The World Test Championship Final 2021

First topic message reminder :

The World Test Championship has been something that many of us wanted for a long time, it took time to materialize, and in the middle changed the point system as the pandemic struck. There are imperfections and work need to be done to make more rounded. But it is a great initiative for the truest format. And I feel it merits a separat thread, outside the Rest of the World stuff...
India and New Zealand will be contesting for the first Championship title from 18th June. Both these sides have had some impressive success on way to the final. India's series win against Australia has to be their performance of the cycle, while New Zealand had a fine home record and then they capped it with a first series win in more than 20 years in England just before the final.
Both the sides have also shown some fine bench strength in recent times. India won in Australia effectively without Kohli, and for parts of the series, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammad Shami, Umesh Yadav, Rohit Sharma, and Ishant Sharma who couldn't even make it to the touring party as he was injured. Jadeja and Shami were unavailable for their home series win against England as well. In their absence, Mohammad Siraj, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Shubman Gill, Shardul Thakur, all emerged and Gill has become first choice and Siraj has become first choice squad at the very least. All the original first choice players are now available in the extended squad.
As for New Zealand, their most recent test win, a demolition job on England was achieved with the world number one test batter and their skipper Kane Williamson, Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson and BJ Watling. Devon Conwy has emerged and has suggested tha he has it in him to solve a major problem New Zealand have had even during this winning run, that of a partner for Tom Latham. Will Young's emergence indicates that even if the 37 year old Ross Taylor decides to move on, they have options. Matthew Henry and Douglas Bracewell are very capable first reserves with a taste of and some success in test cricket, and in Tom Blundell, they have an able replacement for the retiring BJ Watling behind the stumps.
This strong bench strength also introduces some selection dilemmas for both sides as far as the final is concerned. Will it be Ashwin and Jadeja both for India? Will it be the first choice attack of Bumrah, Shami and Ishant, or will Siraj make it ahead of Ishant? Or will they go in with all 4 with Jadeja batting 7?
Will New Zealand bench one of their established pace quartet to include a spinner? Or will they play all 4 and the skippr himself take on the spin bowling responsibilities? Or will young Rachin Ravindra be given a surprise debut in the all-rounder slot? If they decide to bench one of the pacers, who would that be? Jamieson is the least experienced of the group but he has fine success against India. Southee and Boult have primed themselves quite fine leading up to the match. Neil Wagner did lack a bit of rhythm in the England series but finished it pretty well. Will be a very tough call for Williamson.
There is a lot exciting in the build-up to the game itself. Hope it will produce great excitement in terms of the actual cricket, like the last ICC event final!

Very good session for New Zealand. Southee and Jamieson adding swift runs against a tiring Indian attack.

Indians have to do a far bit of batting to save this one. Lead of 32 is a more than decent one on this pitch in the context of a low-scoring game.

Favouring the Kiwis over the draw now.

Jadeja rapped it up for India, cleaning Southee up with a quick one. Got smashed for 6 first ball, but had his revenge next ball.
The lead is a handy 32 for New Zealand. India would be hoping that Rohit and Gill will be able to yet again provide them a good start. Early wickets can set in serious panic...
Hope they bat positively. Williamson should not be allowed to set a very attacking field.

If we get 30 plus overs of play today, India wouldn't want to be anything less than a hundred on the board for not more than 2 down. Going into a shell is really not an option here, at least to start with.

New Zealand's last 3 wickets added 57 and India lost their last 3 for just 4 runs! Will that end up the defining statistics of the match?

Rohit's off the mark with an edgy 3!.

Indian openers content to see the new ball off. Ball not doing anything extraordinary though there is enough life keeping the bowlers interested.

Breakthrough for Southee, he's been the most threatening of the three bowlers used so far. Gill's technique looks proper rubbish in these conditions.

Still 90 minutes of play left tonight*, light doesn't look to be an issue. Kiwis need at least three more from here to be content.

*Overs will be lost because India only managed to bowl 51 overs in just over four hours.

New Zealand get the opening they needed, Southee trapping Gill LBW. The scoreboard hasn't moved much, India still 8 behind. Will Cheteshwar Pujara play it any different here?

Pujara doing it differently right away, gets off the mark first ball, batting at a strike rate of 100!!!

Duty281 wrote:Breakthrough for Southee, he's been the most threatening of the three bowlers used so far. Gill's technique looks proper rubbish in these conditions.

Still 90 minutes of play left tonight*, light doesn't look to be an issue. Kiwis need at least three more from here to be content.

*Overs will be lost because India only managed to bowl 51 overs in just over four hours.

Gill didn't look particularly uncomfortable in the first innings other than the one he took on the helmet from Jamieson. This is of course his first test in England, and he pretty much look the part in Australia. It took Kohli an entire tour to figure out how to bat in England, I won't be too worried about young Shubman as of now.
And yes, pathetic overrate from India despite Jadeja as always rushing through a few right after lunch.
And New Zealand not doing great with the overs either.

Boult back on, he has a good record against Pujara, including the first innings dismissal here.

India effectively 1-1. Nearly an hour of play left. How many overs will New Zealand manage to get in? India would hope to see the day through without any further damage. New Zealand would be hoping for a couple more. Ball by ball, an India win is getting ruled out as they are not likely to end the day too far a head. At this rate, perhaps 20 25. Even if they bat another 3 hours tomorrow and add another 150, there won't be time enough to bowl the New Zealanders out a second time. Draw most likely, New Zealand win pretty much not ruled out as yet.

What is Boult doing with all that short-pitch stuff? Yes Pujara does have a problem against the short ball. But he rarely gets out to it, usually takes a few more than usual on the body. And Boult is at his best keeping it full, and they have the world's best short ball exponent in their ranks.

Time for Wagner to explore the middle of the pitch?

Here he is, Neil Wagner... This time coming on ahead of de Grandhomme. Not much swing, not a great deal of seam movement. Wagner has been bowling fuller throughout this England tour, but here he might be going back to his tried and tested methods and play the enforcer role.

Probably another 4 more overs at best. Big strike for New Zealand, Rohit's been done in by the returning Tim Southee. Massive wicket!

Crucial breakthrough for the Kiwis, with 15 minutes left in the day, to keep their victory hopes well and truly alive. Rohit leaving an in-swinger from Southee, made him look daft as it hit the pads for LBW.

No nightwatchman, Kohli strides out to the middle with his side in some strife

Rohit would be cursing his luck, had Gough not given it, he would have survived. Didn't offer a shot though and thus didn't give himself a chance.
Nervous times for the skipper as New Zealand are closing in in the fag end of the day. They would dearly want to see his back tonight.

Kohli looks good to continue...

Kohli's away with a 3 after getting clanked on the helmet. India effectively 26-2.

With about 2 minutes left in the day, can New Zealand hurry through to another couple of overs?

So 64-2 at stumps for India. Effectively 32-2. India would have been happy with another 30 runs on the board with the same number of wickets, New Zealand would have been happier with a wicket more.
Advantage New Zealand though. The lower order runs making a big difference...
If Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja are required to bat an hour only around lunch tomorrow, and if they score another 70 80 runs before that, then India will have a chance to try and make a game of it, else, they will have to cling on for dear life...
New Zealand would want to get rid of the big 3 before lunch tomorrow, if they can get through Kohli, Pujara and Rahane before lunch, the win will very much be on the card as India would be 7 out all out.

msp83 wrote:

KP_fan wrote:

msp83 wrote:The only bowler who could have realistically be in the mix was Bhuvneshwar. He's a number 9 who could have batted 8, and as a supreme swing artist, he surely could have been handful with the ball.

Shardul is an equal  or better batsman than Bhuvi
Until Nos 8 Ind was ahead their 9, 10, 11 are betetr than Indians and giving NZ a small or possibly moderate lead

Shardul probably is a decent enough bat at par with Bhuvi. But Bhuvi, when fit, is a far better bowler particularly in English conditions.

you have to wait to see Shardul...you might be surprised and I do believe he will get a chance as its a long tour

Wasn't a bad session from the Kiwis, though Boult and Wagner were ineffective. Jamieson was highly accurate and Southee the main danger.

If India bat 60 overs tomorrow, the lead will be around 150-180 if they go at 2-2.5 an over, with 36 overs for NZ to chase it down (I'm presuming the usual day 5 allowance to bowl the overs no matter how long it takes will apply).

