The first Test match between West Windies and New Zealand was looking like a good one until the Windies blow it with both bat and ball. These are the five talking points of the first Test.
Green pitch doesn’t mean there is movement
The cricket world was reacting to the pitch at Seddon Park with a nervous but pleasing feel that the bowlers might actually have a game talk about, but no it was a road in disguise.
Kane Williamson proved his worth as a top-class batsman. But when a number eight is making 86 – and not taking anything away from Alzarri Joseph – you know it is a batting paradise.
West Windies need to improve the batting
Windies once again have a first innings collapse and will need to improve their batting likes of Kraigg Brathwaite, Sharmarh Brooks and Darren Bravo need to improve their batting as the second time in a row in a first inning where all three have failed.
They will need to give the Windies something or we might see changes in the opening batting department and also they must place under some accountability due to their heavy carrying on the innings by captain Jason Holder.
So if the Windies don’t want to be stuck in the same position in Wellington they need opening batsman to make runs or the selectors should find some new faces.
New Zealand bowlers show who is boss with the ball
The Kiwis bowlers just know how to bowl on flat wickets, with Tim Southee and Neil Wagner once again bowling the Kiwis to the win with both taking four wickets.
Southee took them in the first and Wagner in the second. Furthermore, Kyle Jamieson looks menacing with the ball with coming off a climbing length would love of seeing him bowl in Australia last year because he would have a lot Aussie batsman on their toes and against the Windies batsman he looked very dangerous.
Jermaine Blackwood’s hundred is the only positive out of the Test
Blackwood’s hundred was the only positive, with Alzarri Joseph making 86 and both looked very good at the crease. This hundred by Blackwood was much needed for his Test career as it was his first hundred and was key to lowering the damage.
The Windies still need the top order to improved and make the runs as well so the match is not over.
Kane Williamson states his claim as the Kiwis best modern-day player
Finally, Kane Williamson once again shows he is the GOAT, with an impressive 251. He show’s why he is the best with a batting performance that states his claim as New Zealand’s best batsman ever – or equally best with Sir Martin Crowe.
So that are the five talking points of the first Test match bring on the second Test in Wellington and hopefully the Windies level the series.
If WIndies could catch he would have been gone for a low score. But nevermind, good players make you pay when given a life, and he made them pay.
Harry Selassie
Roar Rookie
I did not expect Nicholls to be the one to step up in Williamson's absence.
Riccardo
Roar Rookie
No Williamson today; birth of child imminent. Black Caps should still win but should not be complacent; skipper's absence is signficant...
Micko
Roar Rookie
Yep. It feels like WI can only beat NZ through their bowlers tearing through their batting, as the WI batting lineup isn't convincing enough to chase big scores.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Related to Jason I assume?
Lara
Guest
NZ at home are a tough nut. Solid batting with two class batsman in Williamson n Latham. The bowling attack is balanced with enough venom to worry. WI just need concentrate n work for 5 days.
Cricket fan
Roar Rookie
I'll be interested in seeing what Chemar Holder can bring to the table, although I get the feeling he's not ready yet and will be expensive. Roach is out so he's in line to make his debut
Riccardo
Roar Rookie
Roach came back well actually and picked up some wickets. They will get better at Wellibngton too. The reason the Black Caps' attack outplayed them was the pressure they built as a group even though Boult was off colour. Line and length. Areas.
Micko
Roar Rookie
He's a South African that's just become eligible for NZ through residency only in the last few months.
U
Roar Rookie
Just looked at Conway’s stats. Why hasn’t he ever gotten a shot before?
Cricket fan
Roar Rookie
In terms of the bowling, I think the Windies have improved enormously since the last series they played in Australia. Gabriel, Roach and Holder are all genuinely solid seamers who have improved their discipline impressively in the last few years. Their win against England was off the back of their bowling. Their bowling this match was probably an off day
Cricket fan
Roar Rookie
Windies batsmen always look like walking wickets. I watched their series against England earlier this year, and they were too tentative and unwilling to come forward. Resulted in a lot of bowled and LBW dismissals. They have some decent bats who unfortunately I can’t see making a sustained and world-beating impact, e.g. Brooks, Chase and Dowrich. It will take some miracle, or a brilliant bowling performance (like against England) for them to win in NZ.
Nick
Roar Guru
Cricket is at the end of the day a very, very simple game if you are patient and disciplined. West Indian bowlers and batsman show neither. The batsman play as if they imagine the each ball will be in their own personalised slot. The bowlers play as if they will simply dismiss the batsman with each ball. It's why some one like Glenn McGrath was such a rare commodity. Patient and disciplined.
Micko
Roar Rookie
The Windies batsmen were generally atrocious. Not taking anything away from the NZ bowlers, but their shot selection is woeful.
Harry Selassie
Roar Rookie
Williamson is simply incredible. Such an intelligent and skilled batsman. But Latham also did quite well. I would hope Conway will get his Test debut soon. He potentially can become that additional oomph in the Black Caps batting. As for bowling, well Boult, Southee, Wagner and now Jamieson make for quite an attack. An impressive first test for the Black Caps, let us see what Test #2 brings.
Riccardo
Roar Rookie
:laughing:
Riccardo
Roar Rookie
Disagree Patrick Yes the pitch was green enough the West Indies took a gamble on the toss they won. Thought it was an okay call. Problem was that only Gabriel got it in the right areas with anything like consistency. That pitch had swing and seam if you got it full and punched it into the deck. It had great carry; more bounce should be a regular feature of NZ wickets given their failures in Australia a year ago. It actually got a little quicker on days 2 & 3. Think "batting paradise" is a little generous though. Williamson said he was still struggling a bit towards the end of his innings. Southee was geting prodigous swing and seam. Even Wagner was getting movement off the seam. You could argue the decision making from batsmen in both teams may have been poor and that certainly talks to your point regarding the Windies needing to adjust. So too though will some of the Black Caps. It's actually the Windies bowling that needs immediate attention. Line and length and hit the pitch hard. Build pressue as a group, something the Black Caps are quite good at these days. Some nice comments about Williamson who is absolutely world class, and has hit #2 in the rankings behind Smith who is simply a Bradmanesque freak.
OzNix
Roar Rookie
New Zealand Police have issued a warrant for the immediate arrest of Gary Stead. Leaving Conway out of the Test XI for Nicholls is criminal...
Targa
Roar Rookie
It was a very good pitch for bowling early on but Tom Latham batted very well. He was actually better than Williamson on day 1, although Williamson was magnificent on day 2. Kemar Roach actually bowled very well and on another day could've knocked NZ over relatively cheaply. Also, the cloud cover came in on day 3 so the ball started swinging. Even Wagner pitched it up to get swing (only 1 of his 6 wickets was from short pitched bowling).