New Zealand v Pakistan | 1st Test | Christchurch | Nov 17-21, 2016 | Day 2

[Hamza_]

Great selection.

 

[waleed88]

[MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION] bhai went on his usual rant against Misbah without realizing Rahat is playing...

 

[MRSN]

Only Azhar Ali fares in tests like these. Can he do it again?

 

[MenInG]

The final line-up is not clear guys

conflicting reports!

 

[MRSN]

[MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION] bhai went on his usual rant against Misbah without realizing Rahat is playing...

it has to be Arthur. Misbah doesn't cut his old horses.

 

[Da_Future_Knick]

Rahat and Sohail both playing

 

[waleed88]

The final line-up is not clear guys

conflicting reports!

No they showed the images on PTV sports.. those were images from the broadcast not PTV sport's own

 

[shaz619]

New Zealand is a beautiful country with very picturesque grounds, and I hugely admire what our Test team has done.

But the time zones make following AUS/NZ Test cricket almost impossible for us Northern Hemisphere folk unless you're willing to sacrifice a lot of sleep.

Definitely, I may stay awake as a one off for a boxing fight or mania event over the weekend but it's just asking too much for a Test game and am a lover of the purest form. But we can still watch the first couple of hours for the NZ series hopefully and I suspect they will be pretty action packed

 

[waleed88]

it has to be Arthur. Misbah doesn't cut his old horses.

Rahat has been one of his old horses..

 

[MRSN]

Rahat has been one of his old horses..

comparing to Wahab I think he would rather have him..irrespective of any conditions.

 

[Rayyman]

I like the 11. Wouldve liked Rahat on this surface but oh well. Batting looks good

He's playing.

 

[Abdullah719]

No they showed the images on PTV sports.. those were images from the broadcast not PTV sport's own

Yes but PCB said Wahab is playing.

But now they have changed to Rahat just a min or two ago.

 

[marlonbrowndo]

This timing is great for people like me in North America

 

[waleed88]

comparing to Wahab I think he would rather have him..irrespective of any conditions.

Wahab was dropped in the England series.. so Wahab is not unbenchable

 

[Rayyman]

This timing is great for people like me in North America

Yup!! I will only miss the first session due to school, but that's gonna be the worst session for us.

 

[90MPH]

comparing to Wahab I think he would rather have him..irrespective of any conditions.

Rahat will make the ball talk more but he sprays it around as well.

 

[Belawal2014]

Love You Immy <3

 

[90MPH]

Anyway big advantage for NZ.

Pak will have to play out of their skins - hopefully they get 200 minimum.

 

[waleed88]

Shoaib akhtar giving some excellent comments here... says look at the ball and not the pitch

 

[shaz619]

Definitely, I may stay awake as a one off for a boxing fight or mania event over the weekend but it's just asking too much for a Test game and am a lover of the purest form. But we can still watch the first couple of hours for the NZ series hopefully and I suspect they will be pretty action packed

Oh no! what have I done!

 

[Sarfarazian92]

lo gi hum to gaye ab..)


Pakistan should be ready for the challenge if they have to be regarded as a top team.

Lol I'm not as pessimistic as I sounded there. We haven't played on a green mamba for a long time, so don't know how our batsmen will fare.

Just a bit nervous!

 

[Rayyman]

Can Rahat bowl well 1st change?

 

[waleed88]

Can Rahat bowl well 1st change?

He's always bowled first change, and excelled at it.. especially in Australia,

His performance was very good in Windies second game too as a first change

 

[marlonbrowndo]

Can Rahat bowl well 1st change?

Of course. The ball will not magically stop moving around after 8-10 overs

 

[Sarfarazian92]

This timing is great for people like me in North America

You're lucky you've gotten a NZ series in your first year in North America. I've had to wait for 6 years lol.

 

[MRSN]

Wahab was dropped in the England series.. so Wahab is not unbenchable

but he got picked again against the WI where he failed and Rahat got chance in last game where performed much better than him. I think this call between Wahab vs Rahat could be after seeing Rahat's performance in the last game.

The main problem with Wahab is he hardly swings which is a key factor under these conditions. That's why Rahat had an edge and also he did much better in WI series.

