Paint it, Black

It's getting really hard to keep up with all the cricket that's been happening, and the amount of detailed posting I managed on the India-NZ games has taken its toll. My blog posts on the IPL will be few and far between. Anyway, here's a look at the New Zealand players who've been snapped up by IPL sides. While I couldn't be happier about NZ's two best batsmen, Ryder and Taylor, representing my hometown's side (although their performances in the first couple of games have been abysmal), I'm a little worried that the increased emphasis on T20 won't help the development of these players as test cricketers - I speak particularly of Taylor and Vettori here. I mean, these are the country's top cricketers and there is really no second-tier to put pressure on them. On the other hand, those impressive pay packets will hopefully be an incentive for more New Zealand youngsters to take up cricket, so it may not be such a bad thing after all.

Jesse Ryder: Despite getting off to the worst possible start for the Royal Challengers - a duck in each of his two innings so far - he remains good value at 160,000$, with his bowling providing a more than useful addition to his CV. His love for the bottle and the Vijay Mallya connection have provided a few jokes for the journos to milk. At the moment he seems to be the toast of the cricketing world, but it is to be hoped that the excesses of the IPL do not rub off on his international career as he gears up for that testing sophomore season.

Ross Taylor: Although he appeared in only four games for Bangalore last year, he ended up topping the batting averages. As a batter he often walks the fine line between reckless slogging and controlled clean hitting, and generally needs time and confidence to be on top of his game. For these reasons I'm a little concerned that the IPL might adversely impact his batting. After his short stint in the IPL last year, he landed in England and played some very loose cricket in the first test there. When he tightens his technique he becomes twice the batsman, as the Wellington test showed. Can he develop the adjustments needed across different formats?

Daniel Vettori: Indisputably one of the best bowlers in this format, but you have to wonder if he is suffering from the Saqlain Mushtaq syndrome; his rise as a limited-overs bowler has coincided with a decline in his effectiveness in tests. Still, the Delhi Daredevils certainly won't mind having him available for most of the season this time. By far the most dependable kiwi signing.

Brendon McCullum: Has had a lot to live up to following that freakish innings of 158, but it has done wonders for his stock; has already displaced Ganguly as captain, and possesses the star quality making him an organiser's dream. First rate keeper too, though he will probably let India hopeful Wriddhiman Saha take over the gloves. Will be under increased pressure to justify that 700,000$ contract.

Jacob Oram: Another player with a fat contract under scrutiny, mainly because his commitment towards becoming a test regular again has been questioned of late. Appeals more as a backup for Andrew Flintoff in the Super Kings' side. Being the sort of hitter who needs a few overs to wind up, he really should be used in the top four. His bowling has gone a bit backwards in the last couple of years, more run-in-and-land-the-ball these days. Nevertheless, he was the most accurate seamer during the one-day series against India.

Kyle Mills: His mauling at the hands of the Indian batsmen makes it easy to forget that he is ranked no.2 in the ICC ODI bowlers list. A dangerous customer with the white ball in hand and batsman new to the crease, if he gets a rhythm going. Being in the same side as Zaheer Khan and Lasith Malinga will probably confine him to the shadows, however.

Scott Styris: For a player with more than 200 games spread over a decade of international experience, he remains incredibly anonymous. People might struggle to recall that he is turning out for the Deccan Chargers at all. Like most of his team mates, he had an ordinary season last year but his allround skills will make him a regular anyway. Has traded on his test career and a regular spot in the ODI side for this 175,000$ contract, and you have to ask if it was all worth it. However, the tournament may be just the springboard needed to re-establish himself in the NZ one-day setup.

Stephen Fleming: Involved in a coaching capacity with Chennai this year, and has already won high praise for his tactical inputs. It's a little sad to see him in this role and otherwise as a commentator when he still has so much to offer to New Zealand cricket, but I suppose the current management would rather have Daniel Vettori's side develop without the presence of the immediate predecessor hanging over them.

Unlike the ongoing Australia-South Africa series, India's tour of New Zealand did not feature a clash of evenly matched heavyweights. But what the games may have lacked in needle, they more than made up for by being rancour-free, and were mostly studded with fine performances which made the recently concluded season one of the more memorable ones in recent times.

