2 Test series- NZ v Pakistan

[Iafeta]

Still maintain it was the wrong approach. Always leaves far too much for the others who fell apart.

 

[JJ]

Brilliant, just brilliant!

 

[Meth]

I really thought we had blown it last night, but the last session was superb. Wagner again picks up wickets when it counts. Southee man of the match, but Wagner not at all far behind.

 

[WaznTheGreat]

That was a good victory,crushed them in the end.

 

[JJ]

The second new ball seemed to offer a bit more - it was a Wagner kind of wicket, but Southee was (finally) good (same can be said of Taylor) - really good series, they are a seriously good team - their preparation wasn't great, but touring is tough... people will differ on their view of rankings, but hard to argue against them being #2 given what they've done in recent years, and we beat them convincingly... given the let down against the Aussies last summer, this was a really good performance coming off the South African and Indian tours

 

[Iafeta]

They've got a very well balanced attack. If anything they lacked a bit of polish in their middle order. Younis Khan I felt showed signs of his age catching up in how delayed his decision making was, particularly to the short ball.

It will be interesting to see how the inexperienced Black Caps go on. Raval looks good but it seems to a good left armer he defends too wide of his off stump, de Grandhomme I'm still staggered took wickets because really he's gentle medium pace (and I fancy a compulsive hooker), Nicholls back foot is completely made of lead and never moves and he tries to use his hands to counteract poor balance, and Latham looks to be a good bat but with a genuine weakness of being LBW on a track with any pace as he plays right around his pad.

But 2-0 against them is a great effort. Taylor looks to be middling them again. Given Kane really never got going, it's an outstanding all around team effort. Nice to see Southee return to some kind of form too.

 

[Twizzle]

how the f**k did the Pakis lose that ?

they were doing it so easy although I only saw the first session and a bit and the pitch was doing nothing

 

[Iafeta]

They were still a long way behind the going rate. I recall a NZ v Aus test at the Gabba, NZ were well in control. Then Lee and McGrath bowled bouncers and yorkers well wide of both off and leg stump and shut it down comfortably in the end. It's hard to get high run rates chasing over an extended period.

I think if the Pakistanis played more assertively earlier their middle order wouldn't have been under so much pressure. At one point Southee has figures of 11 overs, 0 for 11 and de Grandhomme 9 overs 0 for 10. De Grandhomme is gentle medium pace. At the very least tick the strike over.

 

[JJ]

They always have a surprise in them, shouldn't have lost, tried to accelerate some dumb batting and good bowling. We kept at it which was great, really memorable series win that

 

[Twizzle]

Kiwis must have bowled well

 

[Meth]

I never thought Pakistan were in it (to win it) or all that interested in chasing down the total tbh