 

[marlonbrowndo]

You're lucky you've gotten a NZ series in your first year in North America. I've had to wait for 6 years lol.

Yeah. Apart from NZ and Aus, all other times are awful though

 

[Hadi Rizvi]

I think this is the perfect XI in these conditions. Hope Sohail can maintain his pace in his later spells.

However, if the pitch flattens out considerably then we might miss Wahab's pace and bounce.

Expecting PAK to score 250+ considering we're playing with 7 proper batsmen.

 

[MRSN]

Rahat will make the ball talk more but he sprays it around as well.

yes but he creates more chances. in the case of Wahab he gives away 50-70 runs before really putting some effort.

 

[waleed88]

but he got picked again against the WI where he failed and Rahat got chance in last game where performed much better than him. I think this call between Wahab vs Rahat could be after seeing Rahat's performance in the last game.

The main problem with Wahab is he hardly swings which is a key factor under these conditions. That's why Rahat had an edge and also he did much better in WI series.

Wahab got a 5'fer.. bowled better than Amir,

Ideally Amir is the worst of the 3 but he will never get dropped

 

[srh]

this can go real bad for Pak; no batting practice on the tour yet and have to bat first on a wicket after rain; Pak may fold very cheaply under 100

 

[MRSN]

Lol I'm not as pessimistic as I sounded there. We haven't played on a green mamba for a long time, so don't know how our batsmen will fare.

Just a bit nervous!

lol when someone is trapped badly we say "yeh tu gaya ab". And Pakistan batting first with cloudy conditions on green mamba without any much practice we can only hope.

 

[marlonbrowndo]

Lol i can't even see the pitch!

 

[waleed88]

Nice to see Wicky Bhai in commentary

 

[MRSN]

Wahab got a 5'fer.. bowled better than Amir,

Ideally Amir is the worst of the 3 but he will never get dropped

Amir has bowled well. He has been very unlucky with all dropped catches off his bowling but he has been better than his figures suggests. But he is expected to be our major weapon with the ball on these tour so let's see.

 

[Rayyman]

 

[waleed88]

Amir has bowled well. He has been very unlucky with all dropped catches off his bowling but he has been better than his figures suggests. But he is expected to be our major weapon with the ball on these tour so let's see.

Dropped catches in the 3rd test match only..

What did Amir do in the first game?

 

[marlonbrowndo]

Is it just me or the frame rate of the broadcast isn't excellent

 

[waleed88]

Really?

 

[Rayyman]

Really?

Naa just joking

 

[waleed88]

Naa just joking

lol its a review

 

[mz123]

Naa just joking

well well well...

 

[waleed88]

well well well...

I thought my stream was behind lol

 

[waleed88]

Good decision!!!!!

 

[Sarfarazian92]

Yeah. Apart from NZ and Aus, all other times are awful though

I'm lucky the AUS series is during winter break, otherwise I would have had to go class being up all night during the ODI series.

 

[MRSN]

well well well...

I had my heart in my mouth... aik hi tu heart hai..

 

[mz123]

I thought my stream was behind lol

haha yeah I thought this as well

 

[Rinnegan Sasuke]

Keep it up lads, got them to waste a review. Love the mind games.

 

[waleed88]

Man this is such a beautiful place... I wish I could witness this live

 

[srh]

damn; very first over; cant blame Pak batsmen though

 

[Markhor]

Not sure why Azhar, as the more senior of the two openers, doesn't take strike first.

 

[waleed88]

Not sure why Azhar, as the more senior of the two openers, doesn't take strike first.

Perks of being a senior

 

[mz123]

oh god, bolt is bowling

 

[MRSN]

Dropped catches in the 3rd test match only..

What did Amir do in the first game?

on those flat pitches it's very tough. Amir had also catches dropped of his bowling on Eng tour.

 

[Haroon786]

"the fact that NZ won the toss is good enough for me, don't mind the outcome of the test so much now."

Now at least we're guaranteed to have won one thing this Test )

Who said this ?

