The Hindu : Sport : Another feather in the cap beckons India

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 25, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Sport

Sport

Another feather in the cap beckons India

S. Ram Mahesh

Jamie How called up as standby for injured Daniel Flynn

The last series win came in 1967-68 under Pataudi
New Zealand will have to get its act together

— Photo: AFP

ON THE BALL: Mahendra SIngh Dhoni, seen here enjoying a game of football, would be hoping his team maintains the upper hand in the second Test that begins on Thursday.

AUCKLAND: Having broken one jinx with the air of someone who has at long last found the needle-stabbed voodoo doll hidden in a suitably scary cavern, India will look to break another when the second Test begins at McLean Park in Napier on Thursday.

The 10-wicket win in the first Test at Hamilton was India’s first in New Zealand in 33 years. M.S. Dhoni’s side now has the opportunity to claim India’s first series in New Zealand in over 40 years.

The last time India won a series in these parts was 1967-68, when M.A.K. Pataudi presided over the country’s first-ever series win abroad.

Exciting time

“It is an exciting time for Indian cricket,” said Sachin Tendulkar after practising here at Eden Park on Tuesday. “The win (at Hamilton) was better late than never. We were here earlier on so many tours, but it wasn’t so good. The Test victory is very special.”

A series win in New Zealand — should it materialise — will cap an eight-year period in which India has won everywhere, if not series then certainly important Tests.

“We just needed a break and that break I thought we got in Zimbabwe which came after a long time,” said Tendulkar, who along with Rahul Dravid, V.V.S. Laxman, and Virender Sehwag has tasted victory in all Test-playing nations.

“(After that) wherever we have travelled we have created an impact. That was what the nation was looking for, and we are glad we have done it.”

All eyes on pitch

Much attention in the lead-up to the second Test has been directed at the playing strip in Napier.

New Zealand’s coach Andy Moles, realising his seam bowlers haven’t the artillery to hurt India’s batting under normal circumstances, called for tracks that would help the ball deviate at pace after pitching — that is to say, grassy, not wet strips.

Simultaneously, there was news from Napier that the grass on the pitch intended for the Test had been attacked by fungus — as a result, it would have to be shifted slightly.

It would comprise half the intended pitch, unaffected by fungus, and half of the pitch used for the first ODI.

Reports suggested that the newly constituted strip had a thick, even cover of grass, forcing Central Districts officials to deny accusations of skulduggery in the shifting of the pitch.

There was still concern, however, sufficient concern in fact, for New Zealand Cricket to issue a statement on Tuesday saying the strip was expected to be in top-playing condition.

The statement clarified that the patchiness that had caused the shifting was purely cosmetic and not the result of disease. The statement also said the strip appears hard and flat — if the wicket for the ODI is anything to go by, it should have bounce.

But excellent all-round cricket teams, secure in their abilities, rarely worry about the conditions, and India wasn’t terribly fussed with the goings-on in Napier.

Settled look

With Munaf Patel doing much of what was asked of him as the third seamer in the first Test, an already settled side looks particularly comfortable.

All the batsmen got starts in Hamilton and none of the bowlers had a barren Test.

The only discipline that troubled India was the fielding. Sehwag, Dravid, and M.S. Dhoni dropped catches, but, fortunately for India, the bowlers continually created opportunities, compensating for the sloppiness.

Although the Test side isn’t the briskest around the field, its catching is often safe. A sudden outbreak of butter-fingers isn’t a worry, but it is certainly something that needs swift correction.

New Zealand has struggled in the classical form of late. It hasn’t been able to string together hours of consistent cricket, let alone sessions.

Disappointment

Ross Taylor has disappointed thus far; his century in England suggested he had accepted the responsibility of being New Zealand’s best batsman, but he was worked over by Ishant Sharma in the first Test. A return to form on his home ground will do nicely.

Daniel Flynn is a doubtful starter after bruising his left hand. Jamie How has been called up as a precaution, but it will be a great pity if Flynn misses out, for he batted admirably in the second innings in Hamilton.

Encouraging signs

If you looked hard, there were encouraging signs in the first Test. Jesse Ryder and Daniel Vettori showed they had the skill and the will necessary. Martin Guptill and Brendon McCullum had their moments. But unlike a barbershop quartet, they couldn’t get it done together.

India will look to keep it that way.

The teams (from):

New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (Capt.), Tim McIntosh, Martin Guptill, Daniel Flynn, Ross Taylor, Jesse Ryder, Brendon McCullum (wk), James Franklin, Kyle Mills, Iain O’Brien, Jeetan Patel, Chris Martin, and Jamie How.

India: M.S. Dhoni (Capt. & wk), Virender Sehwag (vice-capt.), Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, V.V.S. Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Munaf Patel, Amit Mishra, Lakshmipathy Balaji, M. Vijay, Dhawal Kulkarni and Dinesh Karthik.

Umpires: Billy Doctrove and Ian Gould.

Third umpire: Evan Watkin.

Match referee: Alan Hurst.

Hours of play (IST): 3.30 a.m. to 5.30 a.m., 6.10 a.m. to 8.10 a.m., and 8.30 a.m. to close.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport