Pakistan in New Zeland

[RoosterMarty]

For the contest's sake I hope the NZ bowlers can get early wickets. What is the pitch like?

The kiwis collapsed pretty bloody fast.

[CoverKing]

For the contest's sake I hope the NZ bowlers can get early wickets. What is the pitch like?

The kiwis collapsed pretty bloody fast.

Extremely fast!!!

McCullums shot = terrible!
O'Briens shot = terrible!
Tuffeys shot = terrible - but batting with Martin so understandable.

Pretty much was just good bowling, with a swinging ball and good variety in the Paki's attack, the NZ's batted terrible!!

Overcast conditions help the bowlers aswell!

[RoosterMarty]

Pakistan are 2/61 in their second dig (almost two thirds of NZ's total score already) with both openers gone, O'Brien with the wickets.

[CoverKing]

And 2/64 at stumps. Misbah un Haq and M. Yosouf at the crease!

[brod]

For the contest's sake I hope the NZ bowlers can get early wickets. What is the pitch like?

The kiwis collapsed pretty bloody fast.

Extremely fast!!!

McCullums shot = terrible!
O'Briens shot = terrible!
Tuffeys shot = terrible - but batting with Martin so understandable.

Pretty much was just good bowling, with a swinging ball and good variety in the Paki's attack, the NZ's batted terrible!!

Overcast conditions help the bowlers aswell!

First ball as well

[brod]

Even though Elliott made 40% of the Kiwis first innings score he's a liability and MUST go, Daniel Luca is abetter batsmen that he is

[brod]

New Zeland vs Pakistan
Second Test
Wellington

STUMPS DAY 2

Pakistan 264
Kamran Akhmal 70
Umar Akmal 46
DL Vettori 4/58
DR Tuffey 4/64

New Zealand 99
LPRL Taylor 30
Mohammed Asif 4/40
Danish Kaneria 3/6

Pakistan 2/64
Imran Farhat 35
IE O'Brien 2/16

[brod]

New Zeland vs Pakistan
Second Test
Wellington

STUMPS DAY THREE

Pakistan 264
New Zeland 99
Pakistan 239
Mohammed Yousef 83
Umar Akhmal 52
CS Martin 4/52
IE OBrien 4/66
GD Elliott 2/8 (first positive contribution in his test career)
New Zeland 3/70
DR Flynn 20
Mohammed Asif 3/19

Pakistan were 3-197

Another failure by McIntosh, who has now scored 37 runs in four innings (31 came in one dig)

[brod]

Iain O'Brien, the New Zealand fast bowler, will retire from international cricket at the end of the Test series against Pakistan to move to the UK to be with his wife and play for Middlesex.

O'Brien said the decision had been a tough one to make but that his personal circumstances were such that he could no longer keep his national commitments. "My wife lives and works in the UK and my immediate future is there," O'Brien said. "Since we married, two and a half years ago, we have spent only nine months together. I am 33 years old and my main focus now is becoming a 'proper' husband, starting a family, settling down and securing my future in that country. Cricket has been my number one; I've placed it in front of everything else. It's now time to put Rosie first and start a family. I intend to keep playing the game I love in the UK, and have an opportunity to finish my career with Middlesex county

[locky801]

Just heard on the wireless that Pakistan won by about 140 runs

[brod]

The in-form BJ Watling is in line for his Test debut after replacing Peter Fulton for the series-deciding third Test against Pakistan in Napier from Friday. New Zealand's selectors avoided wholesale changes after they were dismissed for 99 and 263 in the loss in Wellington on Sunday, with Watling the only new face in the 13-man outfit.

"I had a fair idea I was in the mix but you are always shocked and excited when you get the call-up," said Watling, who played two Twenty20 internationals in the UAE last month. He has performed well in the State Shield and scored 90 and 136 in the most recent rounds of the Plunket Shield. The selector Mark Greatbatch said Watling showed outstanding potential as a developing batsman.

New Zealand squad Tim McIntosh , Martin Guptill, Daniel Flynn, Ross Taylor, BJ Watling, Grant Elliott , Brendon McCullum (wk), Daniel Vettori (capt), Daryl Tuffey, Iain O'Brien, Chris Martin, Jeetan Patel, Tim Southee.