 

[On_the_up]

I don't think before Misbah retires, we'll see any impact of Arthur in PAK Test team. On NZ wickets, in a rain shorten game, I don't see any reason why Wahab should play ahead of Rahat; but Misbah is someone comfortable with his settled team. It's not that he is against Rahat or Imran; but he will hardly do any experiment. PAK will bat 1st, therefore Yasir & Wahab may edge past the selection, but had PAK been bowling first, it would have been a poor attack. In any case, on greenish tops, Wahab should be behind Rahat & Imran - wish he performs.

But Wahab isn't playing

 

[waleed88]

Good running Ajju

 

[Markhor]

Off the mark.

 

[badsha001]

sami reacted very slow for that single call

 

[waleed88]

This looks like a beautiful pitch to bat on.. there is no menace in it unless its pitched up... Don't think Amir will be effective here [MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION], his pace is the same as Bolt's

 

[Markhor]

Nice to see Wicky Bhai in commentary

In a country where he's done exceptionally.

Some of Waqar's best bowling spells were in NZ - can never forget Hamilton Test when we defended 120-odd.

 

[badsha001]

Not sure why Azhar, as the more senior of the two openers, doesn't take strike first.

Perks of being a senior

its so much easier to play the ball coming into you compared to going away. southee opened so sami faced.

 

[MRSN]

sami reacted very slow for that single call

he's a lazy runner. He has to sort this out. Already shown this early in his career. He is young. No excuse.

 

[London_Lahori]

Not sure why Azhar, as the more senior of the two openers, doesn't take strike first.

Really makes no difference, this is test cricket. If you can survive because you're facing the first ball, there's a chance you won't survive regardless.

 

[Afridirocks]

is it only me or is the camera angle not great at all?

 

[Boom boom legend]

Love the selection. We have an extra batsman and 3 bowlers that should thrive in these conditions.

On a side note, like the clean look of the scoreboard.

 

[Aman]

Some very average bowling so far.

Azhar and Sami looking solid.

 

[MRSN]

Really makes no difference, this is test cricket. If you can survive because you're facing the first ball, there's a chance you won't survive regardless.

from the receent past only Hafeez was a brave senior opener to take the strike......

 

[On_the_up]

Early days obviously but the batsmen don't look nervous.

 

[waleed88]

Don't think Amir will be effective on this pitch.. he bowls at Bolt's pace so this pitch won't be of much help to him [MENTION=57576]MRSN[/MENTION]

 

[90MPH]

The balls moving but not alarmingly - very little in the air.

So far so good - you may get a ball with your name on it but otherwise just leave as many as you can.

 

[waleed88]

In a country where he's done exceptionally.

Some of Waqar's best bowling spells were in NZ - can never forget Hamilton Test when we defended 120-odd.

Yeaaa... I'm glad atleast he's here to in the commentary box.. he's atleast much better presence than Ramiz

 

[Markhor]

Sunshine's out, should bake this pitch and become easier to bat on this as the match progresses. Unless we're due some more rain and grey skies.

 

[MRSN]

Don't think Amir will be effective on this pitch.. he bowls at Bolt's pace so this pitch won't be of much help to him [MENTION=57576]MRSN[/MENTION]

but I think he is better swing bowler compared to him.If he can bring the ball in like he did in Eng he will be more dangerous than Boult.

 

[Aman]

The balls moving but not alarmingly - very little in the air.

So far so good - you may get a ball with your name on it but otherwise just leave as many as you can.

Amir and Rahat will get more, and will bowl 10ks quicker.

 

[waleed88]

but I think he is better swing bowler compared to him.If he can bring the ball in like he did in Eng he will be more dangerous than Boult.

He barely swung the ball in England.. Cook owned him in the 4 games they played

 

[Aman]

Bowl 4-5 there consecutively and you'll get an edge..

 

[Markhor]

Good bounce from this pitch - Wagner should be a handful.

Nice to see a wicketkeeper not receiving the ball at ankle height unlike some places...

 

[90MPH]

Amir and Rahat will get more, and will bowl 10ks quicker.

Doubt it TBH.

Rahat gets good movement off the wicket but he's not consistent enough.

 

[troodon]

Not much swing for Kiwi bowlers.

Green pitch and still not much swing?