blackcapwash

Another unbelievable match comes to an end. Not only was it an entertaining and bloody exciting game, the contextmade the Kiwi chase one of the best. Coming from 40/4 to chase down 347 is really special.
Sure, there will be those who say this Aussie unit did not have Ponting, Gilly, Lee and Symonds and Mcgrath, but the Kiwis played without Vettori, Bond and Oram as well. Though once you set a target of 347 and have bowlers from your World Cup 15 defending it, there's no way you can use that excuse.
Whats worse- hayden seems to have broken his toe. With Symonds looking dodgy (and on his return, who can be sure of his ability to bowl and throw from the deep), Lee with an ankle injury that doesn't look good at all, and now Hayden's worry, things are looking a little anxious for Australia. The side that always had enough bench strength to cover most eventualities, suddenly isn't so sure of that.
I felt for Huseey though- what an induction as skipper- a whitewash to the neighbours. Ouch.

Final- Ind v NZ

What a cracker of a first over from Shane Bond. I don't think too many people on the field (or off it for that matter) had any idea what was happening with a couple of those balls. Vicious swing, and movement off the pitch. Sehwag was cut in half and had little idea what was going on. Shahstri then sais Ganguly was looking determined and he liked his body language against Bond. Well, his body can say what it wants. He needs some runs. And India need desperately to win this one.

I won't be able to liveblog too much for this one, though. Work beckons.

Ind v NZ

oh, for a little more committment from the top order. aaargh.
157/8. 35overs.

no comments. only a quiet drink and solace unfound.
67/8. 17 overs.

So I am consigned to trying to follow the second half on the Net. Pay through your nose for cricket, but one channel cannot show two matches, and The Ashes it. Can't say I fault that, can't say I am satisifed either :)
At 17/3 over my worst fears are coming true- Bond is killing us. Two of the three bowled, I see. 215 suddenly looks different, dunnit?
19/3. 5th over

Mid inning break
NZ 215 all out.
Two crucial, brave and attacking innings saw NZ reach 215. Not a great score, but (heck you know what's coming ...) competitive. Mcullum and McMillan both played positive innings in the midst of absolute batting chaos for the Kiwis. This pitch does not look like it justifies anything of this sort, but there you are. NZ batted right up to no.11-with Adams. That depth and the positive outlook of these two made sure this was not a 150-160 total.
Our very own Monu (nehra) had the best figures, and he has been consisiten for some time now. Agarkar and Bhajji were very expensive, with the former going for nearly 7 an over. And now I hear Sunny saying Agarkar does not get the field he deserves, so he is going for runs. Sigh...

The super sub strategy for both teams has worked out just fine. Nehra shall relax now and Rao will come in, and Bond will be waiting to have a crack at India, especially the captain. Irrespective, India really should not end up on the losing side here. It will be a lot of good work wasted, and self doubt revisited. Hopefully, neither of those shall fructify.
lunch

The 8 overs since I posted l;ast have seen 46 runs. The partnership between McMillan and Oram has crossed 50 sometime ago- it is now a healthy 73(88). My good friend Ajit and new acquanitance JPYadava have failed to capitalise on the wonderful start that Pahan and Nehra provided. To be fair JP Yadav was only going for under 4 an over. Harbhajan is back on now, and has been going at about 7 an over.
A run out! What a stroke of luck! The dangerous Oram is dismissed in a terrible mixup, bringing the potentially even more dangerous Cairns to the crease. And now McMillan's gone for a run-a-ball 54 that rejuvenated this innings. Agarkar induces a false stroke and its a simple catch for Pathan at mid-off. It is 7 down, and India are back in control. They must make sure that the screws are tightened.
Over in the northern hemisphere, Pietersen just stroked a spanking boundary.
Lord, what a bounty of cricket you have given us...!
134/7. 30 overs

A little time away from the tv screen, and NZ has tumbled to 5 down. I just heard Harsha say that Ajit's catch was a very good one, then the discussion on Agarkar's promise and his frustration started. I am not one to do this, but I will say this here- the only way his (very regressive) selection will stand redeemed for me is if he takes the series by storm. Nothing less.
JP Yadav and his flowing locks are into the scene now, and McMillan has sped to a run-a-ball 16 with that last smashed four off Agarkar.
18 overs 59/5

You think the last minute hurried rushing about toreach Bulawayo has done some good? because Nehra and Pathan have ensured that the Kiwis are 13/2 in the 6th over, and besides that being a good start, the bowling is looking good. New Zealand won the toss and chose to bat, but the super sub strategy seems to have been fine for both teams. NZ will bring in Bond after their batting, and India can get Rao in to strengthen the chase. And there! Nehra has just struck again. Plumb in front, and they are reduced to 13/3. Now just hope we don't let this go. I shall try and write in as often as I can (though I don't know which match I will be getting to watch- this or the Ashes). I must admit I am suitable excited about the India NZ match, more than I thought I would be.
Meanwhile, where is the Indian cricket blogging community? Can we get some live commenting happening somewhere sometime?

7overs- 15/3

Bond

This is good news, about Shane Bond. I did not realise tha he is 30 already, though. It doesn;t leave him with much time, which is a pity because he is pretty lethal, so good to watch.

Aussie teachers

After another hopelessly overpowering series win, Stephen Fleming doffed his hat to the Aussies, and said they were just too good.

Ponting (at the presentation) said they "had fun", and (to the Kiwis) "...hope you learnt something..."

What attitude. What confidence. What arrogance.
Well, he can afford it all.

Feature Presentation!

The Big News for the day, though, is from far away at the Gabba. Glenn McGrath has hooked, pulled and grinned his way to a pugnacious 54 not out. Initial reports suggest that half the Aussie population has already guzzled a few kegs of beer in celebration, while the other half is still reeling under shock. Some, they say, continued sitting at the Gabba after close of play- rooted to their seats in disbelief till ground staff were forced to evict them in the darkness.

I woke to find first the morons at Fourth Umpire welcoming us to a brand new series (Ind v SA), but I quickly flipped to ESPN-Star and was hardly surprised, maybe a little bemused and shaking-the-head-smiling-sighing as I saw the score at 399/5. Clarke just hit a glorious backfoot cover drive and followed it up with a gorgeous copybook straight drive. Martyn had left early, but as is their wont, the Aussies decided to just push the pedal harder. Gilchrist and Clarke- from the highlights package at tea- looked in scintillating form, while the Kiwis had no answers at all.

But the best/worst/craziest/most infuriating/enjoyable (depending on your position in world cricket) part was yet to come. I think the unbeaten last wicket partnership between Pigeon and Dizzy is 93, and Fleming and his boys could do little to thwart them. From whatever I saw, they bowled a lot of consistently short stuff, and I have no idea why. I saw over after over (at the cost of missing some of the Ind-SA stuff) of short pitched stuff. Especially as McGrath showed that the shot that promises to send him into the next league of batters- the pull/hook- is what he is most comfortable at, it made no sense to continue with it. But they did, the Aussies smiled, grinned and then unabashedly laughed as the great bowler reached his first fifty. The delight was writ large on his team mates’ faces, and on all those around the ground who could comprehend what was happening.

(What is happening, in case you missed it, is that Australia are on their way to winning another test)