Two - nil; who’d a thought. I can honestly say that going into this Twenty20 two-match series I didn’t think it’d be like that. I had a chat to Dan [Vettori] last night after the match, “Dan, how cool is this? Two nil, you thought we could win it two nil?” Even he thought it’d probably be a ‘one-all’ series draw. We sat back and enjoyed the great feeling around the changing room.
We spoke about how often NZ teams get into winning positions in matches and series and let it slip, last night was the chance to fix that, maybe we’re not the best team on show out there, but we got it done, ugly, pretty, gutsy, whatever, we got it done.
Dan won the toss, again - I just cut and pasted that from my last entry! I keep it on the clipboard to cut and paste in as it seems to be so frequent. We were going to bowl on a deck that looked like it had a little bit in it. There was a match before us on the deck, NZCPA Masters v the ACPA Masters, and I got to watch a little of it on the TV before we headed down to the ground; the pitch did a little but towards the end it flattened out all right. We expected it to do just little so bowling first was always the best option.
Tim [Southee] bowled a great first over and I had the second. For some reason I was a whole lot more nervous at the time than I had been for a long time; a big, noisy home crowd and two destructive batsmen was the recipe that made my heart beat crazily! I tried to make a joke with Jake [Oram] , to maybe lighten the moment. But standing 15 meters away, he couldn’t hear me it was so noisy out there, so that didn’t help.
Right then, relax; remember the plan; see the delivery; smooth bouncy run-up; feel the rhythm; relax the shoulders; jump strong; hold the front arm; release the back shoulder; feel it off the fingertips and hope it don’t go for six.
It didn’t, just a single but ball three and five did race to the fence of Virender Sehwag’s blade for fours. I couldn’t find the lengths I wanted to bowl, that over just didn’t go where it was supposed to go. My next over was better, one run and one wicket from it, and the wicket was Sehwag. I had a quick chat to Baz [McCullum] before this ball. He had come running down with a piece of advice, something we’re asking the senior players to do more of, and, well, the result was handy. Not quite the execution I wanted with the delivery but Sehwag was gone and we’re a happy bunch of boys!
Ian Butler’s start to the bowling crease saw Gautam Gambhir find the middle of his bat but two balls later the danger man from the last match, Suresh Raina, sent a catch Timmy’s way and he obliged. I sprinted as quickly as I could from fine leg to get to the huddle; that was what we needed.
My third over of this spell wasn’t quite right either, good bouncer first up to Yuvraj Singh was followed up with a straight half volley, not the best from me, and he, as he should have, deposited me back over my head for a four. Damn, come on OB, get it right. I finished that over with 1 for 23 off 3, not to bad, but could have been a whole lot better. Got to get my execution right, the plans are right; I just haven’t got the ball in the right areas.
My last over, the 13th of the innings, and Yuvraj is still in and being dangerous. I snuck a dot ball in to start, the next one though went a long way, in fact it only just missed my parents in the crowd; honestly missed them by two rows sailing just over their heads! Another dot ball and then what we were after: not the best delivery of mine but Jake, out on the cover fence, wasn’t going to turn that catch down a metre or so inside the rope. There was just one more run of the over and I finish with 2 for 30 off my four. I’m ‘kinda’ pleased with the figures but not with how I bowled overall. I’ll bowl better and can guarantee you that I’ll go for more; I still have things to work on, but I know what they are and have the opportunity to do so over the next few days.
Dan was very good again and Jesse [Ryder] bowled his four overs for just 18. These two combined meant that we held India to 149; a target we would have been happy with at the start of the match.
Baz, again, was just so special. Jesse and Baz put on 53 for the first wicket in real quick time; Jesse’s six of the first ball of the innings really set the tone for the early chase. When these two boys combine it is one of the most awesome things to watch and with us all watching from the dugout we were constantly up and down off our seats in awe and excitement.
Rossco [Taylor], again (I love using the word ‘again’ in this way, repeating quality performances is one of the big things in our team) was special. Twenty seven off 25 balls in a well-paced innings with only two boundaries. He’s showing great skills as a dangerous boundary hitter and in an innings like this one, the ability to turn over the scoreboard with singles and twos.
Irfan Pathan’s second to last over, the 18th, was as good as it gets at this stage of a game. Five runs and two big wickets turned the game right around on its head. Up until then we were going along very nicely and then all of a sudden things started to get a bit tense in the dugout.
There were then 12 left to win from the last over and Irfan to bowl his fourth; if it’s anything like his last over then we are in trouble. The brothers are out there, Nathan McCullum on strike, single off the first. Single off the second with Baz on strike; really could have done with a boundary there to calm our nerves. Another single followed off the third ball leaves nine needed from three balls and Baz on strike. We’re not out of it yet!
Bang, Baz goes through midwicket, four, we’re all off our seats shouting and clapping. Five off two now and bang, Baz goes to the boundary again, beats the straight fielders to the sightscreen boundary; amazing! One off one, field is up and as if to add tension to the moment Baz swings hard and only just, and I mean only just, clears mid-off for the winning single. Benches cleared, we’re all out of the dugout celebrating. The noise inside the ground was amazing and the noise that we were making was almost as loud.
Last night was the longest time I have ever spent in a changing room, longer than we spent at Perth and I thought that was a late one. There was no way I was going to be on the early bus, I wanted to enjoy this for as long as possible. We got back to the hotel, I had a quick shower and put on my favourite Illicit t-shirt and headed out with the guys for a couple. The town was packed; it was as everyone from the ground had piled into the one bar. What an atmosphere, I don’t know how many handshakes and pats on the back I got last night, certainly more than I’ve ever had. Thank you all for being so friendly, great night!
Up and off to the gym this morning, a little bit tough to drag myself out of bed, but it had to be done and I feel pretty good for it. We have the rest of the day off before training tomorrow morning here in Wellington and then head up to Napier to prepare for the ODI series. I always look forward to getting to Napier; a) I love the place and, b) I get to catch up with my best mate and his fantastic family. Catch you soon DNWO!
I support the New Zealand Foundation of the Blind as a charity; I’ve got two auctions going from now that the foundation will prosper from, so please bid and bid large. One is my signed shirt from this Twenty20 series and the other auction is Brendon McCullum’s Man-of-the-Match medal from last night’s match-winning knock. Brendon will sign the back of it before I send it and I will send a photo with it of McCullum signing it as proof of authenticity.
Great article! I could feel my hair stand on end when u described the last over even though i knew exactly what the result was.
Posted by: Naren at February 28, 2009 8:15 AM
hey iain , when i was watching the match last night i felt like my heart was going to slip down from my chest to my feet......that was a brilliant match ..... i was just wondering how u felt after ur 1st over was bowled because tim southee bowled very well and ur team wanted u to keep the same pressure building on the indians but after the over by the look of ur face i felt u were out of bounds!!!
Posted by: Karthik at February 28, 2009 8:18 AM
That was awesome Iain. You are winning an Indian fan right here, right now. You got me!
Posted by: Merwin at February 28, 2009 8:25 AM
Congrats on the close win!! What are your predictions for the ODI series. I think it would go 3-1 to NZ with atleast one match washed off...
Posted by: vinod at February 28, 2009 8:27 AM
Good job Newzealand, hope you will carry on with current form and give India tough fight. On the other hand hard luck to indian team they put great effort to come very close to win the match but certainly India will play better now in ODI's since they must have adjusted to the condition now. Hope Dhoni will look into the fielding department as this is one of the area where we are way behind newzealand....Looking for great competetive series.
Posted by: Ramesh at February 28, 2009 8:29 AM
Good job over there. It is very interesting to read from a team player's perspective of the match and that too from the opposition team.
Let the best team win. Here's for a great One day series.
-- An Indian Fan
Posted by: Rahul Iyer at February 28, 2009 8:58 AM
Hi Iain,
It's nice to hear your thoughts on what went on inside the New Zealand camp. Not something we Indian fans get a lot of.
Yesterday was absolute heartbreak. In fact, for 30 odd overs New Zealand dominated the match. Had you guys dominated the remaining 10 too, I wouldn't have felt as bad. But to have clawed back and gotten a sniff of victory, to lose from there is heartbreaking stuff.
But that's not to take anything away from you guys. You played like champions and deserved to win. Best of luck for the ODIs and I hope for a crackerjack of a series.
Posted by: nayan at February 28, 2009 9:10 AM
hey i read you saying "I support the New Zealand Foundation of the Blind as a charity". we are internet marketing company based in india.wud like to help promote this greater coz without any charges.let me knw wat we can do.u can mail me at nayan@fiveonline.in
Posted by: Ramas at February 28, 2009 9:12 AM
Good posting Iain. I have a feeling that this Indian team took the Kiwi team very lightly and got beaten in the first T20. They have started to play NZ seriously now and that is a good sign for a very good ODI series. I agree one match will be washed out for sure. So whoever wins the Napier ODI will have a good chance of putting the early pressure. My prediction is also for 3-1 to NZ.
Posted by: KM at February 28, 2009 9:41 AM
Awesome article. Very nicely described. I felt like very nice after reading this article.
Posted by: mooss at February 28, 2009 9:42 AM
iain again a very good description about the game. i am waiting for the day when u r thrashed by indian batsmen. how u r going 2 describe that day..hope 2 c that report in a weeks time..take care.. bye
Posted by: Kieran at February 28, 2009 9:45 AM
What a start to the series aye who would've thought 2-0 in kiwis favour!
So, India only manage to take 8 wickets in total from both matches! That should pull the proverbial zip over those Indian fans mouths! Geez ODI series should be a ripper but Kiwis just wait till Sharma and Kahn stop swinging it then we should be sahweeeet az bru! I'm sure the joke was funny Iain, you would'nt tell a lamer! Keep hittin that deck aye and watch the wickets tumble, GO KIWIS!!!
Posted by: Desijeez at February 28, 2009 9:53 AM
Nice to see the Kiwi boys have knocked the arrogance out of the Indians, as evidenced by the unusually gentlemanly posts. If the rock stars hit their straps it's goodnight Irene, but because of the gargantuam egos on display, this is not always a certainty. If Dhoni can pull them into line, the Indian fans might get to wax arrogantly yet.
You're putting yourself on the map Brian O Iain!
Posted by: Reece at February 28, 2009 10:01 AM
Congrats Iain, great match, I was in the crowd and it was great to see you and the team perform in the flesh. But please, less last ball victories, I don't think my heart can take it!
And I'll predict either 3-1 or 3-2 to NZ for the ODI's, depending on how much rain there is.
Posted by: Aashish at February 28, 2009 10:13 AM
Well the return of Sachin Tendulkar should boost the indian dressing room for ODI's. and i hope that praveen kumar gets nod ahead of irfan pathnan in ODI's, he is genuine swinger of the ball , and also i would like to see Yusuf Pathan bat at higher order than in pressure situation , coz dhoni is better in handling pressure situation, If india want to win the ODI series they will have to think very very seriously of how to get Mccullum out earliest
Posted by: sathish kumar.s From INDIA at February 28, 2009 10:23 AM
Hi Obi I would like to congratulate your performance and your team also, I am a indian fan from India, I think you are as a team well but not have the match winners except Mc.cullum & Rossy But india had few mistakes and they will be very competitive team for One dayers Because They lost so many wickets quickly fall in middle overs they haven't had a good Idea and Dhoni doesn't play his natural game, we belive we can prove We are the Best in ODI & Test but We accept your Team has some good player and good strategy's.
Posted by: gaurav at February 28, 2009 10:24 AM
hey great game Iain,it was a real thrill to feel the last over which could have turn the game anyside and in last ofcourse to you guys bt what I feel is the indian team just need some days to settle down and i m sure there will be a great ODI series and ofcourse close one's,so best of luck for that nd yes you write really very good,keep it up
Posted by: sathish kumar.s From INDIA at February 28, 2009 10:24 AM
Hi Obi I would like to congratulate your performance and your team also, I am a indian fan from India, I think you are as a team well but not have the match winners except Mc.cullum & Rossy But india had few mistakes and they will be very competitive team for One dayers Because They lost so many wickets quickly fall in middle overs they haven't had a good Idea and Dhoni doesn't play his natural game, we belive we can prove We are the Best in ODI & Test but We accept your Team has some good player and good strategy's.
Posted by: gaurav at February 28, 2009 10:24 AM
hey great game Iain,it was a real thrill to feel the last over which could have turn the game anyside and in last ofcourse to you guys bt what I feel is the indian team just need some days to settle down and i m sure there will be a great ODI series and ofcourse close one's,so best of luck for that nd yes you write really very good,keep it up
Posted by: Dambit at February 28, 2009 10:45 AM
India 4 - New Zealand 1
Man of the series either Gautam Gambhir or Ishant Sharma!
Posted by: Mukund Ragunathan at February 28, 2009 10:49 AM
Im an ardent india fan living in NZ, great bowling Iain, i think had u not got sehwag out so early and if he had faced atleast another 10 balls more, india could have had the match winning runs, but i would like to say that 20/20's is NOT representative of a side's ability even though v are world champions, so u can expect an extremely tough ODI and test series as Messrs Ponting, Pietersen and Graeme Smith can agree. But not to take anything away from ur 20/20 win as u played better and u held ur nerve no doubt.
Posted by: Rahul at February 28, 2009 10:55 AM
hi,Iain well bowled mate, overall it was a great game of cricket i wish we could have won it but never mind u guys really bowled well especially in last 5 i m reading ur article for the first time and it seems u hv gotten gud writing skills as well ,hope you do well.. one piece of advise try to bowl some slower ones also ...especially to tailenders...one more thing ur hairstyle is realy great ...carry on the gud work and give INDIANS a great fight becoz sachin is bak ..hope ur bowling makes the series intersting and if u get time and reply me...
Posted by: zee khan karachi at February 28, 2009 10:58 AM
weldone!mike.
u kiwi's had brought the indian's right back on the ground.
with another BIG series (odi's)coming i wish u guys a best of luck.hope that u guys will win comprehensively.
Posted by: Anil at February 28, 2009 11:16 AM
Hi Ian...This is anil,i would like to congratulate NZ team playing such an wonderful cricket, particuarly Bazzz performance was outstanding n i feel India was outplayed by Bazz in two 20-20 matches. Ian beware of Dhoni boys...i am sure they will bounce back in ODI n Tests and they win 4-1 n 2-0 respectively.....
........CHAK DE INDIA......
Posted by: Ramesh at February 28, 2009 11:56 AM
Compliments Iain. You did a great job for NZ. I can see a great one day series coming up with Kyle Mills and Sachin Tendulkar bolstering their sides.I hope we end up watching good competitive cricket between the hard working Black Caps and the talented Indians.
Posted by: NS at February 28, 2009 11:57 AM
Ian, we cricket fans want to know every bit of action on the field and we in India never get to know that. Those are pieces of information which will be hidden forever. But ever since you started blogging, its got a whole new understanding to the game played at the highest level. Keep writing and we will keep encouraging you with our comments, and yes, hope you play for NZ for a long long time. I particularly like NZ and WI cricketers because you guys still play it in the true spirit of the 'game' not like India where all the cricketers walk 4 foot above the ground, for no reason. After all it is a game and nothing more.
Posted by: Ramesh at February 28, 2009 11:58 AM
Compliments Iain. You did a great job for NZ. I can see a great one day series coming up with Kyle Mills and Sachin Tendulkar bolstering their sides.I hope we end up watching good competitive cricket between the hard working Black Caps and the talented Indians.
Posted by: Nikhil at February 28, 2009 12:01 PM
After conquering Australia and Sri Lanka in their dens, it's probably what is aptly called as the final frontier for Team India. Though I don't expect them to win any of the series, I feel India might run NZ close in the ODI's; for it would be more than a miracle if Dhoni's men could pull off even one test victory in Kiwiland!
Kudos to Iain for a well scripted article as well as victory!
Posted by: Abhyuday at February 28, 2009 12:23 PM
Congrats to NZ on winning. I am an avid Indian fan but I think that NZ will beat India to a pulp in both ODI and tests. Also, to some of my kiwi mates, not all Indians are arrogant, most of them congratulate the opponents on winning, and cannot be responsible for rude comments made by some people of my country.
Posted by: Ranbir Hooda at February 28, 2009 12:25 PM
As I'd feared ,emotional non-resident-indian & kiwi fans are predicting extreme scorelines.Calm down.Lets Wait & watch.What happens now in the ODI's & the tests has little to do with the 2 20-20's."That shut the arrogant indian fans up" could easily turn around into "That shut the timid NRI & kiwi fans up".Congrats Iain.Good win.Fully deserved.Your selectors deserve a pat on the back for discovering good new players of whom you seem to be 1.Except Oram & McCullum, most kiwi players are unknowns in India.Taylor seems all right & the bowlers disciplined.Though If India win this series convincingly,fans will forget about these 2 losses because there aren't any ranking points for 20-20's like in the ODI's & Tests.#3 vs #4 in the ODI battle intrigues me.IMO the kiwi team seems to be very comfortable chasing down totals.IS that a fair assessment?BTW my last 2 posts weren't published.I'm probably the only Haryanvi Jat in the world to take an interest in cricket blogs.Appease us minorities;-)
Posted by: KASHIF at February 28, 2009 12:25 PM
HI 0BI i can juz say u were 0utstanding in each en eve department of the game u have 0ut classed indians they 0nly cn have c0mand 0n placid pitches n0t 0n seaming tracks 0f newzealand best 0f luck f0r 0di series juz thrash them en their agg0rance i d0 pray f0r tat
Posted by: KASHIF at February 28, 2009 12:30 PM
HI 0BI i can juz say u were 0utstanding in each en eve department of the game u have 0ut classed indians they 0nly cn have c0mand 0n placid pitches n0t 0n seaming tracks 0f newzealand best 0f luck f0r 0di series juz thrash them en their agg0rance i d0 pray f0r tat
Posted by: Amit at February 28, 2009 12:53 PM
Hey buddy, good article. Loved it!
I'm an aussie-Indian and believe NZ has unearthed some great talent... including yourself. You guys are a very good T20 outfit and you play with honesty and without arrogance and I respect you for that. Good luck with the ODIs, I hope it's as competitive as the T20s :) Come on INDIA!!
Posted by: afzaal Khan at February 28, 2009 1:05 PM
Hey I am Pakistani, love fast bowling and becoming fan of NZ pace attack. Good show guys and good article. Thanks 4 entertainment NZ:)
Posted by: vijay at February 28, 2009 1:22 PM
Good display NZ. Thanks for the 2.0 victory in 20-20 you had increased our chances of retaining 20-20 world cup ten fold. Now India had its match practice in NZ the real test of india's progress will be in next two weeks. To prove they are top dogs in ODIs india need to take the series max by fourth one day. All the best.
Posted by: Auchi, Sri Lanka at February 28, 2009 1:38 PM
Hi Iain, cool blog! I've really enjoyed reading it.
I hope,no, I'm sure you'll win the ODI series...you guys ROCK!!
Best of luck to your whole team... specially Taylor, Southee and you.
Posted by: Rahul Harkisanka at February 28, 2009 2:16 PM
Great game Iain! Congrats to you and the NZ team for winning the T20 series but India is gonna take the ODI series fair and square :). Its really nice to learn of your association with the charity. Though I dont have my own money to bid, but keep up the work ... and the blog. All the best for the ODIs from one of the biggest Indian team fans.
Posted by: Prasanth Nottath at February 28, 2009 2:24 PM
Well done BlackCaps, well done O'Brilliant.
However, hereto thou shalt come no more. Hehe. I will be rooting for you in the ODI series and even test series, except that Indian win will get priority and the little master Sachin Tendulkar will dominate you. Sorry, just treat as a learning curve.
Posted by: Mr a at February 28, 2009 2:24 PM
U rock iain
Posted by: Vick at February 28, 2009 2:30 PM
This is so lame, many of the readers still feel that since the indian team was cocky they lost cant they accept the fact that kiwis were better
Posted by: Wikibra at February 28, 2009 4:11 PM
Hi Ian, nice article as always! I'd have liked it if you had something to say against the crowd trouble - frankly, I never thought that such a thing could happen in NZ.