At various moments during India's tour of New Zealand, I was oddly reminded of the 1990 Football World Cup semi-final between hosts Italy and defending champions Argentina, a video recording of which still lies at home. Diego Maradona, seemingly a shadow of his 1986 best, was to end the tournament scoreless and in tears; it was probably the most enduring image of that World Cup. Yet, he was still a major influence in getting his side thus far, masterminding Claudio Caniggia's improbable winner against the Brazilians. As fate would have it, the semi-final was at the San Paolo stadium in Naples - the home of Napoli, the club Maradona famously represented. When the tournament began, Maradona had appealed to the people of Naples to support Argentina, a move which was seen to be futile, judging by the angry reactions of Italian fans in the other stadia. But while watching the recording, it became clear to my pre-teen self that sections of the Italian crowd in Naples had indeed been swayed by the man himself - and it was all that was needed to spur the Argentinians on. They won on penalties, and though it may have been an over-reaction on my part, I was somehow convinced about it; this strange and powerful hold which Maradona had over his adopted-home-fans had been the decisive factor.

A friend had once likened Virender Sehwag's striding out into the arena and attacking with relish to the manner of a gladiator, and he recalled a scene from The Gladiator which particularly resonates; the one in which Russell Crowe is reminded "Win the crowd and you win your freedom". As the tour progressed, this impression really seemed to ring true, though it was probably just that - an impression. The Indian batting lineup was admittedly the most powerful one to have landed on New Zealand's shores in a long time, and everyone - the commentators, the reporters, the crowds (a fair number of whom were Indian), the opposition themselves - seemed to have been won over at the start. There was no underhandedness in the manner of a Maradona or a visiting Australian side, they let their aura and their records speak for themselves. The kiwis, just like the Italians back in 1990, could be forgiven for thinking they were playing an away game. Of course, the hype was justified, for Tendulkar and Dravid were (presumably) on their last tour, Sehwag came with a reputation to protect, and Laxman had a wretched 2002 tour to atone for. And while they did leave the NZ public satiated, with the hosts a clear second best, the games were not unmemorable in the least. They were dotted with worthy individual performances throughout.

There was Sehwag setting the tone by clonking the first three balls of the tour for six off Tim Southee; there was Tendulkar's sublime 163 at Christchurch, an abject lesson in how to move from first to fifth gear in a one-day innings; there was Jesse Ryder's fitting response to Ishant Sharma's verbals in Auckland, a precursor to his performances in the tests; there was Zaheer's resourceful five-for in windy Wellington, an experienced practitioner at the peak of his powers; there was Chris Martin's valiant return to test cricket, even improving his batting a notch as his legions of gradually-acquired fans cheered him on. And there were sets of contrasting hundreds, in Napier and Wellington, each from Gautam Gambhir and Ross Taylor; one an upstart coming into his own among a mighty top-order, the other a carefree strokemaker gradually accepting more responsibility with the passage of time.

Probably the most refreshing aspect of the tour was the spirit in which it was played. No jellybean incidents, no bitter umpiring disputes, no unnecessary gamesmanship, just two teams giving it their all on the field and mostly having a good time along the way. In the end, the gap between the number 3 and number 8 team won out. Also, good on the BCCI for slotting in that extra test at the Basin Reserve, even if it was prompted by the need to fill in a gap. Given their earlier churlishness in calling off the tour to NZ in 2006-07, it was fitting that they gave something back to the cricket-watching public there. Not one of the tests in the three match series was a redundant game of cricket, and in a country where test cricket is otherwise not at its healthiest, it provided for a summer to remember indeed.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of this test series - notwithstanding Gautam Gambhir's defensive masterclass in Napier, and Chris Martin driving Harbhajan Singh down the ground for four - was the fact that it was not until the final day of the third test that the rain had a say in the proceedings. Considering how the weather had played havoc with much of New Zealand's one-day season, even the games against the West Indies, it was a bit of a miracle. Looking at the outcome objectively, you could either say it was a shame that rain reared its ugly head to effectively rob India of a deserved 2-0 victory margin, or contest that rain is after all another crucial variable which has once again added a twist to a fascinating test match.

