Thats some collapse by India .. 93-3 and 1.45 on the machine, to 105 all out, and now 3.65.

Run lines for Aus, will prob be sub 220 ?

Ehhhhhhhhh I dunno, knowing the game will be done in 3/4 days isn't great for test cricket I don't think. Better than an absolute road tho

Hope Aus set no more than 275, much more and India have little chance

I bet the curator for the second test venue is out there watering and rolling the pitch like his life depends on it.

Lets go India

Knock down Smiths average a bit please

Love these occasional innings where its like a wickets highlights package reel

Haven't been keeping up with this thread. Too busy furiously madturbating in front of the TV. Which is awkward because I'm at the pub.

imo the best pitches for India to produce would usually be like the ones Bangladesh produced against England. Spin from ball one, but constant over the match and batting was a bit easier than in this match.

Still, it's great to watch.

TBH not sure why India prepare raging turners against us post Warne, its not like we could play their spinners with confidence anyway.

Amazing spot for us. Could make 0 tomorrow and stillbe significant favourites to win.

India started off slowly against England too.

India 3-1 Australia

pretty much a given that Australia's won the first one. Momentum is pretty big and I wouldn't be surprised if O'Keefe and Lyon gain huge confidence and bowl ala Panesar and Swann in '12. Pretty sure everyone felt the same in that series at 1-1 and England went on to win.

Sitting here waiting for day 3 like ...

(jk, Im off to watch rugby... will only be following the first session online, then off to the pub!)

Think India are the worst team in world cricket at using reviews

Rahul was an embarasment



EDIT- Speaking of reviews, O\Keefe had Kohli LBW, Smith didn't go upstairs

Double Edit, Bowled him anyway, GSM Aus

NZ were poor today, thou, once again, a good toss, may have helped (SA).

I amm not sure I would be persevering with Latham .. his last 10 or so inngs, against international opposition, are something like, 0,0,3,1,0,2,1,0,7,3 .. and got a 48 against bangladesh.

The S.African test team, has a few debutantes. With its quota make-up, it is a little weaker (I suppose any team without ABd would be), but, if Rabada stays fit, and plays most games, think they will be hard to beat.

I imagine Guptil must play in Hamilton. Be good to see, NZ 20-0 for a change, and not immediately on the back foot.

Always knew we'd crush India away

omg

Starc man of the match is a joke right?

And who said Smith wasn't the best batsman in the world?

Its been a dark last couple of days alright

I have $$ on Aus to win the series but its just a small amount so I would rather they lose just because of the hatred

Tom Latham can gtfo in limited overs games, the guy didnt even try a different approach after prodding around like an idiot for every non Bangla team for a million games in a row

Bring back Guppy, a bit tough to comeback against this attack who bowled fantastically last night

Would be nice to win in Hamilton again to set up a decider, its a very lucky ground for us

Probably watched this about 9000 times now.

FWIW



Can bet India at pretty much Evens with Betfair, despite the truly awful first test that's hard to turn down.

3-1 to India seems fairly likely but if we get three result pitches then surely 2-2 will happen more often. I really don't know though, Test one defied all logic.

Also Australia only need a drawn series to retain, so if push comes to shove they will tend towards a draw rather than risking a win.

Well when you look at other sports that have some worldwide appeal like athletics we've produced slightly more top world class athletes than cricket and it's no where near a popular sport anymore. I don't think we should expect to be as good as Aus-India-Eng-SA, but I would have expected that we'd produce more than Crowe, Bond, Kane and maybe Trent/Flem in 27 years since Paddles retired.

If AB wanted to play tests he could still be on par with Smith. just his injuries and his desire to save himself for another losing world cup campaign preventing him.

I think some of the S.African politics, is weighing more heavily on AB, than the injuries. It cant be easy, balancing trying to win, with a government quota requirement.

He has definately held the team together, on at least 2 of the 3 games here. He reminds me of Stephen Fleming .. a composed media man, who just seems all-around, nice.

The 1st Hamilton game, became a toss-up, and with spin likely to play a decent part, would like to take on S.Africa, at 1.58 or so. They got destroyed by Sri Lanka, on a v unusual spinning wkt, at the Wanderers (No AB), and there is def a chance, this will at least flip, and maybe set-up a decider at Auckland.

Looking at the body language of both teams .. Williamson and Taylor seemed a bit down, whilst the easy drop by Amla, didnt seem to phase anyone.

Will look at the final team sheets, and who wins the toss .. but, if NZ bat first, would be happy to back them, at 2.1 or so, if they get to 25-0, or 40-1.

For now, will just wait.

Hmm .. he who waits etc.

2 hrs before game time, overcast, but expect them to play at least a 40 over contest.

S.Africa drifting to 1.68 .. and that looks too big. Hard to back them, when I wanted to lay 1.58, so, back to sitting on hands.

FWIW .. its apparently a clear day in Napier (game was moved to Hamilton, due to previous drainage issues)