Was this an Indian version of taking the handbrake off with Palmer, Bellingham and Foden? No one could bat time. No one could nurdle the ball around and collect. Everyone tried to be super aggressive even when it wasn’t on.
It's a truly astonishing achievement that really came from nowhere. The Black Caps in red ball cricket had looked to be on a slide.
It just all came together magically, everyone seemed to know their exact roles. And we definitely had the luck winning the toss in the last 2 tests, plus Sharma deciding to bat on a greentop in the 1st test. Plus Pant's dismissal today.
In a football context, I'd say it's like Leicester City winning the Premier League.
Arise Sir Mitchell Santner, Sir Glen Phillips and Sir Ajaz!
Glenn Phillips the destroyer. They only needed 26 with those last 3 wickets. Unbelievable stuff.
Can any one explain it?
I can’t explain it. Nor make sense of it.
Saw a few other stats following this win. It is the first time we have won three tests in a row away from home, that includes anything across multiple series as well (from Francis Payne on Twitter). It is also the first time we have won three tests in a series, home or away (although I heard that on Hauraki so yet to be verified).
In the last three years I believe our sole series wins have been 2-0 at home over Sri Lanka and 2-0 at home against South Africa C. We had lost four of our last five tests heading in to this series, the fifth of those being a washout against Afghanistan.
I think the Indians were firmly focussed on their next series against the Aussies, they weren't thinking about us and how we had three decent spinners in the squad, one who had taken 10 in an innings a few years early in India. We lost to Sri Lanka because we were thinking about the Indians and we under-estimated them.
Getting back into cricket myself: in a T20 game, got 16 off 13 batting at #4 and took 1-31 off 4. I'll be very good once I learn to bowl my leggies accurately again.
Ramming liberal dribble down your throat since 2009 This forum needs less angst and more Kate Bush threads
Just saw a side on view of his action on one wicket and …yeh was a bit suss on it. It’s even sneakier if it’s your effort ball, because it’s not your normal action so it’s not seen and analysed often and then gets a bit more pace or bounce or movement.
Yep, the Brits are ok. People like Gower must wonder what is going on with the NZ commentators when there are people like Coney and Smith on radio and a novice like Sodhi leaves them for dead.
It’s just so embarrassing as I assume people in England and elsewhere also have to listen to them.
NZ commentators are from one of two pools of people. They are either TV hosts, so may not know a lot about a particular sport - so they are reading prepared notes etc - Laura McGoldrick (was terrible early on in her career). Then you have the ex-players of said sport - Katy Martin - who are either thick as pigshark or lack the confidence and finesse of a performer to be on the telly.
2-0 at home vs South Africa D 0-2 at home vs Australia 0-2 away vs Sri Lanka 3-0 away vs India 1-2 at home vs England
The India series will do a massive amount of heavy lifting, but overall it’s a poor return. When was the last time we lost two home series in a calendar year? Very disappointing. As is getting an absolute shellacking in Sri Lanka.
We have unearthed Ravindra, O’Rourke and Sears which is a positive. Tim Southee retiring is also a positive. He has been a wonderful servant for us, but well past his best.
its the Sri Lankan losses that really stand out as disappointing. I feel like the lads went over there expecting to win, got smashed and revved themselves up for an Indian tour - and we caught the Indians off guard.
We were a little undercooked for the Sri Lankan series. Needed to have played that Afghan test.
Stead however has a lot to answer for not playing Henry over Tim in that Sri Lankan series. It defies belief that our top seamer did not play in that series.
With a changing of the guard with players, I think it is also time for a change of coach.
Glad we saw Tim out as a winner, he apparently has played in 47 test victories which is staggering for a kiwi.
