TOPIC:

The Kiwi's triumph in the 6 day test over India, one way to ensure a winner I guess. Playing 2 warm-up games v England definitely helped NZ I reckon, the Indians will be better for the run and no doubt will take it out on England in their up coming test series. Be good if England can come down under on the back of three consecutive series defeats.

NZ have found gems in Conway and Jamieson, touch wood Cam Green can find  his bowling mojo at test level and start taking some decent numbers like Jamieson. Though Jamieson's test career has been solely on bowler -friendly wickets in NZ and UK, think he needs a reality check on a sub continent dust bowl or a MCG road to see how good he really is. As for Conway, at 29 years of age, the Saffies will be spewing another good bat has fled the SA coop. Looks ready to go and certainly backing it up with some decent numbers, early days I know, but you can only do what you can do I guess and those English and Indian attacks were top class......though surprised India didn't play their "big guns" who won them that recent test series over Australia in Siraj, Thakur and Washington Sundar.....big mistake it seems by Shastri et al going for Bumrah, Sharma and Sami.....LOL

 

May need to bunker up for a few days with all those Kiwis crowing Freezin, although I suppose you're used to it given the annual thumpings in the Bledisloe Cup.
Amazing that so much time was lost yet a result was achieved, looked like a tough pitch to bat on, I think the Indians got the worst of the conditions but Southee, Boult, Wagner and Jamieson are a good attack and India were one seamer short which I think made a huge difference in the end. I think Williamsons calm captaincy and batting was on show as well and he deserves the plaudits.

Well done to the Kiwis.
But incredible to think they are claimed the "World Test Champions" despite not beating Australia either at home or away during the time period?!?!
The ICC fixtures sound a lot like the afl draw favouring certain teams (eg- Vic...NZ) 

Good posts men, rightly praising the south sea poms; they would have won in three and a half days had Southee caught Pant. Williamson is certainly the best bat, but, as Freezin stressed, you have to be careful with comparisons. Turner and M D Crowe were definitely better players. There is a little bit of justice as India cheated against England, costing one of Australia or England a spot in the test final.

Its a bit of a concern that England now have a 5 test series against India to tune up for the ashes whereas Australia only have a one off match against Afghanistan to try and sort out their team selection. Smith is under a massive injury cloud, there are question marks over the opening combination and middle order batting as well as Mitchell Starcs long term future. Tim Paine's position is also becoming more tenuous as he has never been the best wicketkeeper in the country, his batting has gradually declined particularly to short bowling and his captaincy didn't set the world on fire last summer either.
England have their problems as well with Archer and Stokes injured and some players have indicated they are  not prepared to tour if their families can't be with them, but as it stands at this very moment with both teams at full strength, I would be predicting a victory for England this summer.

All good Mikeh, the Kiwi's deserved their victory, despite it being a 6 day match, obviously the cricketing powers above were desperate for a result, thus the extra day.  Considering the qualifying matches were all over three standard 5 days, how many teams missed out on max points through matches ending on day 5 during the qualifying period?....Water under the bridge now, but Paine must be kicking himself for overseeing that slow over rate in the MCG test....costing Aust 4 championship points.

BH: When was the time they beat Australia in a series? What matters is to keep hold of the urn.

ArkRoyal wrote:

BH: When was the time they beat Australia in a series? What matters is to keep hold of the urn.

I am thinking around 1993 in NZ AR but I could be wrong, NZ certainly havent beaten us in a Test Series this century.
In Australia they have only beaten us once in 1985/86 off a magnificent bowling performance by Richard Hadlee against an Australian team weakened by 17 defections to the Rebel Tour in SA (Hughes, Alderman, Yallop, Wessels, Hogg, Rackemann etc) and the retirements of Lillee, Marsh & Chappell the year before.

BH: it is even stupider because since 1993, nearly every major test nation has beaten Australia - even East Pakistan has drawn a test series.

I see the pseudo World Test Champs (who havent beaten Australia in a Test Series home or away for nearly 30 years) the Kiwi's have lost to Bangladesh at home.
Congrats to the Bangas and to Esbadot who took 6 for 40 odd in the Kiwis second innings and made a mockery of their batting.
I imagine there might be some interesting discussion about this loss from the likes of Smuthy, Doull and co in NZ Freeze???!!!
Hopefully Australia can manage to organise a Test Series soon against the Bangas.