Posted by: vasant at February 28, 2009 4:13 PM
"Right then, relax; remember the plan; see the delivery; smooth bouncy run-up; feel the rhythm; relax the shoulders; jump strong; hold the front arm; release the back shoulder; feel it off the fingertips and hope it don’t go for six."
Excellent portrayal! I love fast bowling. I'm fan of Shane Bond. I love to watch him bowl, his bowling action. Now I'm becoming a fan of your bowling and writing! Keep up your good work!
Posted by: Himesh at February 28, 2009 4:39 PM
Good job guys.Just keep You fine work going.You kiwis getting better so good luck for the rest of the series
Posted by: Ganesh at February 28, 2009 4:58 PM
Hi Iain, Nice article. I am sure the dressing room would be in a joyous mood. Its really nice to win such close games and you also need a bit of luck on your side. I hope NZ come out strongly to give a good fight to India in the one dayers and Tests, i am sure indians are a far better side at least on paper. But you know the conditions do favour NZ as of now. But Brendon played a very calm and matured innings, i am sure if few other players put their hand up like Brendon and Daniel, NZ will be a formidable side in the future. Thanks for your valuable insights of a winning experience on the T 20 game. I also do play Cricket in Singapore, its an amazing feeling watching you guys perform the way you have done. You guys have won many hearts. All the best for the one days and tests and give india a run for their money! Cheers Ganesh!
Posted by: Venkat at February 28, 2009 4:58 PM
IMHO, the ODIs will go to India. Sachin is getting back and that will make the guys bat more sensibly than they have. And, remember Aus won both T20s against SA just before the ODIs. Just that format of the game.
Posted by: kumar at February 28, 2009 5:08 PM
Hope Dhoni comes at num 8 now. One way he screwed the match making just 28 of 30 balls. Playing a test match may be?
Posted by: Vipul at February 28, 2009 5:09 PM
Well bowled Iain. The two bowls on which you clean bowled Sehwag and Gambhir (who lost their wickets trying to attack you) in the first match will remain etched in my memory for a long long time. Keep up that immaculate ability to attack the stumps. And you could possibly develop and add a slower ball to your arsenal. I do hope to see you in the IPL, if not this time, then next time. Hopefully, we will get to enjoy your regular blogs then.
Posted by: pavzie at February 28, 2009 5:31 PM
ian...thats a great initiative you have taken in writting this blog.there is so much that happens in the middle and we fans love to know it. Regarding the indian losses, i just dont read much into it. it may be easy for u guys to come to india and start off without practice but the reverse is not the same. it surely is a final frontier for team india. the next few weeks will unfold the real potential of both the teams. good luck to both the teams. cheers
Posted by: Nishantha Perera at February 28, 2009 5:56 PM
Great article man. Feel like being in the dressing room myself. Keep up the good work
Posted by: geebs at February 28, 2009 5:57 PM
I did observe that you ran in pretty hard in the first over.. nervous as you said..
But then, a great comeback, in spite of being a Kiwi fan, I thought it would be 1-1.
But I am worried about ODIs and tests. ODIs will be dicey with the Indians probably taking the lead, but tests, that's one thing am really worried about.
Posted by: Rajesh at February 28, 2009 6:01 PM
Nice article.
What does Mr.Vettori do to win so many tosses? I haven't seen sehwag hitting a six in 3rd man area in recent times. Can you bowl one short ball outside offstump? You may get his wicket if he edges it.
Good luck for ODIs.
Posted by: JAI at February 28, 2009 6:02 PM
congrats!! Hope, this wont continue in the following ODI series.. Beware of Sachin, "the master blaster"
Posted by: nick at February 28, 2009 6:05 PM
I am so impressed with the number of Indian fans that have said such nice positive things in this blog. What amazing sports you guys are! Truly great fans. The rest of the world could learn a lot! It is an honour having such a great team touring NZ and has been great having such exciting games- which are turning me into a 20-20 fan. I was impressed with the Indian teams immediate intensity in contrast to the way Australia approached the recent 20-20 (it seemed they thought it was all a bit of a joke- which ruins the fun (even when it was going down to the wire Nathan Brachan and his joking with the commentators through the headset as he boweled which should have been an exciting death over made things all a bit lame).
I don"t agree with the above comment that the Indians were cocky. They are clearly the better team and for them to deny this would have been a bit condescending so glad they didn't. NZ always plays well at home so will be a really good ODI series to watch! Ta Iain
Posted by: malli at February 28, 2009 6:29 PM
Hi Ian,
Indians are slow starters to a tour. In the last Australian tour, India lost the first test convincingly and picked up slowly as the series went on. They won the ODI series finals 2-0. I think this series is also no different.So, beware of the "Men in Blue".
My next point is, the team batting second will have more chance to win in NZ. In recent series in NZ, Australia lost all the matches batting first.
Brendom McCullam is playing very good in a T20 match(playing through the innings), if he continues this in ODI's, NZ can do well.
Posted by: RavBalky at February 28, 2009 6:55 PM
Full credit to McCullum for taking NZ to victory - India came close - ishant's injury did not help - India made a selection blunder leaving out Sreesanth - It must be Harbhajan who has ended his career
But New Zealand cannot get complacent about the ODIs - I think New Zealand can win the Tests 2-1, since there is nowhere for India to hide with Irfan Pathan spearheading the bowling - He is nowhere hat he used to be - now a cannon fodder if any - All India's Fab 4 will accumulate fame, money and forego peformance - only Gambhir, Sehwag, Dhoni and Harbhajan will bat well
I can bet sachin will have a string of single digits, and many Indians will start debating about umpiring errors etc
this Indian team has a jinx for New Zealand - the styles are different - a rich country, with do not care attitude Kiwis and talent not so worshipped, NZ has an easy ride over India - If the hero worship stops for the Fab 4, India will start doing well
as a start, IPL must be banned
Posted by: Sreejit at February 28, 2009 7:31 PM
Hi Iain, Congrats to u and ur guys for a well deserved victory.U guys thoroughly deserve all the adulation coming ur way. U have led a disciplined attack quite admirably and have brought the World Champions and their much vaunted batting line up on their knees. Hey, when can we get to see u in the IPL? the indian fans would love to see the 2 Ian's(Iain & Ian) in action in the IPL, i know i am looking forward to that. The Royal Challengers of Bangalore have picked a masterpiece in Jesse Ryder. He has also impressed in this series. All the best to you and the boys for the ODI's, but, beware of the "Indian Backlash". I am looking forward to your skipper bowling to his IPL skipper in this series.Dan VS Viru.... a mouthwatering prospect..
