New Zealand v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Christchurch, 26-30 December, 2014

No thread as far as I can see. Test cricket for Christchurch for the first time since the earthquake in 2011. Will be good to watch cricket being played at a proper cricket ground.

whats proper about lancaster park? one of the worst grounds ive ever been to

Well I'm watching it on tv now and it's a packed house, blue skies, people on the grass banks, marquees, and spectacular views surrounding the ground. Looks pretty damn good to me. Authentic.

Should start a thread on "authentic" grounds. Not many with character left.

Both Lakmal and Eranga slip over and fall flat on their faces with their first deliveries of the match.

I'm going to call it early- terrible decision by Sri Lanka to bowl first. If there are blue skies and you're using the kookaburra ball, always look up, not down at the pitch when making your decision.

NZ seems to be a team on the rise. Class batsmen in Taylor and Williamson, wily veterans Ronchi and McCullum, an emerging fast bowling star in Boult, and enough talent to fill in the gaps.

Boult and Southee are the most underrated new ball pair in world cricket.

I really rate Boult ... thought he was a future star from the moment I saw him play.

Southee I think suffers from the 'yeah, he's doing OK, but he should be doing even better with all that talent' syndrome. Being a six-happy tailender when he clearly has batting talent probably amplifies the perception. He does average roughly thirty with the ball, and twenty with the bat, so he's a dangerous player.

In the last couple of years Southee has been very good. Had a rough start to his career.

Sri Lanka has fought back to level terms.

Mccullum playing a blinder.

lardbucket wrote:Sri Lanka has fought back to level terms.

not until they get mccullum out

Mukka reaches his century off just 74 balls.

WideWally wrote:Mukka reaches his century off just 74 balls.

He's on fire at the moment.

McCullum is hitting sixes at will! Currently 138* off 94 balls with eight sixes.

Has moved on to 177, chasing the record for a double ton. Looking good for Lanka after inserting them.

NZ Run Rate is 5.50

They are 4/352 with 26 overs left in the day.

awww, out for 195

Jayzus, 430 for 7 on Day 1 after being inserted. That's Vawn-esque.

You mean Nasser-esque?

Well, I was referring to Drunky sending Eng in during 2005 Ashes when Vawn went apeshit with the bat on the allegedly recently flooded wicket.

skully wrote:Well, I was referring to Drunky sending Eng in during 2005 Ashes when Vawn went apeshit with the bat on the allegedly recently flooded wicket.

Vaughan made runs in the third test at Old Trafford. It was a collective effort from Trescothick, KP and Freddie that got England to 400 odd on the first day (all out, mind you)

I think sending the opposition in is usually very dangerous. Unless it's an absolute green seamer under grey skies, it should be bat first every time. Perhaps the ball will do a little bit in then rust hour (and it should on a good test pitch), but after that greenish pitches tend to flatten right out with sun on them.

only 80 overs bowled ... must have been a few lost balls

Boult has gone apeshit. Some late swing at a decent pace. Hard to hack. 100 Test wickets for him now.