[brod]

Its hard to point fingers at the Kiwi top order - only four fingers on one hand and five of the top six in terrible form

Mc Intosh 37 runs
Fulton 42 runs
Flynn 57 runs
Elliott 59 runs
Guptil 75 runs

All players have batted FOUR times

Im unsure how you could single out Fulton to be dropped,
sure hes scored two ducks, but so has Guptill
sure hes struggling to score (s/rate 30.4), but its better than McIntosh 22.8 and Elliott 28.5

Lucky for the Kiwis the other top six batsman is in form, Taylor is averaging 70, with three 50s (unfortunately for him/NZ, he hasnt turned one into a big hundred)

[CoverKing]

Its hard to point fingers at the Kiwi top order - only four fingers on one hand and five of the top six in terrible form

Mc Intosh 37 runs
Fulton 42 runs
Flynn 57 runs
Elliott 59 runs
Guptil 75 runs

All players have batted FOUR times

Im unsure how you could single out Fulton to be dropped,
sure hes scored two ducks, but so has Guptill
sure hes struggling to score (s/rate 30.4), but its better than McIntosh 22.8 and Elliott 28.5

Lucky for the Kiwis the other top six batsman is in form, Taylor is averaging 70, with three 50s (unfortunately for him/NZ, he hasnt turned one into a big hundred)

True about Taylor, but at the same time there are reasons he has not turned them into centuries ....

1. The lack of scoring ability in the NZ battin line up, he has to score at a rate quick enough for both ends.

2. his team mates cant bat long enough for him to stay there to get a ton

[brod]

Its hard to point fingers at the Kiwi top order - only four fingers on one hand and five of the top six in terrible form

Mc Intosh 37 runs
Fulton 42 runs
Flynn 57 runs
Elliott 59 runs
Guptil 75 runs

All players have batted FOUR times

Im unsure how you could single out Fulton to be dropped,
sure hes scored two ducks, but so has Guptill
sure hes struggling to score (s/rate 30.4), but its better than McIntosh 22.8 and Elliott 28.5

Lucky for the Kiwis the other top six batsman is in form, Taylor is averaging 70, with three 50s (unfortunately for him/NZ, he hasnt turned one into a big hundred)

True about Taylor, but at the same time there are reasons he has not turned them into centuries ....

1. The lack of scoring ability in the NZ battin line up, he has to score at a rate quick enough for both ends.

2. his team mates cant bat long enough for him to stay there to get a ton

Their next three best batsmen all follow him (Vettori, McCullum, O'Brien)

[CoverKing]

Calling McCullum a batsman after his golden duck and the shot is a bit generous Brod.

Agree about O'Brien and Vettori tho, and i think you were harsh to leave out Martin

[brod]

Calling McCullum a batsman after his golden duck and the shot is a bit generous Brod.

Agree about O'Brien and Vettori tho, and i think you were harsh to leave out Martin

True, he didnt get out in the last test, not his fault being left stranded

[brod]

3rd Test starts tomorrow

TEAM NEWS
Daniel Vettori has said he'll be batting at No.6 to accommodate an extra bowler. He added it was a toss-up between four seamers, and three seamers and two spinners - so either Tim Southee, who has the edge with the grass cover on the track, or Jeetan Patel. BJ Watling, replacing Peter Fulton, is likely to make his Test debut. He comes in with good form, having made 90 and 136 in his last first-class game, but his career average is 30.

New Zealand: 1 Tim McIntosh, 2 BJ Watling, 3 Martin Guptill, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Daniel Flynn, 6 Daniel Vettori (capt), 7 Brendon McCullum (wk), 8 Tim Southee/ Jeetan Patel, 9 Daryl Tuffey, 10 Ian O'Brien, 11 Chris Martin.

Pakistan are also likely to make one change; both Mohammad Yousuf and Intikhab Alam have said that Shoaib Malik, who has endured his worst Test series for a while, is unlikely to play. Faisal Iqbal thus has a chance to shift up from a perennial backbencher spot, maybe even at one-down.

Pakistan: 1 Imran Farhat, 2 Salman Butt, 3 Faisal Iqbal, 4 Mohammad Yousuf (capt), 5 Misbah-ul-Haq, 6 Umar Akmal, 7 Kamran Akmal (wk), 8 Mohammad Aamer, 9 Umar Gul, 10 Danish Kaneria, 11 Mohammad Asif.

[brod]

A stat that surprised me

•Danish Kaneria has become the highest wicket-taking spinner for Pakistan with 238 wickets, heading the illustrious trio of Abdul Qadir (236), Saqlain Mushtaq (208) and Mushtaq Ahmed (185). Kaneria is now fourth on Pakistan's list of highest Test wicket-takers.

[jackpot jim]

3rd Test
Pakistan r in heaps of poop after winning the toss and batting.
3/48 and Ian O'brien in his farewell Test has bowled 4 overs and has 2/0
Yousef 0

Cant see pakistan troubling Australias 2 nd XI let alone the Test side, any sign of bounce in the pitch and their batsmen SSHHIITT themselves.

[jackpot jim]

Make that 4/51. O'Brien now has 3/3 off 4.2 overs

Make that 5/51 O'Brien now has 4/3 off 5 overs.

Totally Pathetic Pakistan.