Posted by: Shravan at February 28, 2009 8:09 PM
Hi Ian,
Really good to see a player write his feeling on a match, on a over and on a wicket.
something that we don't see often. Great game for U. Hopefully, we will have such a tight ODI series starting tomorrow.
Good Luck.
Posted by: Nicky at February 28, 2009 8:19 PM
Hey Iain, great job winning the series. It feels so good to be a Blackcaps supporter right now (not always so easy). The team seems to have really hit their stride and its great to watch. I love your blog, its great to have the insight into the team and fascinating to read what goes through your head. Baz is awesome right now! Give him a pat on the back from his fans:)
Good luck for the ODI's, its gonna be great to watch!
Posted by: joe, California at February 28, 2009 8:51 PM
Iain, Hope you read our comments and hope that you will reply to some of them one of these days. You certainly have mastered the art of picking wickets in the middle of an innings, getting the Yuvrajs and Husseys out. Hope you will dismiss Sachin more than once in the upcoming series...
Posted by: Howard at February 28, 2009 8:54 PM
Ian,
Please bowl to Sachin outside off stump!! He will let the ball go. Dont bowl to him on the pads. He will tap you around square for a single. Outside off stump....
Posted by: Chandra TA at February 28, 2009 9:04 PM
WOW! WHAT A MATCH!!! I had my heart on my mouth for a while till the last ball hit by Baz fell on the ground. Disappointing end for India. Shewag still does not give the weightage to his own wicket what others in the world give. Shewag your wicket is golden wicket to other teams. Understand that please!!! Till you are there opponent captain can not plan better.
By the way, NZ played it cool and got the result they wanted. I was disappointed to see IP in the indian squad. He should have been replaced by Praveen. IP scores runs but gives more than what he scored. That is not going to help anyway. His first two overs 25 runs really made a difference. Praveen you poor chap!
Hope India will pull their socks in the ODIs. Yuvi and Shewag are the mainstays. Sachin's return would definitely boost india's confidence and will make NZ to adjust their plans.
Dan! You now bowl to sachin and see how many singles he scores which were left as dot balls in T20. All The Best Both The Teams!!!!!
Posted by: Jazz at February 28, 2009 9:08 PM
good work done by kiwis....
keep it up
i am an indian fan but still it was a great fun watching u guys play the way u did against a very "COMPETETIVE" side of India........
hope to see a great ODI series.....
though i wud like to say that
"Don't Take this INDIAN TEAM LIGHTLY"
..............
Posted by: carl at February 28, 2009 9:15 PM
congrats iain.sehwag is the man, i havent seen hitting like that since...chris gayle was here a few weeks ago haha, your breakthroughs were crucial to the outcome.
It is really encouraging from a nzfans point of view to see yourself and butler bowling quick, i see you hit 145kph!!!
keep it up chief, 150 is only 5kph away.
Posted by: Luke at February 28, 2009 10:17 PM
Great to see 4 million conquer a billion!! We're all rooting for you, would be great to see you bag a five-for in Napier :)
Posted by: harpal at February 28, 2009 10:18 PM
Good show NZ, we are looking forward for some nailbiting contests in this series. Advantage NZ.
Posted by: Rabbit at February 28, 2009 10:41 PM
well lain, good job. m sad india didnt win but to be fair, dan got lucky with the toss both times. Its much easier batting second, since the innings can be paced in advance. waitin for an xcitin one day and test series ahead.
Posted by: Rabbit at February 28, 2009 10:46 PM
well lain, good job. m sad india didnt win but to be fair, dan got lucky with the toss both times. Its much easier batting second, since the innings can be paced in advance. waitin for an xcitin one day and test series ahead.
Posted by: LB at February 28, 2009 10:58 PM
I'm a dedicated Blackcaps fan living in London. It's hard work to set the alarm for 6, 3 or even 1am to listen online but days like yesterday make it all worthwhile. After seemingly lots to contend with - injuries, stalwarts retiring, etc. - the squad looks like it's really coming together. 2-0 up? Only the beginning...
Posted by: obi wan kenobi at February 28, 2009 11:02 PM
Good to see kiwis cruise to a 2-0 win-I can't understand why the Indian fans are so arrogant lol, they're not even world number one nor have they dominated like the australians and already they are more condescending than the aussie fans.
Well done IAIN and NZ hopefulyy a whitewash in the ODI as well. MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU
Posted by: LifeIsBeautiful at February 28, 2009 11:13 PM
Lot is being talked abt indian fans' arrogance. Yes, some are arrogant and they have been shown their place by 2 good NZ victories. But Kiwis need not be over the top in beating the 'world champions'. It is not like NZ or Ind beating Aus in a Test or ODI series during 2003 to 2007, because Indians never dominated T20, like Aus did in ODI/Tests. True, they are the world champions, but it is just bcos they won the WC when most of the countries(incl & esp Ind) knew little abt the format. Ofcourse, they played wonderfully and deserved to win. Since then Ind have not set T20 on fire in the intl arena. Also, the nature & duration of the game is such that almost any team can beat any, incl Zim/Bangladesh beating Aus/SA. My point is, just bcos NZ beat Ind in T20 (100% credit to them) does not mean that indian fans have to start eating their words. It is ODI and Tests that are Ind are starting to dominate, and that is whr the real Kiwi test starts. Both of them should be a great series.
Posted by: john gower at February 28, 2009 11:25 PM
this is great, it is very good to hear from Indian cricket followers, they seem realistic and practical comments, not all nationalistic BS.
I do not rate this indian team as arrogant, they cannot afford to be. In fact I think they are under pressure pre tour and more so now. They are fully aware of not having a good record against NZ in big tournaments like the world cup and champions trophy lately and NZ has good confidence against this side because of this re the ODI's so the shorter versions will not be ea.
I predict the tests will be different I feel with the indian penetration in the bowling re the new ball espec whereas the NZ bowlers may struggle.
If India is the best test side in the world they really need to hammer NZ with both bat and ball and expose their inexperience totally.
If NZ manage to compete in the tests then I don't think India can say they are no.1
as long as NZ players give a good account of their relevant skills i will be happy with whatever the series result is
Posted by: saurabh at March 1, 2009 12:30 AM
Hi Ian, I post regularly on your blog, I am sure that you are chuffed by your performance, but then you are a current team player so you don't see the reality and the reality is that India fought hard, Ross Taylor just slogs no brain, yes let him know that and for all the greatness of Ryder that you are gushing about, he is just an uncut diamond at this point.If he performs in the ODIs then I will take my words back. Good Performance by NZ but remember even Baz made a mistake on the last ball and I'm sure that all of you are aware of that. Indian team can only get better from this point on. You bowl well, bring a true perspective out in your writings and you have got a second career waiting for you once you hang up your boots. Good Luck Mate. ODI Prediction 4-1 India wins the series. And If not then all your brow beating is fully deserved. Till then good luck.
