New Zealand v Pakistan, 2nd Test, Christchurch, 3-7 January, 2021

So, can the Wackies regroup?

this has started ... Pakistanis going slightly better.

Yeah, slightly.

All out 297 on Day 1.

Another inconsistent batting effort. Azhar Ali topscored with 93. NZ's best was Kyle Jamieson with 5-69.

Snoozies 2/53 with Williamson and Taylor just in

NZ well on top now; Williamson really is a gun.

Clearly the best batsman in Tests currently, above both Smith and Kohli.

And yet we found him out (he was poor here last summer) but not Kohli.

Another ton for Kane, and Nichols not far away.

skully wrote:And yet we found him out (he was poor here last summer) but not Kohli.

Yes. I was disappointed we did not see the best of him.

Thought the same with him in India (a bit dated) and similarly against Sri Lanka, and so had a look... I was surprised he has quite a poor record away from home against top opposition.

31 in England.
35 in India
21 in South Africa
42 in Australia (inflated by the 2015 series)

And 26 in Sri Lanka as well.
Got a good record against West Indies, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe

To be fair, most top batsmen probably have a mediocre away record against decent sides, or otherwise they’d be in the Bradman league.

I agree that expecting a 50+ everywhere is unrealistic. But for one of the standout batsmen of the past half decade, ~40 against top sides away from home is not far fetched.

Fwiw, I do think he's the best batsman around right now. But I found his away record is surprisingly meh for his standards, particularly given there's no major weakness in his batting.

tricycle wrote:I agree that expecting a 50+ everywhere is unrealistic. But for one of the standout batsmen of the past half decade, ~40 against top sides away from home is not far fetched.

Fwiw, I do think he's the best batsman around right now. But I found his away record is surprisingly meh for his standards, particularly given there's no major weakness in his batting.

Agree. I really enjoy watching him bat. I think NZ needs more Tests in India, SA and England and think his average should improve. He does have a sound technique and concentration and I expect his underwhelming performances in those countries will have irked him.

He is not a flat track bully like Warner who always fails overseas.

beamer wrote:To be fair, most top batsmen probably have a mediocre away record against decent sides, or otherwise they’d be in the Bradman league.

There are two interesting lists somewhere here on the forum ... 1) of players who've done very well away from home - better than at home; and 2) batsmen whose home v away average discrepancy is pathognomonic of home track bully status. I fancy Ian Chappell and David Warner would be on the first list, with Kane Williamson; I think Rahul Dravid and Ganguly might be on the second.

Home track bullies :

Ave diff---Player--------Home (Inn, NO, R, Ave)---------Away

62.01 RG Sharma (Ind): 20-5-1325-88.33 & 33-2- 816-26.32
42.45 RM Cowper (Aus): 14-0-1061-75.79 & 32-3-1000-33.33
36.56 AC Voges (Aus): 12-4-690-86.25 & 19-3-795-49.69
35.97 VS Hazare (Ind): 20-4-1113-69.56 & 32-2-1570-35.97
35.10 Mominul Haque (BD): 41-4-2124-57.40 & 33-0-736-22.30
33.30 Kamran Akmal (Pak): 23-4-1078-56/74 & 69-2-1570-23.43
30.11 GA Headley (WI): 18-2-1241-77.56 & 22-2-949-47.45
30.07 LG Rowe (WI): 24-2-1310-59.55 & 25-0-737-29.48

That looks like a (relatively) small sample size list ... what happens if you set the qualifications to 2000 runs home and away, or 3000?

lardbucket wrote:That looks like a (relatively) small sample size list ... what happens if you set the qualifications to 2000 runs home and away, or 3000?

The only qual for the list was at least 500 runs home AND away. No one with more runs than Mominul has a Home to Away difference of 30 or more.

I don't have a list for Away Track bullies. DGB had a 4 point better average away than at home. Ian Chappell's was only a point (he has very similar averages home and away). Warner is a home track bully (65 home 38 away).

I'll see what I can come up with for the Away v Home list.

Gathering dust I found this fairly old list (about 2005) that won't have modern (post 2005!!!) players in it.

Diff------Home------Away--Player

31.13 13 26.31 12 57.44 BC Broad (Eng)
23.99 14 30.20 11 54.19 RB McCosker (Aus)
21.76 11 18.19 12 39.95 S Wettimuny (SL)
21.52 25 24.05 21 45.57 JM Parks (Eng)
21.50 19 40.90 10 62.40 WH Ponsford (Aus)
21.42 32 30.44 37 51.86 M Amarnath (Ind)
20.43 15 26.95 14 47.38 SM Patil (Ind)


So obviously it's easier to be a home track bully than an away track bully.

Sheep 3/400 at Lunch.

Willo 153* and Nichols 138*

Crikey!!

Another thrashing by the Snoozers coming up.

They'd have to be close to becoming top Test team in the world if we lose the series v Bannies.

We are both currently on 116 points.

Nicholls and Williamson closing in on NZ's second best ever partnership ... top partnership of all time within sight too I guess

I seem to have acquired one of JGK's skills there.

I just checked the ranking predictor and assuming the Sheep beat the Wackies 2-0, then Aus needs to win the series v Bannies to retain top spot.

If the Bannies win the series 2-1, NZ go top and India 2nd. If the Bannies win 3-1, they go top, NZ 2nd.

A drawn series between Aus and India see NZ on top, Aus 2nd and India 3rd.

Based on that, we really need to play at our happy hunting ground, the Gabba.

lardbucket wrote:I seem to have acquired one of JGK's skills there.

bwhahaha... long term exposure to Mr K has affected all of us. I blame Skully.

Kiwis certainly have made a lot of cheap runs this series.

Shan Masood 3 zeroes in a row.