Kiwis raise the pitch for assault

Zaheer Khan, who is recovering from the bruise on the right knee sustained during India’s Super Max game last week, chose to skip the o...

Zaheer Khan, who is recovering from the bruise on the right knee sustained during India’s Super Max game last week, chose to skip the optional practice which the visitors availed in extremely windy and demanding conditions at Basin Reserve this morning.

The left-arm seamer chose to avail the option of skipping the nets ahead of the first Test at Basin Reserve starting on Thursday along with batsmen Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman and pacer Ajit Agarkar.

Hart likely to play his
first Test at home

Wellington: New Zealand wicketkeeper Robbie Hart is relishing the opportunity of playing his first Test at home in a match starting on Thursday against India.

“I’ve always loved the Basin (Reserve in Wellington) because of its atmosphere,” said Hart. “It’s a true cricket ground and for Test matches they always have big crowds.”

Hart made his debut in New Zealand’s loss to Pakistan in May before playing against West Indies in the Caribbean, after the retirement of first-choice keeper Adam Parore earlier this year thrust the 28-year-old Northern Districts captain into the international limelight. Reuters

Though all the four are certain to play the first Test, Zaheer, who has not spent enough time at the nets due to the bruise is absolutely vital to India’s plan on a grassy pitch.

The famous Wellington wind was in play yet again this morning at the ground as it howled from all corners and made cricketers, mediamen and a handful of cricket fans shiver in overcast conditions.

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The attention though had quickly shifted to the centre where an extremely grassy pitch promised run making extremely difficult in the first Test.

“There is so much grass that cows could come and there still would be enough of it left on the pitch,” said off-spinner Harbhajan Singh in his usual effervescent way as he tested a few Indian batsman with his bowling.

Vice captain Rahul Dravid for a second appeared lost in the surroundings as he walked to bat in the nets without a helmet – until a gentle reminder from skipper Saurav Ganguly sent him scurrying to fetch the headgear.

Ganguly gave himself a decent bowl in the nets and after going past the bat of pint-sized wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel several times, chose to come down and advise the youngster to “bat out as long as possible rather than play your shots” – a role Patel would be asked to fulfill to the best of his ability in the first Test. Patel though appeared nonchalant with the instruction and smashed bowlers all-around the park, including a few big heaves against the captain.

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New Zealand chose to avail nets first in the morning and everyone’s eyes were focused on the fiery Shane Bond who got immediately into the thick of action getting a lifter smash the hand of batsman Scott Styris. Though Styris wreathed in pain for a considerable period, he recovered soon to continue his batting with some other Kiwis including captain Stephen Fleming. Fleming instructed his bowlers to bowl him deliveries leaving the off-stump as he tried to work out his judgment of stumps.

Groundsman Trevor Jackson said he planned to cut only a little grass from the pitch, implying the team winning the toss would have no option but to bat second in the first Test. (PTI)