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[cleanbowled]

Bit of controversy there on the no ball, but yeah on balance NZ deserved to win. Great match.

[Cedrictoad]

Pretty sure Watling was bowled off a massive Sharma no ball as well....

Umpiring adds to the charm of the game... DRS Out!!! ha ha

[smilley792]

fantastic game of cricket.

although nz made that alot closer than it needed to be.

[swamidude]

Great game, we were always going to be chasing it after conceeding 500 in the first innings. Nearly pulled it off, but as it proved a few bad sessions have cost us the game. Really disappointed with how Kohli got out, he looked really determined to see it through with his innings this morning.

Well played New Zealand though, they're looking a really good team with excellent spirit and fight. Only question for them would be a spinner and an opener (or two!)

[cesare_in]

Hindsight if NZL had lost today, their decision to not enforce follow-on would have come under major scrutiny as well..

[Gerry SA]

Not sure I agree with 'NZ deserved to win'.

India's bowling and fielding was pitiful after winning a crucial toss. Had they bowled 5-10% better, NZ wouldn't have got anyway near 500.

Both sides are rather average.

NZ probably slightly better with the ball
India probably better with the ball.

NZ actually need a spinner who can hold up an end and build pressure. Or get Doug Bracewell in as the 4th seamer. Using Williamson & Anderson as their 5/6th bowlers. Plus get Guptill and Ryder in as openers at Rutherford & Fulton are awful.

India's bowling, whilst it found its mojo in NZs second dig, it needs strengthening. Probably ditch Khan for Yadav, extra pace and NZ struggled with Shami Mohammad's extra pace. Maybe also axe Rahane and get Ashwin in at 6 as a batting all rounder.

[cleanbowled]

India performed woefully in the first innings (both with bat and ball). Managed to almost catch up with a fine display in the second innings, but weren't quite good enough. NZ's leg spinner Sodhi wasn't too flash, but their quickies bowled pretty well.

Ashwin as a bowling all rounder is an idea that I also think might be worth trying. He has been pretty impressive with the bat in his career thus far.

At the same time I think Rahane does deserve a longer run to see if he can establish himself. Plenty of other players have been given alot of chances, I think he deserves it as much. His first class average is almost 60 which suggests he has the capability to be a very good bat. He also got a poor decision in the second innings, though India's reluctance to embrace DRS has bitten them many times before and will continue to do so.

[swamidude]

Rahane got 2 unbeaten half centuries and 95 odd in 2 tests in South Africa and he looks like he can handle himself against the quick stuff. If he hadn't gotten unlucky with the LBW I would've put money on India to win but oh well that's cricket.

[cleanbowled]

Yeah, Rahane was looking very good till that Leg before, was almost run a ball, and has the technique to handle the new ball. May have been very different, but like you say thats cricket - some go for you others don't. But that is why I don't get the reluctance to use DRS. Sure you will also have times when you would have got away with it, but with DRS they give you out, and of course the flipside like Rahane where you are given out but can overturn it. I think the general argument is (pre DRS or without it) that umpire decisions tend to even out ie you win some and you lose some. That may be true, but with DRS at least when you are given out on review, you know you are definitely out (with very rare exceptions where there are still some doubts) and vice versa.

[smilley792]

2nd test nz 3 down and in trouble on a very green wicket!

latham on debut struggled to fill Ross Taylor boots.

[cesare_in]

I woke up to a score of 133/6..

[cleanbowled]

India bowled pretty well, but it could have been way better - two wickets off no balls, a meaningless over to Jadeja who got hit for a couple of sixes. Still pretty good, but we have to see how India bat. Hopefully the will do better than their first innings in the last match.

[Cedrictoad]

Looks like India got the best of the conditions.  Whoever won the toss would have had a massive advantage.

India will be happy with a 1-1 drawn series.

[cesare_in]

Cannot believe so many no balls not given. Or am I getting the rules wrong? 

[cleanbowled]

Cannot believe so many no balls not given. Or am I getting the rules wrong?

Your interpretation of the rules is perfectly okay, guys from both teams getting away with a fair bit.

India have done well, have a good foundation from which to try and level the series.