NZ vs Pak

Not many are giving a chance to NZ after what Pak did to Aus
But NZ cannot do worse than Aus


And Pak has won the toss and batting first again....unchanged side

Nz has gone in with 2 seamers, 2 spinners and 2 allrounders...both of whom are attacking batsmen

NZ do not appear to be doing any worse than Aus in the bowling department.
can they put a good show with bat one time....like a 400+ score......that would put draw as a highly likely scenario

unbelievable score from NZ 566-3!!!!

NZ 186-5 in reply..

can't see why Neesham batted above Watling to be honest..

Pakistan are just handing out beatings at home. These guys are merciless

kingraf wrote:Pakistan are just handing out beatings at home. These guys are merciless

Pak are displaying

1) Hunger.....starved for top class
2) Depth of talent......they keep throwing up one talent after the other

Fine hand from Tom Latham, but no support whatsoever from the rest of the lineup. Don't think the likes of Neesham should bat ahead of BJ Watling.
Ones again, a terrific showing from Misbah's side. That man really deserves a lot of respect. It it to Pakistan's great credit that they are doing so well with their lead spinner out with a suspect action, and their led seamer out injured. With Ajmal and Junaid Khan, and without many other experienced bowlers, they are just rolling sides over with ease....... And for ones, their batsmen are also showing a prolonged sense of purpose.......

Pak 148-2


Shehzad ruled out of the series.

NZ need to survive 140 overs...and I sense they may be able to do so

I sense you are wrong

Had Willamson still been there, you never know...but once again this NZ batting line up collapse..

Pakistan continuing the good run. The unassuming Misbah leading them to another fine performance, he's close to becoming Pakistan's most successful test captain. Richly deserving.......

kingraf wrote:I sense you are wrong

I sense you had the benefit of a scorecard progressed by 3 hours since I put my neck on the block

NZ doing what Aus couldn't...competing in the 2nd test.....400+ with the bat...an the moment you win the toss, bat first post 400+ and try honestly with the ball.......you make the opponent stretch.

Pak in a bit of discomfort at 195-4 now

Best series in cricket at the moment.

They aren't Hadlee (who is?), but Boult and Southee must be the best of the rest New Zealand has ever had. Proper class opening attack.

Pakistan trail only by 85 now. If they can get it down to 50ish, then its game on

They've done a sight better, Pakistan, deficit down to 38.

Monster knock from,Safraz Ahmed. Best Keeper batter in the world.

kingraf wrote:Best series in cricket at the moment.

Not a good series though. A displaced team playing in front of empty stadiums, away team drubbed in First Test thanks to only having one warm-up match. The kind of series that makes you think Test cricket will die out sooner rather than later.

This Test has been nothing short of fantastic though. I'm pretty sure tomorrow would be a sell out in Karachi. Going to be a fantastic comeback victory.

VTR wrote:

kingraf wrote:Best series in cricket at the moment.

Not a good series though. A displaced team playing in front of empty stadiums, away team drubbed in First Test thanks to only having one warm-up match. The kind of series that makes you think Test cricket will die out sooner rather than later.

Test cricket is like Diesel, Power, Water in India and developing countries ---subsidized.

And it will survive on subsidies until one day BCCI decides...."we don't care for test cricket"
and that day will come when Dhoni has finished his career and turned into a cricket administrator / commentator

At first I thought your comment re Dhoni was a bit fatalistic but thinking about it I can see where you are coming from!

If things carry on like this we could be left with 3 types of series: 1. The Ashes 2.Eng and possibly Aus hosting a few other teams 3. maybe India and Pakistan playing "home" series in England.

The above would then start a cycle of repetition that would erode the value of the product - something we are already seeing with yet another Ashes series coming soon. Fans are not stupid, and I for one am not paying £75 for a day of cricket this time.

Meanwhile the test has devloped into an exciting finish
Pak needs in 4th inning 260 at under 4RPO
and now 70-2

if they keep going....they will lose wickets
if they drop shutter, NZ can attack with many close-ins without fear of defeat.

I predict a narrow defeat for Pak or a narrow surival by a wicket or two

Still looks like a draw to me.

Overs left in the day?

Coming down to the last fifteen overs and NZ still need six wickets ...not going to happen.
Pakistan have had a flurry of boundaries lately but I can't see them charging home at seven per over either..

And out goes Younus ! Craig with the break and perhaps some pressure for the batsmen after all ?

