Stumps - Day 3

New Zealand 431 & 171/1 (48.0 ov) 3.56 runs per over

Sri Lanka 294

New Zealand lead by 308 runs with 9 wickets remaining



Brendon McCullum talks to his players, New Zealand v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Dunedin, 3rd day, December 12, 2015 ©Getty Images

IF NZ are serious about winning this game.. and they genuinely BELIEVE they have the talent to bowl SL out again... they should DECLARE... soon... weather may well shorten the game, but they have up to 2 days to bowl SL out as things stand. If they bat on much longer.. they may well assure SL cant win.... but then not have time left to bowl them out. It's all a bit of a gamble... or perhaps the COURAGE to back your own team's talent.. the "ball" is in McCullum's court

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Day - 4

New Zealand 431 & 171/1 (48.0 ov)
Sri Lanka 294
New Zealand lead by 308 runs with 9 wickets remaining

2nd Innings, not out:
K Williamson 48 (82b)
T Latham 72 (128b)

Wicket: Guptill (b Herath) 46 (82b 5x4 1x6)

ESPN commentator says "The conditions are all clear for now, says Fernando who is at the ground. And I suspect New Zealand will bat till lunch and eye 400."

Brendon McCullum DECLARES... before lunch

That's what I would have done

I have NOT been enjoying commentators suggestions about batting on past lunch!! Looking for 480+ run lead??? Around 400 is already enough runs.. SL would have to bat super well to do that in a Test 4th innings... and would deserve to win if they did that.

It takes "balls" to declare early.. something McCullum is not short of

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

New Zealand 431 & 267/3d
Sri Lanka 294 &To be played

New Zealand lead by 404 runs

TARGET for SL is 405

And they have ( perhaps) 155 overs to do it in....far from impossible

BOTH sides have a chance of a win ( NZ have best chance)

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Day 4, 1st Session (before Declare)

Latham gets to his third Test century, first at home.
100 (166b 8x4 0x6)

McCullum gets 100th six in Tests

Wickets:
K Williamson 71 (115b) 7x4 0x6 (b Chameera)
R Taylor 15 (16b) 3x4 0x6 (b Herath)

Rain - Early lunch
(Only bowled 1 over)

The early lunch might mean a few extra overs next session.. but basically the game has around 150 remaining ( weather permitting)

Makes even MORE sense of the early declaration... rain may well cause loss of overs over next 2 days.... so NZ DID need to get at SL ASAP

New Zealand 431 & 267/3d
Sri Lanka 294 & 4/0 (1.1 ov)

Sri Lanka require another 401 runs with 10 wickets remaining

That is ONLY 2.67 runs/over from here on


McCullum's declaration might well be described as a "sporting declaration" As in... McCullum has given the opposition a "sniff" of a chance of making the target. That could mean they WONT just "shut up shop" and play for time...safe and defensive. That actually could work in NZ's favor because they are more likely to get players out when they are actually striving to play scoring shots.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Another RAIN delay ( and perhaps loss of overs)


New Zealand 431 & 267/3d
Sri Lanka 294 & 22/0 (8.1 ov)

Sri Lanka require another 383 runs with 10 wickets remaining

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

In making this declaration, McCullum is "backing his bowlers" to be able to bowl a side out on a wicket that is fair, not especially hard to bat on.

I remain LESS than impressed with the NZ bowling attack as a whole.. as I have been for years. We have the odd good bowler (or 2) but it's been a while since they look like a cohesive attacking set of say, 4 or 5 bowlers.

HERE they have a chance... it should NOT be beyond a proper attack to bowl a side out with 5 sessions to do it in. SL have a chance.. but they would need to score a NZ record number of 4th innings runs to win a Test match

The in NZ winning 4th innings record is:
West Indies 348/5 68.0x8 ( 8-ball overs - equivalent to 90x6-ball overs today) V New Zealand at Auckland Feb 1969

http://www.itsonlycricket.com/entry/621/

If the bowling side fail.. I for one will NOT be blaming McCullum's decision to declare.. it is the bowlers who have to front up.


ETA
I should have included the general Fielding of NZ.. not just the bowlers themselves... Guptil just DROPPED a catch in Slips

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

I am thinking all these maidens and no runs/1 run overs, is the batsmen's inability to score and not headway for the NZ bowlers. Thoughts?

I now see the insignificance of a low RR (in a Test) that you mentioned to me.

Am hoping for at least 2-3 wickets ( by Santner) before Tea break.

Overly optimistic.

RR of 2 an over is OK... they can EASILY up that later.. they only need 2.6 over all.

It maters NOT at this stage

If SL survive (with just 2 or 3 wickets down) well into tomorrow... they will win.

If you are rooting for NZ.. naturally you'd like to see 2 or 3 wickets before Tea today... but the way the game looks... NZ are not threatening... apart from the Guptil dropped catch... Nz dont look to be threatening the SL batsmen. NZ need to buck their ideas up!!

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

I think McCullum declaration was great... it makes a "game" out of this... NZ could have batted on longer, but that would have almost certainly meant a DRAW.. and everybody knowing that from the start of SL innings.. and so boring play dribbling to an end (draw) a half hour early tomorrow.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Thx for the feedback, Rumpole

I had not thought of this. I need to observe more than 3 Tests to learn to put it all together (tomorrow being last day, etc).

BTW..
"Cricket is a funny old game"

A couple of quick wickets and it will look like SL have no chance at all...... on the other hand if they survive (mostly) today.... even at 2r/o ... they will start tomorrow requiring less than 300 to win.... not a big ask.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Tea


New Zealand 431 & 267/3d
Sri Lanka 294 & 69/2 (35.0 ov)

Sri Lanka require another 336 runs with 8 wickets remaining

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

35 overs scheduled for final session today. IF the game goes "to the wire" there are potentially another 90 overs tomorrow.

so... SL need 336 runs in 125 overs (2.68 r/o)

I HOPE SL realize that that is possible ONLY if they survive and bat most of the overs... then it is almost inevitable that they will win.

On the other hand if NZ take another 2 wickets today.... then they will likely bowl SL out early tomorrow.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Be nice if SL lost only 1 more ( or 0) wickets today... scored about another 80 runs and started tomorrow requiring 250 to win

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

As always, thanks for doing the math

Wondering if they will go to 6:00, again. Have they mentioned it? I had to quit watching live.

I'm gonna go with the 2+ more wickets today.

I'd like to see McCullum's decision work for NZ.

They have mentioned the option to play extra time... to fit in the 35 overs this session.

I'd like to see it work .. for McCullum..... but only towards the end of 90 overs tomorrow

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

K, thx. GOOD

Got live stream back.