100 for Iyer

Southee has had a good morning

313/8

345 all out

Ah. I was expecting at least 450.

Good start for NZ.

Yes tricky pitch

@PaulWhite 5 wickets for Southee.

India doesn't usually have a good morning.

Neither in batting nor in bowling.

Good to see him bowl well today especially after coming off briefly for groin trouble yesterday

How? I didn't and can't watch the live game.

No idea. He just pulled up after 4 balls of his over and went off for treatment.

Ohh

Always impressive for a seam/swing bowler to take 5 in India

Batting looks like hard work --- needs a lot of sustained concentration

True

Jamieson did not have such a good day. He was ok, but not up to usual standard

Feels like we're batting to save the match at this stage

As soon as one wicket falls, I get the feeling a bunch will

He got three wickets yesterday but didn't get any today.

Never looked like taking a wicket today really

@PaulWhite Let's see. It's too early to be sure.

@PaulWhite I wonder the host couldn't even score 100 and gave 5 wickets. Even there was more than 100 run partnership for the fifth wicket.

Yes and it seems unlikely batting will get easier as time goes by

It does but NZ has lots of good batsmen. It will be a surprise if they don't take a good lead in the first inning.

It's just 45 more runs than your expectations. 😜

ha ha true

Ross Taylor isn't great against spin. Kane hasn't been in top form recently. Henry Nicholls can be variable too. I'd certainly like the openers to hang around for a while yet.

Still 93/0 is decent start for sure

Aren't they playing their first test after WTC21 final?

Yep

They had enough rest. I really want to see them play well.

We don't get to play a lot of Test cricket even when there isn't a pandemic on.

@AJ Yes me too. Playing India in India is a great challenge for them

And I wonder how long is Ross playing for. IIRC, he was a captain before.

@PaulWhite Yet you became the first winner of WTC. ;)

Will seems to be a young batsman playing quite well.

It's his 4th test.

Yes Young has started pretty well

@AJ Seems like forever!

Since March 2006 apparently

@PaulWhite I guess he is gonna score the best of his test inning.

@PaulWhite 15 years is quite a lot of time.

Really is

He is literally playing 500th game if you count test innings individually.

445 games overall

Goodness

I guess he can play for 3 more years. He also seems to have the longest career among all NZ players.

> Ross Taylor has to be one of the unsung heroes of this decade in international cricket. The bloke has over 6000 runs in both Tests and ODIs, at an average of 48 and 45 respectively. Impressive numbers, right? Yet when we talk of the finest batsmen in world cricket, seldom would you see Taylor's name coming up in a debate. It's an irony for his persona though, considering the way he stormed into international cricket with a freewheeling style of strokeplay that thrilled the crowd to bits.

100 comes up for NZ.

I really like Ross but goodness he makes me nervous about run outs!

Not so much in Test cricket, to be fair

An hour to go if the light holds

Latham dropped!

Ah looks like he didn't hit it just massive turn

Hmm

Well, they are gonna score enough runs before end of the day to avoid follow-on. 🤣

An important milestone!

Yes!

Floodlights are on

That's too early. I can see that parrot from my window.

50 for Latham.

DRS saved Latham for 3rd time.

DRS saved Rahane but he got bowled on next ball.

Stumps.

@AJ It did, but if you're not out, you're not out.

Umpiring hasn't been faultless

Didn't avoid the follow-on

Start tomorrow as if India had been bowled out for 216

In catch and bowled, the batsman surely knows if bat has touched the ball or not. I mean you will feel the impact.

Unless it's a very very fine touch maybe

Which is less likely.

Agreed

In LBW, you can't be too sure.

You have to discuss with your partner sometimes.

lbw is really difficult even from the umpire's position without any replays

Yep.

@PaulWhite lol

Anyway a very good day for NZ I think but there is a long way to go and batting second will not be easy

Very much feels like playing for the draw

You never know with cricket though

Yesterday was India's but today was NZ's

yeah

@PaulWhite Still have 3 days. If they declare their inning by tomorrow and bowls out India on 4th day, I guess it will not draw then.

Still 216 behind, doesn't seem like a pitch to score quickly

But yes, you never know Cricket.

true

@PaulWhite Yeah, they have to play fast now if they want to win the game. Either India has to bowl them out early or NZ has to declare inning with a good lead by end of the day.

Or maybe bat day 3 and most of day 4 to set a challenging score?

Unlikely I suppose

Maybe it will rain 😂

It's not rainy season here.

@PaulWhite That could work too to win the game by an inning.

@AJ Yeah I know it was a joke. I hate it when the weather plays a role anyway

And India suffered with this for two games against NZ.

Yeah well English summers what can I say

Yep

Glad this is a good match so far. Excited for tomorrow's play

Me too.