So that has to be the New Zealand aim - take the final 8 wickets within 60 overs to win. If they keep the RR down to around 1.8-2.2 tomorrow, they may have an extra 5-10 overs, on top of the original 60, to take those wickets. Second new ball arrives in 50 overs time. With Jadeja at 7 and a weak tail it's certainly possible.

No realistic path for India to win. They just have to bat for safety, but they must not get trapped in an overly negative mindset. If they can take the lead over 180 they should be safe. Bright sunshine forecast tomorrow so that should make batting easier.

Indian second inning is going like the first inning ...hard working runs scored
Not blown away in a heap...and are on a trajectory to get 200+

southee bowling very well...almost like Anderson at his best..which is also a reminder on what Indians will have to contend with against Eng. I hope Eng do their rest charade and keep him out of 2 games at least.

Boult not so well...Wagner seemingly with a knee trouble......So NZ have really two bowlers with their A game out.

Indian spinners did well after all 3-48 in 23 overs

Shami was the only seamer near his A game....Ishant A-(minus) and Bumrah on his B game....so when I look back I wonder how India really bowled them out for 250.

And I also wonder what if Bumrah was closer to his A game...but there are no iffs and bu.t.t.s ...it is what it is

And where it is now.....Tomm...all three results still possible.....
NZ win 20%
Indian win 10%
Draw 70%

Duty281 wrote:Wasn't a bad session from the Kiwis, though Boult and Wagner were ineffective. Jamieson was highly accurate and Southee the main danger.

If India bat 60 overs tomorrow, the lead will be around 150-180 if they go at 2-2.5 an over, with 36 overs for NZ to chase it down (I'm presuming the usual day 5 allowance to bowl the overs no matter how long it takes will apply).

So that has to be the New Zealand aim - take the final 8 wickets within 60 overs to win. If they keep the RR down to around 1.8-2.2 tomorrow, they may have an extra 5-10 overs, on top of the original 60, to take those wickets. Second new ball arrives in 50 overs time. With Jadeja at 7 and a weak tail it's certainly possible.

No realistic path for India to win. They just have to bat for safety, but they must not get trapped in an overly negative mindset. If they can take the lead over 180 they should be safe. Bright sunshine forecast tomorrow so that should make batting easier.

India is on a trajectory to bat 100 overs...that means 70 more overs and lead of around 180...leaving 25 odd overs for NZ....in which its not impossible but small chance

India meanwhile if not losing wickets in a heap in first session has two wild cards in Pant and Jadeja who can smash a 100 in 15 overs
means 250 for NZ in 45 overs....and India has an outside chance of winning...if NZ goes for it
its 70-20-10 as it stands now

Duty281 wrote:Very good session for New Zealand. Southee and Jamieson adding swift runs against a tiring Indian attack.

Indians have to do a far bit of batting to save this one. Lead of 32 is a more than decent one on this pitch in the context of a low-scoring game.

Favouring the Kiwis over the draw now.

Still reckon this is heading for a draw. Can't see India folding up tomorrow and it is hard to imagine a way they can get a good enough lead with time to set NZ a challenging chase...Kohli isn't silly enough to make them a present of this.

But then I didn't expect today to move on as well as it did so who knows what the last day will bring ?

Duty281 wrote:Very good session for New Zealand. Southee and Jamieson adding swift runs against a tiring Indian attack.

Indians have to do a far bit of batting to save this one. Lead of 32 is a more than decent one on this pitch in the context of a low-scoring game.

Favouring the Kiwis over the draw now.

As KP-f suggested earlier, those runs were very important in the context of the match. I trust Joey will allow for that when totting up the points in his comp!

alfie wrote:

Duty281 wrote:Very good session for New Zealand. Southee and Jamieson adding swift runs against a tiring Indian attack.

Indians have to do a far bit of batting to save this one. Lead of 32 is a more than decent one on this pitch in the context of a low-scoring game.

Favouring the Kiwis over the draw now.

Still reckon this is heading for a draw. Can't see India folding up tomorrow and it is hard to imagine a way they can get a good enough lead with time to set NZ a challenging chase...Kohli isn't silly enough to make them a present of this.

But then I didn't expect today to move on as well as it did so who knows what the last day will bring ?

Yeah, I'm back to favouring the draw after NZ only got two wickets in the evening. Maybe 74% for the draw, 25% for a NZ win, 1% for an Indian win.