Posted by: Brooks_Was_Here at March 1, 2009 1:00 AM
It was awesome to finally see Ryder in action during the entire 40 overs. Well Done!
Posted by: Deran - Sri Lanka at March 1, 2009 1:49 AM
Hi Iain,
Great job man...It was so great to see you taking Sehwag for the 2nd time in a row...
It was always NZ's match...specially after the opening stand of 54 in 4.3 overs by Jesse and Baz...
Hope you guys could repeat the performance in the ODIs as well...You have once again proved that you could beat giants in Cricket with "team work". I've seen this quality in your team since the day I started supporting you guys...i.e. since the 1992 WC where you upset everybody prior to the semis....
Hope Oram would be able to bowl, so that you could bring in another specialist batsmen at No. 7 (Broom may be), because I still think Kyle Mills should be batting at 8, not at 7. Anyway with Ryder and Elliot in the side the option of playing an extra batsman is always there...
So...Let me wish you all the best once again...and hope we'll have some good news in your blogs after the 3rd of March...
Posted by: Sachin singh at March 1, 2009 2:09 AM
Hi..
Really dis was bad day of india.noone know what its happenning.sehwag inning iz bad dream of hopeness.i only wanna say indian team didnt take nz seriously.anyway best of luck nz.
Posted by: anuj panchal at March 1, 2009 2:35 AM
hii ian,great blog again.Even when in australia i knew that this newzealand team has something special ,the way u players gel as a team says it all.Coming to the match,Two things that cost india the match 1) the inning played by dhoni.When he started his career he was an attacking batsman playing with a straight bat seems he has lost all that.Now he trying to hit everything to the midwicket,his bat is coming from the thirdman and even on a straight ball he use his wrist to play it straight ,and m talking about clean hitting ,,he is gud when he there to take 1s or 2s. ,,2)india not including praveen kr in the team in plc f irfan ,,he swings it both ways and could hv removed the top order cheaply putting kiwi under pressure, seems like all the buzz about india becoming the no 1 team is going to change after this series,and can gaurantee u southafrica will be beaten by the aussie comprehensively.So my prediction about the rankings after these two series 1 aussie,2 s.a,3 india or kiwi.
Posted by: Heather at March 1, 2009 2:37 AM
Well done on supporting the blind foundation Iain, that's awesome. Also to Baz for giving up his medal.
Posted by: Kaushik Lakshman at March 1, 2009 2:57 AM
Great work by the Kiwis!!!!
I am disappointed that we lost both the matches...but hopefully we can improve & win the ODI as well as the tests....Sachin will be back for the ODIs , so will Dravid & Laxman for tests...So Kiwis are going to have their task cut out!!!!!
Posted by: Shivender Rana(Himachal Rox) at March 1, 2009 3:31 AM
Nick,Whats with the kiwi supporters hitting out at the 'arrogant' indian fans.The only team we're generally harsh on,is our own indian team.Indian & kiwi teams get along & are very friendly.Lets hope the fans from new zealand understand that & quickly.Iain,I'm sure that it's going to be a cracker of a series & I think chasing is an advantage for sure.The first game is crucial Iain.Momentum in the modern day game,is the most important aspect.If you win the first game in napier,high probability of you winning a closely fought OD series.Unlike the guys with the early comments,I don't think you kiwis will win 3-1/4-1 & so on.I can't imagine that this Indian team could lose that amount of games.All you dejected indian fans & happy(but surprisingly hostile-we don't have aproblem with you guys) kiwi fans are forgetting that India have played all their cricket in the sub-continent continuosly for an year,which requires minor adjustments.They could've won the 2nd game too.India wins 4-1/3-1.
Posted by: Deb at March 1, 2009 4:07 AM
Congrats OB! You people played good cricket. India showed their brilliance in parts, but as always NZ troubled them. India need 2 things. 1) Players like Sehwag and Yuvraj should understand that they need to play longer to lift the team up until others get into rhythm. 2) India were far behind in fielding - NZ were so good in restricting singles which prompted Indians to go for big shots. 3) Somebody needs to work on Dhoni's batting. In 2005-2006 he could easily send good length balls for sixes, but now (for last 2 years) he mistimes most of them for singles. Come on Gary, are you reading this? Dhoni, like all other batsmen, need a bit of touch up on his batting.
Posted by: Marcus at March 1, 2009 4:21 AM
Interesting read. No belligerence,fantastic expression of one's mental state through the game without belittiling the opposition.
The odis will be closer, not so sure of sachin finding his groove intially, so there is a chance there too.
Posted by: TPMK at March 1, 2009 4:33 AM
Great bowling OB! Fantastic effort by young Jesse Ryder too, he is a real talent and it's great to see him taking more responsibility, maturing.
I was at the Cake Tin in Wellington for the 2nd T20 and watching that last over was an electrifying experience indeed!
However I'd like to apologise to the Indian team - who played brilliantly in defeat - and to the passionate Indian fans attending the match for a very small minority of the crowd who were frankly drunken, subhuman. I saw some disgusting behaviour directed at poor Irfan fielding on the boundary, security guards, and other fans. Kiwis don't discriminate, Kiwis don't give in to hate!
To the Indian team: thank you for bringing your explosive style of cricket to NZ. To the Indian fans: your passion for the game, all the colours and the dancing in between overs make a match so much more atmospheric. This tour is shaping up to be great! Predicting 3-1 NZ victory in the ODIs (1 rainout) and 1-1 in the Tests~
Posted by: Chirag Jain at March 1, 2009 5:37 AM
Great effort Ian! No one could have thought that India will lose the series 2-0, after being the world champions in T-20. The main blow for indians in this series was their battingand in second match, it was the captain himself who let his team down. I could not understand what was Dhoni thinking at that time whwn he played so slow...
Posted by: Abhishek at March 1, 2009 5:58 AM
Hey OB great game and congrats on winning the series deservingly.
Indian batsman need to be more responsible to even dream of winning the ODI series. If they continue playing the same way I would predict NZ winning the series. But considering the 20-20 to be an eyeopener I expect the indians to perform better.
Looking forward to a great competetive series.
Posted by: Matt at March 1, 2009 8:06 AM
Who'd a thought! Thats exactly what I said! Great bowling, great blogging, keep it up!
Posted by: Nanavaras at March 1, 2009 11:28 AM
Thanks Iian. Great Entertainment that was. Close game could have gone both ways.
Do you find time to read these posts nowadays? It is getting plenty.
Posted by: Anish pindiyan at March 1, 2009 2:49 PM
The Kiwis must be in cloud nine...after such a spectacular show of determination and atheletism..outplaying the indian team in each and every aspect in both the t20 matches......the little brendon is the one who is addin the flair at the top..........sourav gangully and SRK must be pleased and will expect the same fire power from him the coming IPL season......!!!!