Even if much of the test was one-way traffic, there was drama right from the start. Daniel Vettori's decision to field first cannot really be faulted, though it could also be construed as a lack of belief in his batsmen to put a big score on the board in a crunch game. It was a gamble that looked to have come apart when the Indian openers cashed in on some wayward bowling in the first session, but was mostly justified when the Indians were nine down at the close of play and bowled out soon into the next morning. The problem was India's total of 379 was about 70 runs too many. Despite a classy Tendulkar fifty, the Indian batsmen were rather careless in the second session and succumbed to loose strokes. The kiwi bowlers clawed their way through India's top order, having them struggling at 204 for 6 after tea, but their tiredness following a marathon bowling stint in the previous test was all too apparent. Harbhajan Singh, who is capable of some real damage with the bat on his day, decided to chance his arm and NZ's pacemen fell into the trap of trying to bounce out the lower order. It was a frustrating end to the day for the kiwis, for it meant they would now have to run up another huge total to have any chance of dictating terms in the match.

A Breezy Effort

The one distinctive feature about playing at the Basin Reserve is having to contend with the strong Wellington wind. Iain O'Brien, who often assumes the role as an "into the wind specialist" for Wellington at the first class level will testify to that. For the bowler coming in with the wind behind him, however, it can be an ally and Zaheer Khan sized up the conditions perfectly. In what could be seen as his coming-of-age as a thinking bowler, Zaheer shortened his run up, allowing the wind to do the work for him. Getting swing and seam movement, he also used the short ball judiciously which was particularly effective in prising out both Tim McIntosh and Martin Guptill. He took the first four wickets to fall, including the vital wicket of Jesse Ryder for a single-figure score, and returned to claim Tim Southee in what was one of his finest five-wicket hauls ever in tests. At the other end, he found perfect support from Harbhajan Singh, who caused all sorts of problems after Munaf Patel and Ishant Sharma found the breeze hard to deal with. Still, it was all rather insipid from NZ, coming as it did on the back of a huge score on the benign Napier wicket. Conditions here were more challenging, but they had no business being rolled out for under 200. Ross Taylor was the one batsman to show complete application, which was a pleasing sign after his chancy strokeplay in the previous test.

The Encore

Conditions had eased up by the time India batted again, and though Sehwag let himself down for the fifth time this series, Gautam Gambhir was a revelation once more. With a huge lead to play with, he proceeded to compile a classy 167 which was as effortless as the Napier innings was gritty. It was a clinical effort, very much in keeping with India's performance as a highly professional five-day unit in recent times. It does, for the moment, bring a sense of permanence to India's top order, and that is extremely crucial given that a change of guard in the middle order is imminent. Perhaps the highlight of the third day was the amazing anticipatory catch Brendon McCullum pulled off when Rahul Dravid played a pre-meditated sweep. Apart from that, the only real moment of consolation for NZ as India racked up 434 was Chris Martin equaling Danny Morrison's tally of 160 test wickets. Dhoni's timing of the declaration, with a lead of 616, came in for much questioning later from the media. But it was understandable that a series win was uppermost on his mind.

NZ were faced with five sessions to bat out a draw, and after slipping predictably to 84 for 4 (including the anti-climatic dismissal of Jesse Ryder for a duck), they finally displayed the resistance that had been badly lacking for the better part of the series. Ross Taylor, unusually watertight, and James Franklin, gradually growing accustomed to life as a middle order batsman, saw them through to stumps. The odds on an Indian win had, however lengthened due to the threat of rain, but they still could have finished off the job the next day. Taylor reached a well deserved century the next day, an innings that bodes extremely well for NZ's test prospects in the future, but played all over a Harbhajan special to open the floodgates. As is so often the case, where the seamers fail, Sachin Tendulkar will lift up the team. In possibly his final cricketing passage in kiwiland, Tendulkar snuffed out Franklin for 49 and (controversially) Brendon McCullum, to put India on the threshold of victory. In hindsight, a stubborn stand from Vettori and O'Brien saved the day for NZ as the showers came with the score at 281. With the the threat of rain always looming, NZ perhaps could claim some brownie points for doing enough to hang in there and let the elements take over.

Dhoni's delayed declaration came in for major scrutiny from the media, but it was simply in keeping with these times where safety-first is the order of the day. For a good perspective on this issue, which I mostly agree with, read Sharda Ugra's piece in her India Today column. Nevertheless, the missed opportunity could not take away the feeling that the series was mostly an accurate reflection of the capabilities of the 3rd and 8th ranked test sides in the world. For India, this win was a vital step forward in their quest to close in on the Aussies and South Africans, while the kiwis have to be content with some bright individual moments as they continue their rebuilding process.

Neither side deserved to lose this test. The fact that both India and New Zealand needed to pile on a mountain of runs to get themselves into positions of authority or safety might be a damning indictment of the flatness of the pitch, but that shouldn't take anything away from what was one of the more absorbing tests in recent memory. The teams will go to Wellington knowing the series is very much alive, but they have much to draw on from this contest which makes the tour finale a mouth-watering prospect.

The start of NZ's innings on the first day was a strange one in hindsight, with the top three giving the impression that there was a devil in the wicket. In the first session at least, Zaheer Khan and to a lesser extent Ishant Sharma made the ball talk. Three down for 27 and you could be forgiven for thinking a rerun of Hamilton was in the offing, what with Ross Taylor living dangerously and Jesse Ryder going about his own business seemingly oblivious to the events at the other end. However, the pair who have long been billed the torchbearers of future kiwi batting finally made it count. Prior to this test, they tallied three centuries between them and a string of half-centuries, but these efforts had rarely translated into positions of complete dominance. Taylor rode his luck a fair amount, and perhaps needs to tighten his game the way he has so wonderfully done to his one-day play. Nevertheless he was devastating when settled. Ryder was pure class at the other end, unhurried and in no trouble at all. His 201 was a worthy effort for the man-of-the-match award, and though his anger (at himself) upon being dismissed came in for criticism, it was actually a positive sign; NZ need players with an insatiable appetite for runs.

The good work was continued by "Prince Brendon" McCullum, who finally found the right circumstances - old ball, big score on the board, worn out bowlers - to score a test century against quality opposition. The debate rages as to whether he would be better of batting one slot higher, but for the moment he looks happier in the number 7 position. The second day didn't end too well for India, who lost Sehwag (whose captaincy and field placings left a lot to be desired) and Gambhir to injudicious strokes of the spinners. On day three, NZ achieved the impossible by pulling off a 300-plus run lead against the might of the Indian batting order, which could be put down in equal measure to uncommitted batting and intense, accurate bowling on a lifeless pitch. Most of the top five got a start, only to throw it away. Chris Martin showed just why Daniel Vettori wanted him back in the side, regularly hitting good speeds and claiming important wickets, though he was less effective in the second innings. Following on, India entered the fourth day with a mountain to climb, having lost Sehwag once again in disappointing fashion to spin.

What followed was quite incredible. India, whose hopes of winning had completely gone by now, were faced with no choice but to defend. And defend positively they did - losing only four wickets over the course of the next two days. The kiwis threw whatever they could muster at the Indian lineup, and would be upset at not having been able to even come close to bowling the Indians out int hat time frame. But the truth of the matter is, if there was ever a wicket on which you could back yourself to bat out a draw, McLean Park would be it. Additionally, India were too good a batting side to miss out. Only last December, West Indies were able to bat themselves to a position of safety here through an uncharacteristically restrained 197 from Chris Gayle. If that innings was considered a bit of a defensive classic then, it was well outdone by Gautam Gambhir, whose hitherto impulsive nature made us all blink in disbelief when we him apply himself during his marathon 137. Gambhir's innings brings to mind Mike Atherton's 11-hour vigil at Port Elizabeth back in 1995, but unlike Atherton the man had showed us a side of his batting we never thought had existed, which made the innings that much more astonishing. VVS Laxman also played a little gem of a knock to seal the draw.

India perhaps regretted not going into the test with a second spinner in Amit Misra, understandable given their reluctance to tinker with a winning combination. It will be interesting to see if they persist with the same lineup for Wellington. For NZ, Jeetan Patel once again came in as a horses-for-course selection, and not for the first time outbowled Vettori without quite having the wickets to show for it. Will he figure in the third test? Jamie How was a last-minute replacement for Daniel Flynn, but didn't last long as his disappointing test run continued.

There's a hell of a lot to play for at the Basin, so it will be a keenly anticipated contest for the players and viewers alike. While the pitch is expected to be flat, the cold and windy conditions may finally make the NZ seamers more of a factor. However, I stick with my initial prediction that India will probably take the series 2-0. In the meantime, let's savour the memories from the Napier test which have set things up so beautifully.