Its Summer! - the Fever Cricket Thread.

Any comment on this TL?

It looks like everyone is in barefeet/jandals so damage to the pitch is unlikely and its not the 'outrage' the Indian media are trying to make it out. Even so, beer on the wicket the night before the test with the covers rolled back?

Yeah, they're f'n idiots. Even though any damage is unlikely you just don't take those risks. On top of that it looks terrible and totally unprofessional. I know it wouldn't go down well here if we'd done the same thing. No one goes near our deck in the days leading up to our tests and even we avoid walking on it as much as we can. We do have our own traditions with having "a few" beers but it all kicks off after the match when the cameras are gone.

This better not delay this afternoon's test because I'm sick of watching 20/20 cricket.

Holy sh*t, that is a crack and a half for the first day!

Someone dropped a full can and cracked it last night.

Right on a length to from what I saw of it. (no sound atm, so I could be wrong).

The uproar by the Indian media because of the situation with the Perth groundstaff.

I don't see how that would possibly delay the start of the game.


India not going so well. The master gone

Jealous Indian media decide to have their turn drinking out on the pitch before the start of play?

Indian batsman disappointing yet again in 1st session.

exactly

They have a system in place to keep the [crazy Indian] media where they should be. Although, apparently the guy who video'd the incident is[was] a security guard at the Waca.

Looks like India in for a another hiding.

If I was an Indian - I'd be disgusted with this shower.  It'd be bad enough if this was the Young Guns - but at least we've got some pretty good excuses for our usual inadequacies.

India are f**king dogsh*t.

Warner's taking the piss, 71 off 52

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/series-tournaments/india-in-australia/top-stories/Ind-vs-Aus-Australia-bundle-out-India-for-161-on-Day-1/articleshow/11470612.cms

Sadly this seems to be true. Very disappointing.

Not a bad way to bring up your 100

Warner you freak. That would be a great knock in the big bash let alone a f**king test match. The indians are a bit disgraceful though

760/1 - Australia since Cowan fell lbw to Zaheer at SCG.

Thats a good stat, reflects how terrible the indians have been bowling

Everyone loves Warner having a hit, lets unleash some of our players and let them do whatever they want in the test format.

6/325 is nothing to sneer at for the Indians, other than Warner and Cowan Aussies haven't done much. Sadly though, they are let down by their batting again.

And at 4/not enough India are trying to again lose by an innings.

Shocking performance by India considering that they are ranked 2nd in the world.Leggy2012-01-14 22:41:57

I'm not actually sure that the wicket is that good, I think its probably 300 par, just Warner and Cowan batted terrificly well

Kruger van Wyk named as keeper for Zimbabwe. I'd rather have De Boorder, but still a better option than Young

Where can I find the tour squad? Can't see it on Stuff, NZC, radio sport etc...

My read of article is that Waitling will keep in the 3-day warm-up game with Van Wyk opening the batting. Basically a run off between the two of them.

If true that makes no sense really, Watling who hasn't kept for years being a keeper, Kruger who bats at 7 being an opener? I'm guessing BJ will replace Ryder, with Kruger in for Young

http://www.blackcaps.co.nz/news/international/1/nz-xi-and-blackcaps-squad-for-test-v-zimbabwe/9245/article.aspx

Vettori will replace Ryder I think. Keeping the four seamers.

Would be dissapointed if we went with Watling just so we can have 5 bowlers, I really do think your keeper has to be a specialist at this level. Thought de Border would be the one, very surprised to see van Wyk in there. Also dissapointed Franklin isn't at least in the NZ XI as a specialist batsman/part time bowler - leads the combined MVP table, is 2nd in the 4 day MVP table, and is currently in good form in the HRV cup.

Happy to see Nethula there though, hopefully one for the future.

Ah, old Jimmy Franklin. Looks fantastic for all its worth in domestic, performs occasionally well for the Black Caps, then gets dropped. I love the guy but I think we may have got sick of him, just like Sinclair before him

Franky deserves some recognition. Most of his time in the national side has been as a bowler and fair enough he proved to be very average, he's now one of the more dominant batsmen we have domestically and from memory he played pretty well on the sub continent tour last year then was dropped. It would be safe to say hes in the top 15 players in the country but it seams they're looking into the future with Brownlie and Watling.

Yep, I just think if we are going to persist with (I think the ridiculous) 4 seamers + a spinner, I would rather have Franklin/Vetorri/Keeper as 6/7/8 than Vetorri/Keeper/Southee. Although not a frontline bowler he is a more than adequate fourth seamer (in tests - he should never again be allowed to bowl in international limited over cricket).

Edit: If we go with 3 seamers only, I certainly think Brownlie deserves the spot at 6 in front of him after his performances in the Aussie series.aitkenmike2012-01-16 22:23:01

Franky must be quietly unhappy that an australian is being picked ahead of him, you'd think.

Not only is Watling theNo. 2 keeper for ND, I don't think he would be the No. 1 at any other province either. A scary thought really.