Pakistan v NewZealand (in U.A.E and NZL)

Sometimes I wonder why teams just don't pack off the slip cordon and set the guys back fine leg and square leg and just bounce short all day to the Pakistani batsmen, they just seem to crumble easily that way.

The ground in New Zealand are a little too small for my liking but the pitches are pretty nice and helps bowlers and batsmen.

The NZL have got off to pretty good start especially when compared to the Pakistani innings and will hope to get a good lead. Vettori at no.6 is very good and I'm hoping he gets another hundred. Been following this Test closely. A very good first day for a Test match.

Baz and Vettori are a good foil in that lower middle order. Vettori has played so well and his batting has come a long, long way. I remember in 1997 he make a very good 90 in a test as a teenager and I thought he had some batting talent. He's really shown it here and I think he can translate these performances against better attacks in more difficult conditions too. I would bat him at 7 though, I'd hate to see him become a batting all rounder.

Is there anything he cant do? I want Pakistan to win but this guy is so so good i hope NZ win it for Dan.

Haha yes correct.

An interesting last couple of days to say the least. A century to Vettori, 50's to McCullum and Tuffey (with some help from the fielders and umpires in the latter case). So with a huge first innings lead, the Pakistan openers, to their credit have hung in their, having a little luck of their own.

Kaneria bowled quite well for his 7 wickets, nothing magical, but continues to show he has the the best googly in International cricket. The pitch is taking turn but it's quite slow turn. The pitch is also starting to play not quite 'true' anymore, with a few bouncing up, or keeping really low which you would not expect to be so pronounced on a day 3 pitch. The first 30-60 minutes will be critical tomorrow morning for New Zealand when the pitch will have absorbed a little moisture over night and will seam a bit. After that first burst it will be very hard toil.

Lastly a comment on the umpiring. Whether it's just the fact the review system highlightes umpiring mistakes even more, or just the fact they were terrible decisions the umpiring this game has been sub standard. Tuffey got two reprieves for LBW when batting against Kaneria when he was out but Pakistan had used up their reviews. Then, later, a Pakistan opener was out stumped but the square leg umpire didn't go to the 3rd umpire to check it which raised a question I didn't know the answer too. Can the fielding team request a review of the square leg umpires desicions?


Edited by NZ_Fast - 13 December 2009 at 7:54am

All I had to go on the was radio commentary, and they said quite definitely that his foot was grounded, but only on the line, not behind it. I should see it in the highlights I'm about to watch though. As for NZ not appealing, well I didn't know that.


Just saw what the radio commentators were talking about. Certainly worth an appeal (I don't think we're talking about the same incident mystery).


Edited by NZ_Fast - 13 December 2009 at 10:19am

Originally posted by mystery Anyway i think we might see a draw here becuz the pitch looks really flat.

As much as I hope it doesn't end in a draw, I have to agree with you. There is a chance for the NZ bowlers though in that first hour tomorrow morning as I wrote above. If they can grab at least 2 wickets in that first burst it gives NZ a opening to push for a win.

Vettori - one of the most consistent batsman of the year. I would say best of the year considering the situations he has performed in but that might be going too far.

Good job by the Pakistan openers. Looks like yet another great match is in store between these two teams. Just hope O'Brien gets a 5-for.

Both teams played well in this series. Pakistan gave away their chance of winning in their first Innings but fought hard to save the test in the end. I think Vettori was too defensiv in this test. He should have attacked a bit more. Had he begun with 2 slips today he could have Umar Akmal early.

I like the way Umar Akmal has dominated Vettori in the whole series. I have seen very few Batsmen who have done this before.

Who was the player of the series?

Terrific series, I enjoyed all the times I got to watch some play!  Was good to see both sides bowl and some good individual batting - only two failures this series which was the batting was quite poor at times and Pakistan's fielding was very bad.

Are you serious? Pffffft what a joke. Australians ate him for breakfast in 04/05.

Abdul Razzaq can bowl better than Sami and can also bat.

Yeah, when I saw it, I was like, what da hell?  Surely Sledger must be thinking he can earn a call up soon.

I think Pakistani selector are trying to match Aussies selector by picking Sami.