New look New Zealand to challenge a discipline-challenged West Indies by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Event:

West Indies in New Zealand 2008/09

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DateLine: 10th December 2008

 

It can be practically said that New Zealand and West Indies are battling for avoiding being in the coveted 8th spot just above Bangladesh. Test series are a rare thing in the land of the sheep. A whopping total of 6 test matches have been played in New Zealand over the last 2 years.

 

New Zealand

 

Batting

Of the 6 matches played, the Kiwis have won only 3, 2 of those against Bangladesh, so any lingering thoughts of a home team advantage should quickly be dispensed with. The batting will largely depend on young Daniel Flynn. The left hander is a throw back to the early 90’s period where a test batsman has to be stodgy and now since he is promoted to the number three position he has added responsibility on him to shore up the batting. Flynn, who pushes Jesse Ryder to five, is seen as a player better suited to negotiating the new ball. Moles hopes Ryder's free-flowing nature will be better suited to the middle order, which could be strengthened by the expected return from injury of Jacob Oram. However, Oram sent a scare through the camp by picking up a calf problem on the eve of the game.

 

New Zealand's highest score in four innings in Australia was 270, but the new squad carries much more depth. Oram, who had recovered from back and finger problems before the latest setback, is due to bat at six while James Franklin, who is now a fully-fledged all rounder, could be as low as No. 9, despite hitting consecutive centuries, including a double, in his past two first-class matches for Wellington. Much will once again depend on Vettori and McCullum’s late order batting to save the Kiwis from being embarrassed at home. Nowhere is the problem bigger than with the openers and yet another partnership will be on show in Dunedin. Jamie How and Tim McIntosh will form the 18th combination for their country in the past 36 Tests, ending the seven-match pairing of How and Aaron Redmond, who was dropped despite making 83 against Australia in Adelaide.

 

It was a surprising decision and considering the difficulties with the openers, he could have been persevered with for longer. The main reason the selectors favoured Auckland's McIntosh, a left-hander, was his early season first-class form, which included 349 runs at 69.80 with two centuries.

 

Bowling

Vettori leads the charges with the ball and might well be the key difference in the series with his brilliant left arm spin. A pace attack consisting of Iain O’Brien and Gillespie does not seem that impressive, until you add Oram and James Franklin to the midst. Oram’s bounce and Franklin’s swing and change of angle will add a new dimension to the Kiwi attack.

 

New Zealand squad for the 1st Test: Daniel Vettori (capt), Jamie How, Tim McIntosh, Daniel Flynn, Ross Taylor, Jesse Ryder, Jacob Oram, Brendon McCullum (wk), James Franklin, Mark Gillespie, Iain O'Brien and Jeetan Patel

 

West Indies

 

West Indies have not had a Test engagement since July when they lost 2-0 to Australia at home. That may work against them in Dunedin, where the conditions have been damp, but at least they have world-class batsmen in their top order.

 

Batting

 

Gayle's explosive play will suit the tiny ground, where the boundaries are among the shortest in the world. Chanderpaul showed his class against Australia, scoring 442 runs at 147.33, while Sarwan warmed up for the series with 158 in the draw against Auckland.

 

Chanderpaul will be regarded as the glue which will stick the team together. The other explosive players will be supposed to play around him. Career average hitting 50, last two years it’s over a. This year it’s up at 91. The mere figures will mislead a newcomer to feel that he is playing in a dominating West Indian team. But that is the tragedy of Chanderpaul. He is perpetually left behind at the crease by his irresponsible batting partners. This is a machine, an ugly machine that’s slimy with grease and wobbles all over the place but still does better than the shiny new ones in the warehouse.

 

Also keep an eye on Xavier Marshall and the Brendan Nash from Australia considered being the players to watch out for in the current West Indian outfit.

 

Bowling

 

Taylor, Powell, Edwards - how the islanders must be wishing these are names they can utter with pride like those 80s legends. West Indies have nothing like the venom their attacks had in the 1980s. In the warm-up match Auckland made 587 for 7 declared. Fidel Edwards, who is on 95 Test wickets, can bowl fast, but after a promising start to his career is yet to make a big mark in the international game. Daren Powell and Jerome Taylor are likely to be Edwards' support partners on an unpredictable surface.

 

They aren’t bad, but are inconsistent. They have got the height and ability to trouble the Kiwis on helpful wickets, but always go off the boil when it is required of them to fire. The battle will be between them and the dodgy Kiwi top order. Who ever wins will eventually be on top of one another.

 

West Indies team (from): Chris Gayle (capt), Ramnaresh Sarwan, Lionel Baker, Carlton Baugh, Sulieman Benn, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Fidel Edwards, Leon Johnson, Xavier Marshall, Brendan Nash, Daren Powell, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Kemar Roach, Jerome Taylor.

 

Pitch and Conditions

 

The pitch in Dunedin was under intense scrutiny last year, when it was so dry in a first-class match that a huge crater the size of a foot was created. That led to an inquiry by New Zealand Cricket, but the strip was cleared for use for the first Test against Bangladesh. Since then it has offered little help to the quick bowlers, but heavy rain over the past few days could change that. Another of the major talking points is the size of the boundaries. Vettori has already been critical of distance, which ranges from 52 to 62 meters. However, Gayle and Ryder will be particularly excited by them at the start of such a crucial contest.