1st Test: New Zealand v West Indies at Dunedin Dec 3-7, 2013

[JJ]

Boult gets us away to a good start 18/1

 

[vvvrulz]

Improved showing from the West Indies but still nowhere near enough.
Poor Chanderpaul, extremely underrated performer among a bunch of useless plonkers.

 

[Helmet Man]

Not so long ago Bangladesh were on top of NZ in a test match series.

 

[JJ]

Not so long ago Bangladesh were on top of NZ in a test match series.

As can be seen in the current Ashes series, most teams are pretty competitive at home, Bangers no exception

 

[JJ]

Good start, Samuels and Chanderpaul both gone...

 

[Xfactor1979]

Fantastic innings by Darren Bravo in what looked like a hopeless position

 

[JJ]

Bravo looks a good one.. and good to see a battle now.

 

[Xfactor1979]

And Bravo has put in a double, against all obligations too

The Windies, as told by my dad, have traditionally struggled in NZ, regardless of how many great teams they had

 

[JJ]

We certainly did well against their great teams of the 80s, but that was our peak too, and in one tour they didn't have Viv and we had Goodall :lol:

Very fine innings by Bravo

 

[vvvrulz]

Excellent stuff by Bravo, but boy are these pitches dead or what?

What happened to the good old days of seaming NZ wickets which would make even Andre Adams deadly.
I'm absolutely all for using home advantage, and turning our wickets into dead Indian style wickets does nobody any good.

I still see a West Indies loss, but if they crank up another 100-150 runs and Best produces an inspired spell... hmm.

 

[Iafeta]

I'll go on record to say the groundsman at University Oval is clearly a dribbler. Second test in 2 years where a first innings advantage can't be pressed because this plodder has produced a baked slab of clay that does nothing to aide either seamers or spinners. The groundsmen at Eden Park last year also did a poor job IMO.

New Zealand seems to have this fascination with setting up 5 day draw wickets. IMO, if you want to look at one of the top 5 issues as to why New Zealand is ranked atrociously in all formats, its because of dribble like this.

 

[Iafeta]

Great catch. About time. Even on this horrific pitch it barely carried.

 

[JJ]

Good to see the Windies fightling though - love to see character in test cricket...

 

[Iafeta]

Sloppy from Fulton. The New Zealanders fielding has been poor.

 

[Iafeta]

Well bowled Wagner. Two wickets this morning on this shocking wicket is as good as 7-25 elsewhere. Phil Tufnell, Devon Malcolm and Willie Watson could get maiden test tons on this wicket.

 

[Iafeta]

Ta-ta the goose. Good innings Sammy, pretty foolhardy though that stroke.

 

[JJ]

oh boy, will the weather clear?

 

[Izz]

Don't think so.

 

[vvvrulz]

New Zealand blew it big time, everyone knew rain one looming yet they fluffed around at 2.5 an over chasing a target they were never realistically a chance of blowing.

McCullum and Rutherford are copping lots of criticism but I'm backing them up here, at least they were trying to get a move on. A stroke filled 3 wicket win wouldn't matter, its a win.

 

[Victorious Secret]

West Indies deserved some good fortune.
Their second innings was excellent. Top marks for Bravo and Sammy.
They need a serious strike bowler though. Best and Gabriel just aren't intimidating enough.