The Season that was 2008-2009

Hello and welcome back to my blog

As a keen cricket follower pointed out to me, the NZC contracts are ending and new ones are to be announced this week so I thought I might provide a review of the last season and any points to keep in mind for the next.
First my congratulations go to the women's team for making the finals of the 20/20 World Cup. They played very well but unfortunately didn't have their brain in gear for the final where they should have realised a 10:30 start at Lords would see the ball nip around. They should have aimed at a total of 120 not 140/150 - the Sri Lankan men's team fell to a similar mistake in their final.
However the White Ferns did far better than the Black Caps in England and deserve better than their treatment in the media where they have been accused of being overawed - the team that took 4 English wickets and made the opposition work to chase the small total was not overawed, they just made an error in calculation that cost them.

Now as to the Black Cap's Season 2008-2009

Keep in mind that in 2008 (winter tour) we lost 2-0 to England in the tests and won 3-1 in the ODIs (the test series should have been 1-1). The team was still rebuilding and for 2008/09 the immediate problem was the batting line up that had largely failed.

Overall Stats:

Tests: 9, Wins: 1, Draws: 5, Losses: 3

ODIs: 18, Wins: 7, No Result: 4, Losses: 7

20/20: 5, Wins: 3, Losses: 2

Series Breakdowns:
Bangladesh

• NZ bounced back after being 1-0 down in the ODIs thanks to Oram who scored 2 half-centuries and bowled well (Taylor also scored a hundred in the deciding game). It was as early as these games in which Southee was targeted by opposition batsmen
• The first test was won by Daniel Vettori in a brilliant all-round display: scoring 55* and 76 as well as 9-133. The second test was rained out until day 4 so a draw was predictable but not before Jesse Ryder impressed with 91
• The tour largely failed to deal with the batting problems although Ryder and Taylor provided good contributions.

Australia

• This tour was split in-half as the tests were played in November while the ODIs were in January
• On a greenish pitch the batsmen struggled (Taylor and Flynn showed good technique though) and the only highlight was Southee shutting up the Australian commentators with 4-63 on the first morning. Ultimately we were chasing too many to win and lost comfortably
• In the second test Redmond finally abandoned his poor defensive game to smack 83 then AUS were 245-5 but the bowlers couldn't get Haddin out. This loss was by an innings
• The ODI series was a great contest as NZ went 2-0 up after Mills (4-34) set up a victory in Perth and then Elliott (61*) guided as home in the second game. Elliot stood up to the Styris role in the third game with 8-0-44-2 plus 115 with the bat (in a lost game)
• The AUS batting got better as the series went on and the 2-2 finish (after the fifth was washed out) will seem disappointing.
• The 20/20 was lost by just 1 run as Brendon McCullum showed some form.
• The tour highlighted the growing maturity of Ross Taylor and Elliot (as an ODI all-rounder) but also the batting weakness to pace bowling and the lack of impact by O'Brien in the shorter formats.

West Indies

• The ODI series was marred by rain as the first game was washed out. The second was won by WI as Southee again was targeted (particularly by Gayle). Vettori set up a simple chase in the third game with 10-0-20-4.
• At 1-1 the fourth game was washed out but not before Guptill scored 122* on debut - a magnificent ODI innings. The final, deciding game was rain affected too but Ross Taylor got us ahead of the run rate and the series was won 2-1
• The first 20/20 was a tie (Gayle won it in the SUPER OVER)
• The second featured a 130 opening stand by McCullum and Ryder (at Hamilton just like against ENG the year before).
• The test series began with a swap in the batting that saw Flynn at 3 and Ryder at 5. It came off as they scored 95 and 89 respectively. This should have set up a victory if NZ hadn't let WI off the hook with Jerome Taylor's century.
• The Napier test was drawn on a flat wicket with 136 to McIntosh and the Flynn/Ryder swap worked again with 57 and 57
• The series solidified the batting line up but the bowlers seem helpless unless there is swing. Of particular worry is the punishment Tim Southee received in the ODIs and 20/20s. The WI batsmen hit him off his line and I think he was over bowled by Vettori (mentally if not physically).

India

• SIX years after their last tour the pitches had gone from very green to very flat and the results suggested as much.
• NZ surprisingly won the 20/20s with McCullum guiding the team to competitive totals with 56 and 69*
• The ODIS were dominated by the Indian batsmen. The first was decided when rain set a target of 218 from 28 overs for NZ - not possible against the Indian attack. The second was washed out but the poor form of Mills was beginning to be expensive.
• Hundreds to Tendulkar and Sehwag destroyed us in the next two games despite 101 to Ryder. Southee had figures of 10-0-105-0 in Christchurch as India set NZ 393 to win. McCullum and Ryder put on 101 at Hamilton (good record building for them at this ground) to no avail; 3-0 after 4
• The solitary win came on a greenish wicket in Auckland as Ryder took 3-29 then hit 64 off 49 balls to win the game.
• The first test was lost after the batsmen couldn't adapt to the longer form of the game. 6-60 on the first morning is not a score that wins test matches although Ryder (102 - maiden ton) and Vettori (118) did rescue the total. India scored over 500 and avoiding an innings loss was the only consolation from the thrashing
• The Napier pitch was even flatter than before and both teams cashed in. NZ was 3-13 early before Taylor blasted 151 followed by Ryder (201) and McCullum (115). Although India were bowled out for just 305 the wicket gave no help to the bowlers on days 4 and 5. I began my blog following this test match after the appalling treatment Ryder got from members of the media after his dismissal on 201.
• The Wellington test saw NZ escape a beating after rain and Ross Taylor (107) saved the last day. India were 204-6 on day one but the bowlers allowed the total to reach 379 by stumps and the initiative was lost
• The whole tour was a run-fest on flat wickets and against that kind of Indian team the result was a forgone conclusion.

The season allowed the batting line up to solidify and the batsmen will need to develop in those positions next year. The bowling is now the major problem because 1: they lack penetration on pitches that aren't green and 2: they are all 30 or there abouts - hopefully the domestic scene will produce a few new pace bowlers to balance the aging attack. The return of Shane Bond will help for the next season but this is not a long term solution.

Well this post has become long enough so I will hold off my comments on contract selection till later in the week (instead of a 'team of the week')

Well that's it from here and I hope to see you again
It's good bye for now