Looks like they have only scheduled 43 overs in this innings, for the day.. letting Australia off lightly (I think they should bowl 45).. and they still wont make it by 5:30

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

McCullum OUT!!!

BB McCullum c Warner b Hazlewood 25 (27b 3x4 1x6) SR: 92.59





That just about wraps it up for NZ in this game

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

Stumps 2nd Test - Day 3


New Zealand 370 & 121/4 (44.0 ov)
Australia 505
New Zealand trail by 14 runs with 6 wickets remaining

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

A Test innings with 4 wickets down should not necessarily be a hopeless position. It should not be the end of the world when 4 top batsmen are out. It is the sort of situation where there could be epic innings by middle order batsmen and/or tail end batsmen.
However... I am not sure NZ has that "never say die" attitude? McCullum does, but that does not always show in the way the rest of the team perform.

Anyway... NZ need to SURVIVE today... to save the test... bat all day and part of tomorrow.

IF they want to try for a win... then they need to survive still... but also score runs.. piles of runs. That still leaves them with the task of bowling Australia out... and I don't think they are much cop at doing that.

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

FWIW
NZ are in the lead...


New Zealand 370 & 138/4 (50.0 ov)
Australia 505
New Zealand lead by 3 runs with 6 wickets remaining

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

NZ needs to lead by about 297 more than that before I feel confident.
I know I said Aus is going to win, but I would really like to see a NZ win for McCullum.

espncricinfo says on their pop-up ...

FINISHES HIGH
No. of runs by McCullum in his final Test - most by any captain. Karl Nunes had made 158 runs (66 & 92) in his last Test as captain for WI v Eng, Kingston, 1930.

170

Over rate watch....



Started the day 44 overs....
We require.....
By lunch 74
By Tea 104
By Stumps 134

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

NZ need to bat a lot longer, preserve wickets as long as possible whether they are trying to save the game (with a draw) or trying to WIN
IF they just want to save the game, it does not matter so much how many runs they score, but IF they still ahve hopes of winning the test they need to get on and get to a lead of 250- 300... AND put NZ back in AND take 10 wickets... IMO they have to put Australia back in before tea tomorrow.. and I still doubt they can take 10 wickets

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

Lunch


New Zealand 370 & 197/4 (73.0 ov)
Australia 505
New Zealand lead by 62 runs with 6 wickets remaining

1 over short

I DONT accept ANY excuse.. time wasted in reviews, but on the otherside Lyon (a spinner) bowling should make for better than 30 overs a session

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

NZ Wickets dropping like flies... as often happens.. once the "dream" breaks its like a crack in a pane of glass.. the whole thing soon shatters and falls to pieces.

NZ had a (slim) chance with Anderson and Williamson batting.... but both out now and its a new, hard ball, fresh (tail end) batsmen at the crease.

Australia should wrap this up today.... it will be silly if it dribbles on into tomorrow.

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

By way of keeping a dream alive for NZ.....

Historically there have been large scores by 8th wicket partnerships.. from all countries... some biggies from NZ included.

NJ Astle, AC Parore 253 New Zealand v Australia Perth 30 Nov 2001 Test # 1573
CL Cairns, DJ Nash 144 New Zealand v Zimbabwe Harare 19 Sep 2000 Test # 1511
DJ Nash, DL Vettori 137 New Zealand v India Wellington 26 Dec 1998 Test # 1435
BE Congdon, RS Cunis 136 New Zealand v West Indies Port of Spain 9 Mar 1972 Test # 694
SP Fleming, DL Vettori 125 New Zealand v Pakistan Hamilton 19 Dec 2003 Test # 1676

Watling and Henry are so far 89 for this 8th wicket partnership

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

Then perhaps a big 9th wicket partnership?

Smithy and Snedders

IDS Smith, MC Snedden 136 New Zealand v India Auckland 22 Feb 1990 Test # 1139

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

And we have the right pair for a big 10th wicket partnership

BJ Watling, TA Boult 127 New Zealand v Bangladesh Chittagong 9 Oct 2013 Test # 2097

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

Tea - 2nd Test - Day 4


New Zealand 370 & 311/7 (102.0 ov)
Australia 505
New Zealand lead by 176 runs with 3 wickets remaining

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

Adding the dreams... NZ led by 75 at fall of 7th wicket
add 150 for 8th wicket?
add 100 for 9th wicket?
add 100 for 10th wicket

TOTAL LEAD 425?

I think even if that happened.. there would be no time to get a result.

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

8th wicket falls (Watling out) partnership 118 is well done.. the highest partnership in this innings

BJ Watling c Burns b Pattinson 46 (77b 6x4 0x6) SR: 59.74


New Zealand 370 & 328/8 (107.2 ov)
Australia 505
New Zealand lead by 193 runs with 2 wickets remaining

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

Henry out.. that's torn it

MJ Henry b Bird 66 (93b 12x4 0x6) SR: 70.96



NZ do have a 200+ lead.

They have HOPE... they just gotta take 10 Aussie wickets

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

Best get the Aussies in SOON... take 3 wickets tonight before stumps...

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

NZ all out....

Innings break


New Zealand 370 & 335/10 (111.1 ov)
Australia 505
New Zealand lead by 200 runs


Target for Australia 201

Target for NZ 10 Wickets

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

I think they should require at least 20 overs between now and Stumps?
90 overs tomorrow... so NZ have 110 overs in which to take 10 wickets

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