Cricket: Official Blackcaps thread the people’s #1

[Kiwias]

Wagner left stranded.

460 looks a very good score.

They will be delighted with that. Lets hope that we can generate the chances that the Windies bowlers did - but hang on to them

Definitely doing this. 29 - 4 now

[Carter's Choice]

NZ's session?

[Gumboot]

Did Southee just have a momentary lapse and use saliva on the ball? Tsk!

[Enzedder]

Southee gets Blackwood for 68.

111-6

[Kiwias]

Damn, Southee is a fine test bowler. He gets Blackwood who was holding the Windies innings together.
111 ~ 6 now

[Kiwias]

Another two wicket over from Jamieson.

117 ~ 8

[Enzedder]

END OF OVER 52

WI: 124/8
CRR: 2.38
Chemar Holder 5 (12)
Joshua Da Silva 2 (12)

Tim Southee 16-6-29-3
Kyle Jamieson 13-4-34-5

6.34pm Stumps Yesterday was 60-40 in New Zealand's favour, but today's 80-20 in their corner. Nicholls got his highest Test score. Wagner hit his first Test fifty. After that Southee took the early wickets, Jamieson took two more, and then when it seemed Blackwood and Brooks were bringing WI back, they struck again with Jamieson finishing the day with a five-for. West Indies need a further 136 to avoid the follow on, with only two wickets in hand. Follow all the post-day coverage on ESPNcricinfo, starting with Karthik's report. If you're joining us from the USA, there's also video highlights you can enjoy on the homepage.

[Certain Navigator]

You take that every day I reckon after losing the toss. Pitch did plenty, plenty of pace, bounce, seam, and body blows. Think the number of 20-40 scores shows it's a pitch you're never really in on. Another 60-80 tomorrow morning is a very competitive score, anything more a bonus.

Nicholls one of the scratchiest and luckiest hundreds in recent memory, but the runs are on the board and might be just what he needed to play back into form.

Thought Will Young looked promising but he brings his bat down on an angle at times, and both dismissals so far he's been stuck on the crease. A couple of work-ons, but it's so refreshing to be in a position where if everyone's fit Young, Conway, Phillips, Mitchell probably all miss the XI with the likes of Seifert, Cleaver, Chapman, Ravindra, Neesham all floating around doing good things domestically or for NZA. Best batting bench strength I can remember.

Perhaps. But NZ tracks are a lot more batsmen-friendly than they used to be, so scoring runs domestically and against very rusty A team attacks has to be taken with a grain of salt. Personally, I doubt that many of those mentioned would cut it at ODI, never mind test, level. I have some confidence with Conway, but much less so with the others.

[Gumboot]

The Black Caps lose the toss twice and get put into bat twice. Now it looks like they could also enforce the follow-on twice.

Was hoping the West Indies would be competitive, but they've been very disappointing in all facets of the game.

[mrbrownstone]

How good is Jamieson? That second wicket was absolutely unplayable. A real find, and genuinely exciting to watch.

[Kiwias]

How good is Jamieson? That second wicket was absolutely unplayable. A real find, and genuinely exciting to watch.

He seems to be enjoying himself out there all the time.

[mrbrownstone]

How good is Jamieson? That second wicket was absolutely unplayable. A real find, and genuinely exciting to watch.

He seems to be enjoying himself out there all the time.

As well he should. Tall, handy with the bat, decent pace, swings the ball both ways. Makes this test cricket thing look easy so far.

[Kiwias]

How good is Jamieson? That second wicket was absolutely unplayable. A real find, and genuinely exciting to watch.

He seems to be enjoying himself out there all the time.

As well he should. Tall, handy with the bat, decent pace, swings the ball both ways. Makes this test cricket thing look easy so far.

Absolutely. He excites the crowd too, making them think all the time that something exciting will happen when he's out there.

[Gumboot]

He seems to be enjoying himself out there all the time.

As well he should. Tall, handy with the bat, decent pace, swings the ball both ways. Makes this test cricket thing look easy so far.

Absolutely. He excites the crowd too, making them think all the time that something exciting will happen when he's out there.

