Its Summer! - the Fever Cricket Thread.

Disgraceful.  Just absolutely disgraceful.  I am so sick of this shit, I wish I could stop caring, but I can't.  Can't they at least just show some guts and fight for their wickets?  So sick of seeing them throwing it away.  

Bracewell in the first innings for instance.  Batting at 8 is a reasonably important slot - often you are going to be batting with a batsman who is in (as Franklin was in this case), and you need to be able to support him by playing sensibly and occupying the crease.  What does Bracewell do, he wanders down the pitch (not even a determined move to get his feet to the pitch of the bal) has a lazy swing that doesn't get near it, and just gives a free stumping to Dhoni.  It is unfair to single him out, but it is the one dismissal that really just sticks in my mind as symptomatic of the complete lack of determination to put a value on every wicket that this team shows.

Disgraceful.

I think the issues with our team are psychological. We are never going to have a team of world class players but we might have one or two and the rest can be solid, they just need to fight, show a bit of backbone, bring back the biff etc. Get Fleming involved somehow, he knew how to get the most out of his troops. Right now its our senior players who piss me off. I can excuse young guys having brain explosions but Baz and Rossco throw their wickets away all the time but there's no accountability because you can't drop them when they are clearly our best batsmen. 

Grrrr it's so annoying. I totally understand wanting to not care anymore but being unable to help yourself too Mike, that's exactly how I feel.

Well that's a bit better. Glad we decided to be aggressive, because really, 9 out of our 11 batsman are attacking players and aren't great at batting time. Gonna get out anyway, may as well make some runs

Crunching some Ross Taylor numbers, his strike rate when he scores a century is 65, in all other innings it is 51. Think attacking play is the key for him

That's a stat that is generally likely to happen though. If you get 100 you'll be in good nick,which would probably mean you score quicker as you see the ball better. The times he doesn't score 100 includes innings such as batting for a draw,or when he's struggling for form. 

It's like when Americans say "the team who wins the first game of the series,goes on to win it x% of the time" - no sh*t,because they're more likely to be the better team. 

Southee gets a five fer!!

Ripping through them, has 7 now, India 9 down Could this be a career turner for him?

I didn't want Southee brought in for Martin.

I was wrong.

So the 'kick up the ass' looks to have paid off. Hopefully it is a career turner for him, so much talent but loses it in the head sometimes.

Game on.

Annoying little tail wag but we have a lead!

India by 6 wickets. Much improved effort however, our bowling looks well set for the future

As it stands with a lead of 244, India will have to produce their sixth best run chase ever to beat us. Would be nice if Jeets and Boult can add another 20-30 but won't be counting on it. I think we're a chance if the pitch starts getting variable and we bowl well. We basically just need to bowl good lines and hope with some help from the pitch the Indians get themselves into a bit of trouble. However I think if they get to 100-150 no less than 3-4 down it will be theirs. 

I'm entering the NZ cricket fan "dangerzone": I believe we can do something historic today.

And yet more dodgy decisions.  That has missed the bat by 6 inches.  This lack of DRS is just an absolute joke.  India should hang there head in shame.

I know.  They have hurt me so often, but as I said in my earlier rant, I just can't not care/hope.

Well they almost added 20, but it could have been more had Patel not been sawn off!

1988 was the last time we won in India.  Read John Wright's 1990 "Cristmas in Raratonga" for the complete story.  The best NZ sport bio ever.

Sehwag is the key here. He could take it away from us before we know it so we need his wicket for less than 30.

Nope.  I'm out of the "dangerzone".  I don't believe anymore.

Lucky you.  I'm trying hard to convince my subconcious there is no hope.  Not yet working.  Few more Sehwag shots/bad umpiring decisions may get me there though.

Yeah I'm pretty tragic too, currently cheering them on but I should really know better by now. A least this is better than the first test.

The "dangerzone" can kiss my ass.

Aaaaaand it's fading...

Thanks to Gautam, mine is gone.  Was nice that they attacked early and put me out of my misery.  Can now watch in the joyful sense of relaxed pessimism that only NZ cricket can inspire.

That appeal on Tendulkar was good enough for McCullum to be given out in exactly the same circumstances.

Win or lose this Boult vs 'The Master' battle continues to entertain. Boult nearly had him there and he's fired up + not showing him much respect. Also bowling just a shade under 140kph which is rapid for a kiwi.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPYF2p-cGx8  ????

win or lose, I f*cking love test cricket when it gets like this. Tension, drama, controversy, ebbing and flowing from one team to the other. great stuff!

Need a wicket.

Amen to that.  

YUUUSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!

Shit, now I have got hope again   I am in Stevo's 'Dangerzone'!

Deeper into the dangerzone now then?

2 new batsmen at the crease...

Wow, complete brain explosion from Raina.  Firmly into Stevo's 'dangerzone' now.

The pendulum's swung back to India again, so must be about time we take another wicket

second that. Dhoni looking like he's enjoying facing Patel much more than anyone else