NEW ZEALAND vs ZIMBABWE SERIES (1 Test, 3 ODIs, 2 T20)

[aidancdaman]

Not a bad effort from NZ. Taylor's played a sublime knock (not one slog sweep!) and needs to push on and get a massive score to give us a big total, and he'll need support from Watling (shudders), Bracewell and Southee....Was pretty annoyed at Guptill, McCullum, Williamson and Brownlie's dismissals, needless, crappy play.

Gave Cremer a big wrap up to my brother before proceeding to bowl a handful of long hops and go for 17 off the over. *sigh*

Meh. He bowled an absolute beauty to remove Vettori. Long hops and leg spinners go hand in hand most of the time.

 

[Torz]

Yeah, I missed that wicket actually. But I was going on previous times that I'd seen him bowl and been impressed, not necessarily his bowling in this match.

 

[jethro11]

Dropped catch and then one goes through first slip (whilst Taylor's at third).

Seems rain will only save Zimbabwe.

 

[aidancdaman]

Seems rain will only save Zimbabwe.

Well, seeing the only time it ever rains in Napier seems to be when cricket's on.....Its generally the driest and hottest place in the North Island. Which I suppose isn't saying much.

 

[Cousin Jed]

Superb batting performance this

 

[Stig O'Hara]

8/50 now

Waller made 23 of that.


Ed: Looney Tunes run out - 9/50

 

[Stig O'Hara]

Tail wags for the Zims and they are all out for, err......51.

They trail by 444 on the first innings.

Ed: 2 for 3 in the second dig.

Ed Ed: 3 for 5.

 

[JUBJUB]

now 3/5
Just as well most of yesterday was washed out or this could be really embarrassing for the Zimbots

 

[dumb]

taibu > haddin

 

[thecatattack]

I wonder if there is a Zimbabwe cricket supporters forum somewhere, it would be going into meltdown right now.

Nah they'd be used to it.

 

[The Speaker]

This is why they could do with guys like Gary Ballance playing for them - he'd have an actual understanding of how to play in foreign conditions (and is a good batsman anyway).

 

[Stig O'Hara]

Ray Price is injured, and he's a decent player.

They have a number of natural cricketers, but the country is run by a back to front racist bell-end, who sticks his nose into everything, (especially cricket), and that's how it is.

Ed: first ball after tea, 4/12

Ed Ed: 5/12 still the first over after tea.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

This is why they could do with guys like Gary Ballance playing for them - he'd have an actual understanding of how to play in foreign conditions (and is a good batsman anyway).

At the very least he'd bring some Ballance to their line-up.

 

[The Speaker]

I thought their captain Brendan Taylor might have made some runs, he is a pretty good batsman and apparently has been playing domestic cricket in NZ leading up to this series so should be familiar with the conditions.

T20 isn't the best format for familiarisation.

 

[DaRick]

Well, this pretty much sums up why some people are reluctant to consider 2000's Zimbabwe and Bangladesh when examining player records.

Worst thing is, there's no serious chance of improvement while the racist corruptocrat extraordinaire Mugabe (the patron) lives.

 

[Kram]

lol, just realised that this is the follow on innings

 

[Santana]

Shame that Zimbabwe have had such a shocker of a match. They're better than this.

 

[sherb]

Zimbabwe 6/24 chasing NZ's 495 and people think the Australia v India tests are lopsided.

Could just about be a record test defeat at this rate.

Nowhere near it.

Here's the highest innings defeat:
http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/16/16792.html

They could have been a chance if they had batted again and set a target I guess, the highest runs margin is 675 I think (again Australia was on the receiving end).

 

[sherb]

If this hasn't been posted already, you can listen to live commentary here:
http://www.radiosport.co.nz/player/listenlive/

 

[Stig O'Hara]

I take it Mugabe must have demanded that a certain number of black Zimbabweans are included in the side, most of which don't seem to be much chop.

Mugabe don't like whitey, simple as that.

Spent a couple of months over there in 2004 and the place is nuts. He was inspired by Winnie Mandela's infamous "a bullet for every farmer' and created the Veterans Law.

I actually watched the swearing in of his government 3 days before the election.

 

[DaRick]

The Zimbabwe team of 10-15 years ago was quite competitive with the likes of Streak, Flower, Goodwin etc. Mugabe really screwed them over and led to all the defections. Haven't been the same since.

Yeah the Zimbabwe of the 90's were at least capable of winning (or at least not losing) matches against teams who are not Bangladesh.

This changed after 2000; after Flower left, Zimbabwe lost any pretensions of being a Test-class nation, with Streak being the only proven Test-class player left.

 

[Jimthegreat]

lol, just realised that this is the follow on innings

Yes, first innings only went 51 runs. At 6/73 the 2nd dig this partnership has been a bit over 30. They were 5/12 in the second innings at one stage...it's a fightback...lol!

 

[Stig O'Hara]

Williamson throws out a delicious full toss, and a wicket falls.

7/100.

 

[thecatattack]

Anyone see Brownlies catch!!!

 

[Magma]

flick it on a few minutes ago, get to see a superb catch. lovely.

feel bad for zimbabwe, i watched them bowl on the first day and they looked pretty out of their depth. 51 in the first innings proves this i guess.