Posted by: Avid.Cricket.Watcher at March 1, 2009 3:12 PM
Great game! Congrats to the Kiwis and their fans! But I hope everyone is mindful that these were the first 2 outings for India's batters on this tour...and it was the batting that let India down on both nights. I'm quite looking forward to the ODIs and Tests. This is a better Indian squad, and one with far more self belief, than those in the past who struggled in NZ. I still expect a tough fight from the Kiwis at home, but I think India have enough class in all departments to succeed this time, especially in the Tests (by which time the team should be fully acclimatized). Let's also hope there are no injury concerns during the tour for either side...hoping Ishant recovers soon from his injury.
Posted by: BRIGHT at March 1, 2009 4:34 PM
"Luck" is what we indians call it, if Dhoni's team wins but now that Dhoni's team has lost two 20/20 matches, what can we say???
First and foremost, great blog again. I enjoyed reading it. You guys really dominated the Game until the last couples of overs where India did some damage at the end.
Iian, ODI serious will be interesting and i 'm sure that this TEAM INDIA will win all the series from NOW ON. I know HOW DHONI'S MEN WORK!!!
WIN WIN is what is going to happen from now on. I know it will be hard to take in for NZ team but the truth is WIN TO INDIA FOR NOW ON.
Posted by: yoyo at March 1, 2009 4:43 PM
Great blog OB!.....and gr8 bowling too.....I wud like to tell those arrogant indian fans that NZ is also ranked 4th in ODI rankings.....so, don't undermine them.Moreover, i feel that NZ is more stronger than India at the moment....I also predict a series win of 4-1/3-1(in casse of rain) to NZ....Good luck OBI....
Posted by: Trevor Langa at March 1, 2009 11:17 PM
i think NZ is a good team of 20/20 now and i thing the India wants to win the ODI but i tell you right now that the Kiwi's a gona win the ODI and the Test sires.
Posted by: Priyanka at March 2, 2009 12:37 AM
You could have a career in journalism after cricket, Iain! Better start practicing that shorthand eh? Awesome game, good bowling and looking forward to the OD on Friday. Good luck!
Posted by: Nick at March 2, 2009 12:42 AM
Good blog, and great to see the Indian fans ignoring that they just got one hiding and almost another. Best of luck for the rest of the series!
Posted by: Alexander at March 2, 2009 12:54 AM
lain, I bet Indians will bounce back hard, they have always been a slow starters and there has been a lot of talk about they not winning in NZ for a couple of decades..they are well aware of it so I wonder how long you gonna keep writing this ;) well..just a thought..nice article by the way..keep going
Posted by: Swaroop at March 2, 2009 2:14 AM
Hi Ian, Continue writing the way u r doing it,we readers enjoy and feel the atmosphere of the dougout, dressing rooms etc. Good job. Ur team is building into a formidable unit.
According to me, its the bounce from NZ's pitches trouble the Indian batsman.
U must have seen that all in-form players from the recently concluded series against SriLanka are finding it difficult to middle the ball. In form Gambhir was nowhere in both T20's. Dhoni in the 2nd T20 was not getting it right too. So, its the bounce they need to get accustomed to. And as those were T20's, there was no much time to think and wait to adjust to the bounce. So, the result!
One dayers would be a different ball game though as Indians would get some time to adjust to the conditions during their innings to pace the innings well.Looking forward for it.
U bowled well.keep it up.
It was fun to watch the games on these small lush green grounds. Get it on the sweet spot of the bat and find it in the stands.
Posted by: djdrastic at March 2, 2009 2:47 AM
Fantastic post.
My Satellite television was down so I couldnt watch the highlights.
Thankfully I remembered about your blog.
Posted by: johnee at March 2, 2009 4:21 AM
oh, ian....well played.
and your performance in first match should merit a man-of-the-match award. had you not taken the sehwag's wicket, bredon would have been chasing 200 or more. I think you bowled slower off-cutter or some such variation to take sehwag's wicket.
anyway, most of you guys are new to this indian team, but once they sort you out, you guys are in for some real pounding. we have already seen glimpses of it.
the best bet for the kiwis is the climate, the colder the better.
Posted by: truthseeker at March 2, 2009 5:16 AM
Ian, not sure all the prasie you guys heap on Indians is to build them up and make hem fall in aheap
Posted by: Sameer at March 2, 2009 6:30 AM
Its all nice and dandy that you write Ian. But did you realise you got Him out twice just as he started his flogasession. Do you realise it could make Him mad Ian? He'll come after you Ian, what will you do then. Theres a long series ahead of you! You could have done better than incurring His wrath right at the start! But now He has set His eyes on you! It could be dreadful Ian. The carnage.. oh! Just as you career seemed to be building nicely too.
Love your work though!
Posted by: shyapka at March 2, 2009 6:54 AM
Truthseeker, Do you really think Indian team will take those compliments seriously and become complacent and ruin their game thereafter? That was indeed a nice try. But the fact is say anything, good or bad, ultimately it doesnt matter. It just boils down to the day's performance.
Posted by: Mel at March 2, 2009 7:04 AM
NZ is probably the best t 20 team right now..brendon is just awesome !!
Posted by: ssn at March 2, 2009 10:30 AM
first things first ian....
you have to agree with me that tim southee put your place in the test side in a serious jeopardy as mills and martin were regular mambers of the attack..but, you really improved drastically in the last year or so and now, if i have to pick between you and southee, it will be you...so, cheers yto you....
i think you will lead the attack with mills to beat india in the odi and test seris...good luck man...just keep the ball in the right areas and if sehwag takes the attack to you, dont forget to bowl the slower one (from the back of the hand like a leg cutter) please win the match for us ian...my wishes are always with you....
Posted by: ssn at March 2, 2009 10:43 AM
try to get sehwag with a slower leg cutter ian
Posted by: kiwiquick at March 2, 2009 1:29 PM
So OB, are you implying that Dan is a champion tosser?
Posted by: Srikanth at March 2, 2009 3:39 PM
Awesome Iain.Keep the good work going...I'am a big fan of NZ despite being indian...lets hope you guys will win the ODS with 5-NILL:p...Good luck Iain.Cheers.
Posted by: Ram at March 2, 2009 5:18 PM
I still think NZ's bowling attack is rubbish. Except Dan and Ian, there is nobody that can threaten this Indian side.
BUT you are bowling exceptionally well. Let's see how you can do that over a period of 10 overs.
Tough luck mate. You guys just lost the first one dayer.. U wait and watch
Posted by: Joe at March 2, 2009 7:53 PM
Ian,
Thank you so much for this blog..! keep up the good work..!
you guys played really well in 20-20 games. Full credit goes too your team.
Please keep one thing in your mind while you bowling aganist indians. "Body Line Qucik Short Ball" It will work..!