To the manner born.

And with de Grandhomme and Neesham lurking, when will we next see a specialist spinner in the First XI?

[Gumboot]

Looks like another fine day in Wellington.

WI still need 136 runs just to avoid the follow-on.

Bring it!

[Jb1981]

Southee strikes. You would think that once again we will enforce the follow on. Yesterday wasn’t a big shift and they have had a night to rest.

[Carter's Choice]

Southee strikes. You would think that once again we will enforce the follow on. Yesterday wasn’t a big shift and they have had a night to rest.

That's an absolute no-brainer. We are fresh, there will never be a better time to enforce the follow on.

[Gumboot]

West Indies 131 all out, and NZ enforces the follow-on.

Jamieson and Southee both pick up Michelles.

[Jb1981]

Southee strikes. You would think that once again we will enforce the follow on. Yesterday wasn’t a big shift and they have had a night to rest.

That's an absolute no-brainer. We are fresh, there will never be a better time to enforce the follow on.

Absolutely, and they have enforced it.

[Enzedder]

Gee, the Windies are incredibly weak batters these days. I grew up with Greenwich, Haynes, Rowe, Richards, Lloyd, Kallicharan and Lara - what the hell happened?

[Carter's Choice]

Gee, the Windies are incredibly weak batters these days. I grew up with Greenwich, Haynes, Rowe, Richards, Lloyd, Kallicharan and Lara - what the hell happened?

Yep, they've been shit since the mid to late 1990's. As the game became fully professional and the players became fitter, stronger and more skilled, the WI's have struggled. The West Indies is comprised of small, poor nations and they lack the resources and infrastructure to compete with the likes of Aus, Eng, India, SA and even NZ. When they were at their peak they relied largely on natural talent. In today's era of professionalism, you can't just rely on natural talent.

[Carter's Choice]

A 200 run partnership here between Brookes and Campbell would really change the dynamic of this match.

[Gumboot]

Wagner's getting angry.

[Enzedder]

These are all my runs I guess. NZ bowlers are creating chances but Brooks and Campbell are hanging in there.

Huge appeal from Wagner - pitching outside leg for mine.

Balltracking says I am wrong and it would have been out.

[Gumboot]

Chase gets his second duck of the match and WI now 133/4

[Monkey Magic]

Gee, the Windies are incredibly weak batters these days. I grew up with Greenwich, Haynes, Rowe, Richards, Lloyd, Kallicharan and Lara - what the hell happened?

Yep, they've been shit since the mid to late 1990's. As the game became fully professional and the players became fitter, stronger and more skilled, the WI's have struggled. The West Indies is comprised of small, poor nations and they lack the resources and infrastructure to compete with the likes of Aus, Eng, India, SA and even NZ. When they were at their peak they relied largely on natural talent. In today's era of professionalism, you can't just rely on natural talent.

Did see a documentary where they were going around some of the grounds pointing out a lot of the training facilities were the same that Lloyd etc used. Not in a good connecting with history way, in a this shit hasn't been upgraded for 50 years way

[Gumboot]

Jamieson gets his second wicket of the innings.

134/5

[Carter's Choice]

NZ session after a decent but short/futile fightback by the WI's.

[Carter's Choice]

NZ will win this test match today.

[Gumboot]

I think this might take us to the top of the test rankings.

[Kiwias]

Holder is leading a fightback here, Windies at 194-6.

[Kiwias]

I think this might take us to the top of the test rankings.

I still can't see us beating the Aussies in Oz.

[Gumboot]

I think this might take us to the top of the test rankings.

I still can't see us beating the Aussies in Oz.

After how badly they spanked us last time, I can't help but smile at the thought of how the Aussies will feel about us being Number 1.

[Monkey Magic]

I think this might take us to the top of the test rankings.

I still can't see us beating the Aussies in Oz.

After how badly they spanked us last time, I can't help but smile at the thought of how the Aussies will feel about us being Number 1.

To be fair, how many teams have won series away from home in last 2 years?

