Its Summer! - the Fever Cricket Thread. (Part 2)

Congarts Ross , 290...Best innings by  a Kiwi overseas...Now need an outstanding bowling effort !!

Think Smith will push for the win..set us about 300 from 65-70 overs...

Dear Ewe Zealand Cricket,

In order to win a Test Series you must actually win more matches than the other sides, not just a solitary innings.

Regards,

'Straya

I felt so sorry for Taylor.  He deserved the triple.  It was an amazing knock and him and Kane together were just amazing.  But fudge so close to the triple.... so clooooooose.

Surprised Mitch J didn't wait 'til the end of the test/series to pull the pin.

Kinda sad, I've always enjoyed watching him - he could be anywhere from the sublime to the ridiculous. Rarely a dull moment!

Good start this morning....

Wicket playing a few tricks now...reckon we will open with Mc Cullum

I've seen closer ;)

Yeah very unlucky. Would've been an amazing and well deserved milestone.

Yeah I find it odd making the announcement before the test finishes. I was critical of Michael Clarke for doing something similar for both ODIs and tests. Felt like he was trying to make it about himself.

Dear Strayan Cricket

Regards,

Everyone ;)

Great fight back by NZ after Day 1. We managed to take 16 wickets. Pity there wasn't a Day 6 !! Outstanding innings from Ross probably the best by a Kiwi considering his health "issues". Thought we were the better team in this match considering the umpiring mistakes. Adelaide should be a cracker....

I for one don't want the Aussie cricket team to change. That's them, and that's how they roll... they've been at the top of world cricket (or not far off) for the best part of twenty years - so it works for them.

Just the same as B Mac has been spouting about the BC's needing to understand how THEY want to play, instead of trying to play like Aussie or England, or whoever.

I'm proud of our guys and how they go about their cricket but Aussie's have every right to be equally proud of theirs. And that's without acknowledging the successes they've had over recent decades.

Don't change BG's, don't change.

Personally Id like them to show a little more sportsmanship.  Once someone is out there is no reason to be a tool to that person any more.

But that's my opinion and I know not everyone shares it.

What I think they should do is look at that wicket.  A test wicket shouldn't be designed so that batsmen can bat out the 5 days easily (comparatively, not saying the task is easy in general).  The game should be decided in up to 5 days with the occasional draw.  

Haven't we won a test series more recently than you lot?

What the hell happened to South Africa? I saw a bit of it - the pitch looked like it was helping the spinners but not enough to justify that batting lineup being rolled for 79

A terrible start for us.

someone should say "hey? It's a 450 over game..." Might help with shot selection cause it's not a T20

Also, the greenest pitch we have seen so far on this tour, a new ball which apparently our bowlers can get to do a bit, the uncertainty around the light  and so on.... why the hell didn't Baz choose to bowl first? Was he just confused because he actually won a toss for once?

Solid start this arvo!

Make that a great start!

Make that a brilliant start hahaha!

Only one glaringly wrong decision against us this, but I can't think of a single 50/50 decision that has gone our way in this series.

Plus, once they decided that they couldn't be sure he hit it and went to check the LBW, they checked the WRONG BALL!!  The actual ball went past the bat, hit the shoulder and ballooned up to slip, the LBW they reviewed hit the pad then trickled into the leg side!  Farcical.

This could be an interesting finish.

This is starting to look a lot like that Hobart test a few years ago....

I love everything about this test....except the score.

And the fact it is a day nighter

Unfortunately, I think it is 'goodnight nurse '.

I actually loved that.  being able to catch most of the test after work on Friday.  And if it lasted longer Id be able to catch most of Day 4 this evening.

I thought the Day\night element was cool, the crowds were fantastic, the pitch was exciting, the ball was different.  I just thought it was all great.

Yeah i'm a fan. Hopefully not to be overused, but it's a nice concept.

One thing i loved was the ball hooping round at night. Anything that gives the bowlers a leg up gets a big plus from me. 

Totally agree...so much has been made of lately of bats that are too big making the game lopsided. It was a much more even contest, will bring back more form to the art of batting and those who decry the smaller scores/done in 3 days are missing one little thing...it's the first test in over 130 years with a dramatically different ball, it will take time to adjust. 

Not guilty.

so... cue Women's Weekly with Lance Cairns interviews about how his faith in his son never wavered?

I have no doubt in my mind he's guilty.  But both things are tough as shark to proove so was expecting this result.

Yet another 3 day test.

Regardless of if he's guilty or innocent he's always going to be tarred with the allegations. Which means the only place he can probably ever get a media gig now days is at News Talk ZB with Tony Vietch.

Cairns has proven innocent, the questions now must be, who is telling porkies and for what reason...or should it be, for how much? And who is financing it?

I had doubts over the whole thing, it was almost like the perfect set up and Cairns was the fall guy.

I also agree with Cairns about the crap treagment handed out to his father as a result of his sons investigation.

And how will McCullem respond. Did he tell a porkie or did he get the wrong measure of the stick in regards to the conversation?

Gonna be very interesting. Will this allow Cairns to sue for defamation? He needs to pay his counsol somehow.

...on an different note, does anyone in here play Social Cricket in the Hutt with a team that goes to the nets on a regular basis?

Well the obvious scenario is that Vincent was trying to give up someone in order to get a more lenient judgement himself. As you point out the interesting point is McCullems testimony, surely this tarnishes him as the captain of NZ?

The main thing is that if Cairns was some sort of match fixing master mind, and that Vincent cost him millions of dollars on just one game, why is he cleaning bus stops in Auckland? Where did the money go. Cairns apparently had good explanations for every cent that he received and the prosecution was never able to prove that he received any unorthodox cash. Like in most things you follow the money and you will find the culprit.