put out of our minds. I will be quite happy if we bat the 50 or so overs that are likely to be bowled tomorrow and come away with a draw.

AWTA. A draw would be an good result for NZ after the poor effort with the bat in their first innings.

 

[SteveNZ]

Love the flip-flopping between extreme pessimism and optimism from New Zealand fans.

Whereas you just go with eternal doomsaying. Nice work sir.

 

[SteveNZ]

Raining in Dunedin, and the shorter it goes there only becomes one winner. Gutted if play is lost, such a let down.

 

[Woodster]

Could be a potentially exciting final day but for the weather issue. SA will obviously still consider themselves rather heavy favourites, and rightly so, a couple of early wickets could turn ensure they are in a particularly good position.

I enjoyed the way NZ went about their business though yesterday, Nicol I'm sure will have been fuming with himself after stuffing a full bunger down Smith's throat after battling courageously. To state the obvious, this partnership is massive for NZ, both McCullum and Taylor looked solid and in good nick and if they can repel SA well into the day today, maybe the unthinkable could be possible. Of course a draw would be a fantastic result for NZ too, onbiously that depends on the volume of bad weather that's around.

For SA, thought Vern was outstanding with the new ball, he is constantly probing with a hint of movement and delivered a couple of well directed short balls too to keep the batsman guessing. Steyn was some way short of his best but I wouldn't bet against him having a big say today.

It's an intruiging day in store, perhaps the weather will have the final say though.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

They often choose the number 9/

Southee's defensive technique is non-existent.

 

[Dick Rockett]

whereas you just go with eternal doomsaying. Nice work sir.

+1

 

[Mike5181]

Looks like play is unlikely today. At least for a few hours.

 

[kingkallis]

Cricinfo : Mark Kidger, our resident feedbacker provides an accurate summary of supporters' feelings on both sides: "Rain: the romantics will talk of the glorious chase that we were robbed of; the realists will see South Africa robbed of a probable victory."

 

[Howe_zat]

Yeah, if I were a NZ fan I'd bite your hand off for a draw at this point.

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

Raining in Dunedin, and the shorter it goes there only becomes one winner. Gutted if play is lost, such a let down.

It would be interesting if we get about 60 odd overs today, and NZ cut to 150 needed of 25-30 overs with wickets in hand.

 

[SteveNZ]

It would be interesting if we get about 60 odd overs today, and NZ cut to 150 needed of 25-30 overs with wickets in hand.

It's a really interesting one. At that stage, South Africa could go in-out and protect the boundary. Would NZ go, and risk exposing their brittle lower order?

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

It's a really interesting one. At that stage, South Africa could go in-out and protect the boundary. Would NZ go, and risk exposing their brittle lower order?

Yeah, it's very interesting. It would depend if one of McCullum or Taylor were still at the crease. The more wickets down the later they leave it, surely.

Of course, a couple of early wickets and there is no need to worry about it.

 

[Flametree]

I was amazed they got any play in on day one given how things looked in the morning, so take this with a grain of salt... but if I were a betting man I'd be laying money on no play today. It's been raining solid for 12 hours, and is really set in at present. Visibility up on the hill is about 100m.

I actually thought a shortened day might increase NZ's chances of winning, illogical though that seems. Chasing 270 off 50 overs, McCullum and/or Taylor could have a real bash, secure that if they got out there would be fewer overs for the rest to survive. With 90 overs to bat, McCullum and Taylor would know an early wicket would give SA plenty of time to bowl out the rest, and that might affect their batting.

 

[Cabinet96]

It would be interesting if we get about 60 odd overs today, and NZ cut to 150 needed of 25-30 overs with wickets in hand.

Reduced overs gives New Zealand the upper hand IMO. Play safety first for the first part of the innings, but if they have wickets in hand 120 of 10 is achievable.

Obviously SA can put everyone back though, so you would have to factor that in as well.

 

[Briony]

I actually thought that reduced overs might militate against the kiwis because at the moment they need just under three runs per over. By upping the rate they have to take more risks and might expose the underbelly earlier. It may also depend if they get back on the influence of the weather. A damp outfield would slow down scoring but a wet bal would hurt the bowlers. The pitch may sweat under the covers and freshen it up to help the quicks.