I know you guys have notes: Read the below lines
Sewag:- dont give him width..! Surprise him with a Slowball here and there. never allow him to free his arms (never give him a width in the off, he will demolish you..!)
Sachin:- Now a days he have a Shaky start. Body line quick Short pitch ball may be surprise him..! Aim at his Stumbs. He is a Well known LBW Candidate in the start of the innigs
Gambir:- Try to tie him with good length ball. if you can make him an end with out scoring he will make mistake and usually you will get a catch in the inside circle. Slow ball , Quick bouncer will be effective aganist him
Raina:- With a more straight mid on and mid off field try to ball him wicket to wicket. LBW Candidate
Posted by: Joe at March 2, 2009 8:01 PM
Here is couple more comments about indian batsmen
Youvraj:- left hander have issues with spinners. Dan will be a good choice to Bowl aganist him.! NEVER NEVR GIVE YUVI ANY SHORT PITCH BALL, HE WILL CLEAR THE GROUND. make sure you have strong Mid off and mid on he usually begin his play with straight Bat. A slow Insinger, Fast Insinger may do the trick ..!
Dhoni:- Watch out and try to cut short the Singles. vary your pace at every dilvery will get his wicket. Make sure Quick Body line Short ball will do the trick.
Yousaf Pathan: he love spinners. Give him a Body line short balls aiming at his ribs. never allow him to free his arms. Make him to play in backfoot for couple deliveries and try to give him a slow wicket to wicket delivary ... You will get your man..!
Irfan pathan:- Inswingers will do the trick. bodyline short pitch ball will also good.
Have a wonderful outing buddy..! I will be there to see your perfomance..
Have a Wonderful day..!
Posted by: irshad at March 2, 2009 8:32 PM
hi berin,
congratulations first. Hope u will go for ODI series with much confidence and spirit.
The cricket known guys knew that u guys are now concentrating on Sachin. If u take a wicket of him u almost wins.Not only u but all cricket playing nations.More concentration work u do for sachin and will succeeds.But the our guys dont have much experience on ur pitches like which one they have to play better.may be u can win 1st ODI if u control Sachin. All the best
Posted by: CTG at March 2, 2009 10:10 PM
Awesome game. I took my 9-year-old son along to the stadium - his first live game. What an introduction! He now wants to hit it like Baz in his under-9 games (if we ever get a Saturday that doesn't rain). I couldn't believe the noise in the ground for that final over - I don't think I've ever heard the Cake Tin louder. Let's hope that you keep getting Sehwag out for less than 30 for the rest of the summer :-)
Posted by: dashy at March 2, 2009 11:24 PM
The indian team is highly over-rated. Yuvraj Singh, Gambhir, Raina, Dhoni are all unproven against the moving delivery. Asides from Zaheer Khan, the Indian bowlers lack the cricketing intelligence that forms a real potent attack. Ishant Sharma may be an exciting prospect but getting wickets while restrictring run-scoring in a limited overs game when the opponents are on the charge is a different ball game altogether. Harbajhan Singh is by far the most over-rated spinner on the planet. Take a look at Misbah-ul-Haq smashing him with effortless ease in the 20-20 final and you'll know what I mean. Top-class spinners do not show such lack of intelligence and variety under pressure. All New Zealand have to do is attack Harbajhan Singh and the wheels will come off for him and India. Go New Zealand!
Posted by: Cricket fan at March 2, 2009 11:35 PM
Hey Ian, good work. U r a real entertainer on and off the field. I would say its a win for cricket regardless of the results - a real entertainment I loved it till the end. I am hungry for good and top class cricket and that second 20twenty was worth calling a great competition with bat and ball. I wish all the best to both the teams and would see constructive aggression rather than controversial series where players and supporters argue against each other.
I would rate this series as competitive as Aus vs SA. If India have world top class players, NZ have few with home advantage. Any result is possible.
In the end I would like to say an international game is meant for entertainment and building relations among nations and bringing their people together as one. It’s not an offence to support your team but it’s really sad to see few supporters are behaving like kids. Just pray for good cricket.
Desperately waiting for the ODIs to start. Hope Cricket wins!!!!
Cheers
Posted by: Sameer at March 3, 2009 6:18 AM
Ian, saw the way you tried to run Him out. Did not think you had that in you. Told you He would get into your head.
Posted by: carl at March 3, 2009 1:42 PM
cant win em all eh.im sure you guys would have called sehwag back too thats just heat of the moment sport.
once you get the rhythm back and relax, im sure you'll be as dangerous as ever.
champions bounce back and your efforts this season have been "best since bond".
congrats india, a performance worthy of a special team, sehwag's the man!!!
go blackcaps
Posted by: Ross at March 4, 2009 2:08 AM
Who'd a cared? On the right day an eleven drawn at random from the nearest girl's school could be world champs. Why talk about these exercises in entertainment as if they are cricket - the resemblance is that of vaudiville to shakespeare, both take place in the same arena. The impact that T20 has had on NZ cricket is a tradgedy, not something to crow about.
Posted by: suyash at March 4, 2009 6:34 AM
well, mr. O'Brien, the two times you ended up on the winning side, you were quick to post your blog, now that your team has been comprehensively beaten, and i am awaiting your blog, seems you have nothing to say
Posted by: Prithvi at March 4, 2009 1:02 PM
Ian, I am still waiting for your post after the last match, just curious what you felt about the Indian batting line up when it is in full flow.
Posted by: Lenin at March 4, 2009 1:58 PM
Iain.... r u speechless ???
Posted by: Anonymous at March 4, 2009 2:05 PM
are u speechless?
Posted by: Merwin at March 4, 2009 2:54 PM
Give him a break guys!!! It is always easier to write after a win but blogging will be the last thing on Ian's mind after the loss..
Posted by: deb at March 4, 2009 6:09 PM
Iain, I am Indian. I won't start blaming you right away that you are not posting because you lost, but at least you could drop in two lines that you had a reason not to blog! Remember, blogging on cricinfo (the-cricket-website of the world) brings a lot of responsibilities on you - and since you showed such promptness after two T20s, we expect you to write something now. About the match and about the Pakistan attack too, of course, being a cricketer.
You are a good team and you are a good bowler. It's nice to see an interesting series building up.
Posted by: KiQass at March 4, 2009 6:14 PM
Speechless?..I thought you were quick to write your blogs..Dont leave us hanging..We want to know your take on the Match..
Posted by: Alex at March 10, 2009 4:52 AM
Tell Andy Moles to drop Jeetan Patel and play you instead!!
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Iain O'Brien
must type as fast as he bowls. After stumps most days he adds to his popular personal blog, covering his take on the play, dressing room snippets and personal insights (he really doesn’t like bouncers). A fast-medium bowler, O’Brien has become a regular member of the New Zealand Test side over the past year and is enjoying his time at the top.
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