[Guy Smiley]

Gee, the Windies are incredibly weak batters these days. I grew up with Greenwich, Haynes, Rowe, Richards, Lloyd, Kallicharan and Lara - what the hell happened?

Yep, they've been shit since the mid to late 1990's. As the game became fully professional and the players became fitter, stronger and more skilled, the WI's have struggled. The West Indies is comprised of small, poor nations and they lack the resources and infrastructure to compete with the likes of Aus, Eng, India, SA and even NZ. When they were at their peak they relied largely on natural talent. In today's era of professionalism, you can't just rely on natural talent.

Did see a documentary where they were going around some of the grounds pointing out a lot of the training facilities were the same that Lloyd etc used. Not in a good connecting with history way, in a this shit hasn't been upgraded for 50 years way

I did read a few years back that cricket in the Windies is up against the massive budget of US Basketball and just can’t retain the best talent in the face of that.

[mrbrownstone]

I think this might take us to the top of the test rankings.

I still can't see us beating the Aussies in Oz.

After how badly they spanked us last time, I can't help but smile at the thought of how the Aussies will feel about us being Number 1.

Good thing that's not the only thing the world rankings are judged on then. I know a lot of Kiwis place a high premium on beating Aus (rightly so to an extent), but of our last 13 test series (taking the ongoing series as a forgeone conclusion), we've won 10, lost 2, and drawn 1. Were it not for rain, that lost series against SA would have almost certianly been drawn. We didn't lose a test match in any of those 10 series wins, except for 1 in the UAE. That includes big wins against India when they were ranked No 1, Pakistan in the UAE, a test win in Sri Lanka, a first series win over England in 20 years, and a first series win against Pakistan since 1985. Lots of huge achievements.

In that same period, Australia have won 5 series, drawn 3, lost 5. Obviously that doesn't tell the complete story (we've only had 3 away series in 13, compared to Australia's 5), but it shows that beating Australia isn't the be all end all.

If we get to number 1 we'd deserve it for consistency over a number of years. Yes, given the drubbing we were handed last year Australia are a better team than us in a head to head in Australia, but ICC rankings aren't a 1 vs 1 battle. If you want to use that argument, we beat India at home, drew in Sri Lanka, won in the UAE, and won outright our last series against England - all things Australia failed to do on their last attempt.

[Kiwias]

I still can't see us beating the Aussies in Oz.

After how badly they spanked us last time, I can't help but smile at the thought of how the Aussies will feel about us being Number 1.

Good thing that's not the only thing the world rankings are judged on then. I know a lot of Kiwis place a high premium on beating Aus (rightly so to an extent), but of our last 13 test series (taking the ongoing series as a forgeone conclusion), we've won 10, lost 2, and drawn 1. Were it not for rain, that lost series against SA would have almost certianly been drawn. We didn't lose a test match in any of those 10 series wins, except for 1 in the UAE. That includes big wins against India when they were ranked No 1, Pakistan in the UAE, a test win in Sri Lanka, a first series win over England in 20 years, and a first series win against Pakistan since 1985. Lots of huge achievements.

In that same period, Australia have won 5 series, drawn 3, lost 5. Obviously that doesn't tell the complete story (we've only had 3 away series in 13, compared to Australia's 5), but it shows that beating Australia isn't the be all end all.

If we get to number 1 we'd deserve it for consistency over a number of years. Yes, given the drubbing we were handed last year Australia are a better team than us in a head to head in Australia, but ICC rankings aren't a 1 vs 1 battle. If you want to use that argument, we beat India at home, drew in Sri Lanka, won in the UAE, and won outright our last series against England - all things Australia failed to do on their last attempt.

Excellent points. I've been following the BCs from the days of Congdon, Hasting, Burgess, Vivian, Collinge, and Taylor, so it is taking some adjustment to viewing them as genuinely world-class rather than as a team with a couple of star players and a bunch of genuinely hard-working players backing them up.

[Jb1981]

The rain has arrived.

[Enzedder]

The rain has arrived.

[Gumboot]

Play's just started. Hopefully, that's the last rain for today.