Hopefully we get some interest in the final day, not just India batting it out safely and the captains shaking hands with an hour left.

Bright sunshine adorns Southampton this morning, such weather being absent for the previous five days. Will take a sparkling effort from the Kiwi seamers to take these eight wickets and force a win.

98 overs scheduled. I hope play can last for long as it takes, otherwise there's no hope of getting them in - only 81 overs were bowled in 6.5 hours yesterday.

So an on-time start for a change. Lets hope for a good day of cricket...

In the Cricinfo's Andrew Miller mentioned Tim Southee's 6 hitting exploits in test cricket and noted that he has the best 6 hitting rate in the world in terms of balls faced. I then looked at the list of 6 hitters and noticed Rohit Sharma in there, maniging 59 hits over the fence in just 38 test matches. Rohit probably is the most sustained 6 hitter in the world in that sense. But it is also instructive to compare his numbers with those of Kohli who doesn't even figure in the Cricinfo list of top 6 hitters with only 22 to his name with both Ravindra Jadeja and Rishabh Pant comfortably ahead of the skipper. Its not that he can't hit the ball out of the park, Virat is a much better percentages player, cutting out the risk more often than not and play along the carpet...

Blimey ! I am seeing Players with Shadows ! Moved to a different planet , have we ?

Suppose all this sunshine won't exactly help NZ in their quest for quick wickets : pitch is either six days old or four depending how you look at it but I'm not expecting massive assistance for the spinners - of which NZ have none anyway.
Southee and Jamieson having a good go first up. If they don't strike I can see Wagner having a bit of work to do later.

Given where the game is right now we might have had a seriously interesting last day if there were twoextra days available instead of just one...

Jamieson with the huge wicket of Kohli ! Now this might be interesting...

Jamieson's outclassed Kohli brilliantly. Beat the bat twice in the previous over, now he's got the tentative edge. Kiwis have their early breakthrough!

Another couple in this session, including Pujara, and they'll be favourites once more.

With Jamieson getting Kohli early, the doors are wide open for New Zealand now. The 5 percent chance of an Indian win is very nearly gone with the skipper.

Think Rahane should be positive here, try to take the attack a bit to the New Zealanders. Runs are important for India. Leave Pujara alone to do his thing, but Rahane should do a bit of counterattacking. The lead is only 40 at the moment. Long way away from safe.

Oh Jamieson is pure box office. This spell has already broken the game open.

Kohli and Pujara gone. Now New Zealand have their prey in full sight. One more to get Jadeja in. Two more for Ashwin.

yup pujara gone....India need to attack and get runs on the board
we need 100 more to make it a fight

Wow. Pujara added to the Jamieson bag...there goes the man India might have expected to bat for hours...

Game truly on now : a lot on Rahane . And of course Pant , who will surely look to try and actually score . Too much passivity could undo India here.

Don't think we need the 98 overs in! India sinking fast.

Great start, hoping NZ can win this. Just feel they deserve to win something after being so unlucky in the World Cup

Kyle Jamieson, early in his test career, has made it his hobby to run through Indian batting lineups!

Huge huge drop by Southee - he's having a bit of a stinker

Blimey, Pant dropped off Jamieson. Easy chance for Southee. Will that be crucial?

India can't handle Jamieson at the moment. Actually, no batting line-up in the world has been able to handle Jamieson so far. His nagging accuracy when he's 'on it' is phenomenal, it's McGrath-esque.

Would get Southee off the bowling as well, it's been a poor start from him. Give it to Boult.

Rahane not looking comfortable out there. The ball is moving around as can be expected in English conditions, but nothing unplayable really. Jamieson has bowled brilliantly, and Southee hasn't given away anything. But not sure the Indians came out with the right attitude. They seemed confused as to how to go about things. Caught in between attack and defense. The defense has been an afterthought, and so unsure.
Southee has put Pant down! Is that the turning point India needed?

That missed chance may be crucial. Certainly India would be in deep trouble had Southee held what he would expect to take nine times out of ten.

Not that they're out of the wood anyway. Jamieson looks as if he could have another wicket at any moment. And runs are like hen's teeth this morning. Effectively 53/4.

Pant wants to take this on and get on with it. But he is struggling out there... He has tried to play at most of the balls, probably have middled a couple at best.

It is the runs scored, and not scored by the lower orders that is deciding things here.