16 overs and 5 wkts to take.
Only NZ can win from here

Ooff, the NZ tail made the difference. From 167/6, I felt quite confident of Pakistan wrapping them up for 20-30 runs. Instead they hung around and Ross Taylor played a hand. Well done. For snatching a draw, as that's as good as it gets for visiting sides in UAE

Better than Australia , anyway

Another wicket or two now might make it interesting . But I gather concerns about the light are likely to end things a bit early anyway.

3rd test... NZ have picked Dan Vettori and gone in with 3 spinners!!! batting looks weak, with Anderson at 5, and Vettori at 6!!

Hafeez did play a mammoth inning...but only 280 and 3 down can well be bundled out for 400.....and that's only a par score.

so the game is not out of NZ's grasp completely yet

KP_fan wrote:Hafeez did play a mammoth inning...but only 280 and 3 down can well be bundled out for 400.....and that's only a par score.

so the game is not out of NZ's grasp completely yet

and NZ this morning did better than I thought their best effort could be....bowled out Pak for 350ish and that's below par
Mark Craig took a 7-fer with Vettori and Ish taking 1 wkts each.....rare occasion NZ playing 3 specialist spinners

If Nz can bat big 450ish one time ....they will have Pak in trouble

McCullum on fire.....51 off 34 balls...and NZ going at 6RPO
how long can he sustain it ?

cracking start from McCullum, NZ clearly have a plan to get after Babar, who even when he hasn't been taking wickets this series has been invaluable in keeping the rate down and offering control to his captain. If NZ can force him out of the attack that changes things significantly. Yasir will have to bowl more, as will the seamers.

Kiwis doing well here...McCullum playing a remarkable innings. Can they keep it up ?

100 in 78 balls for McCullum

Pakistan getting hammered here...plenty for them to think about over tea...

remarkable attack from NZ......189-1 at nearly 7RPO
Mccullum playing like he should more often 122(92)

Williamson 47(47) looking pale only relative to the sparkling brilliance of mcculum

NZ slows down to under 6 RPO a measly 5.8 as they crawled in the last 10 overs only at 3.7

fantastic from McCullum!!!

the miniscorecard below says it all ;
Pakistan 351
New Zealand 331/1 (60.1 ov)
New Zealand trail by 20 runs with 9 wickets remaining in the 1st innings
New Zealand RR 5.50
Last 10 ovs 49/0 RR 4.90
Min overs remaining 75.5

McCullum gets to a double hundred fittingly with a SIX and off only 186 balls.
I wonder if the "inconsequntiality" of cricket in big scheme of things has made Mcullum play with such abandon

he's gone after the double hundred with scores level...NZ need to bat sensibly and use the next 8 wickets to build them atleast 200 run lead

A 300 and two 200s in one calendar year - Don Bradman and Brendon McCullum CI

Yes, McCullum and Williamson have batted wonderfully well.
Full marks for their patience and mental application to build such a big score.

I think you are right, KP_f regarding the inconsequential nature of cricket in the big scheme of things. It's also almost as if someone is looking down on them; someone who also had the ability to accumulate runs and had the confidence to so totally dominate a bowling attack in a certain style.

Jeez, Mccullum might actually finish his career with an average near 40. Nearly at the gold standard.

The Loaded Dog wrote:  
I think you are right, KP_f regarding the inconsequential nature of cricket in the big scheme of things. It's also almost as if someone is looking down on them; someone who also had the ability to accumulate runs and had the confidence to so totally dominate a bowling attack in a certain style.

well I have a feeling we will see from some of the Aussies defining innings of their careers in this series for the same reasons...in the coming test series.

On the Pak-Nz game ...NZ has played themselves into a commanding position...up by 286 runs.....2 wkts in hand....they will bat on tomm and try and get as much above 300 as they can.
The break-neck speed at which they batted means there is still a lot of time left in the test

Boult runs thru Pak top order like a "hot knife thru butter" ( used this phrase after a long time

at 55-4 and still trailing by 280 odd......innings defeat looks inevitable
the NZ new ball attack is really a fine one

Looking good. I'm watching the Hughes Tribute... but keeping an eye on this.

NZ edging closer now. Vettori grabs a wicket in perhaps his last Test match.

Pakistan 180/8 trailing by 159 runs.

NZ wins by an innings an 90 runs to level the Series 1-1... so a draw.

Asad Shafiq made a very good 137 before holing out in the deep... really going for it at the end.
Craig gets his 10-fer. 10/203
The 35 sixes struck is a record for a Test match.

Massive come back from NZ after the loss in Abu Dhabi.