Playing Tests under lights unlikely

Dunedin now joins Old Trafford in Manchester as the only venue to have two Tests abandoned without a ball being bowled. In 1989, a Test b...

Dunedin now joins Old Trafford in Manchester as the only venue to have two Tests abandoned without a ball being bowled. In 1989, a Test between New Zealand and Pakistan was abandoned at Carisbrook. Manchester8217;s abandoned matches were in 1890 and 1938.

Some critics have questioned Dunedin as the venue for this Test, saying it is too early in the summer. However, Chris Doig, the CEO of New Zealand Cricket, says such criticism is naive and illogical. 8220;Over the last week the weather has been unstable throughout most of New Zealand and we would have struggled to play the match anywhere.8221; Just prior to the start of the match, New Zealand8217;s coach Steve Rixon expressed his team8217;s desire to win and stamp some authority on the series. New Zealand bowlers had the added desire to impress with pace bowler Simon Doull, who injured a calf muscle in the build up to the first Test, being named in the 13-man squad for the second Test due to start in Wellington Saturday.

I don8217;t think anyone expected the team battingfirst to score 300 runs. New Zealand8217;s batting was impressive with valuable time in the middle achieved by the top order, with Bell, Horne, Fleming, McMillan being impressive. There were cameos from Parore, Cairns and Nash for the Black Caps to reach the highest one-day total at Carisbrook. Most commentators thought batting could have been difficult, but the batsmen looked at home on the pitch.The Indian at times looked ordinary and they didn8217;t appear to trouble the New Zealand batsmen. The fast bowlers looked short of a gallop but I am sure they will feel better for the work out. The fielding lacked the urgency required at this level.

I was impressed with Venkat Laxman and Rahul Dravid. While those two were at the crease, India had an outside chance of victory. Laxman 82, who has lived in the shadow of the highly rated Tendulkar, Azharuddin, Dravid, Ganguly and Sidhu, did enough to be included in the top six.

The turning point for a NZ victory came in the period between the 33rd and the 42nd over whenthe Black Caps picked up four for 38. Astle and Nash did a good containing job that frustrated the batsmen and when Tendulkar went, there was too much pressure as the target got bigger and bigger.

The debate will go on as to whether the red ball was a success under lights. My feeling is because the twilight is long in Dunedin, the ball could be easily seen until about 9.15 pm, but for the last hour batting became difficult. India were certainly disadvantaged at that point, so any thought of playing Test cricket with a red ball under lights is unlikely.

A win to New Zealand by 66 runs was well deserved. The Black Caps were well prepared in all aspects of the game although there is some work to be done by the new ball bowlers who at times lacked the consistency necessary to contain and dismiss class batsmen. India looked under prepared but they will be stronger on Saturday.

Brief Scores

Story continues below this ad

NZ 304-6 Matt Horne 64, Stephen Fleming 73, Craig McMillan 46, Adam Parore not out 24, Dion Nash not out 23,Kumble 2-50 bt India 238 VVS Laxman 82, Rahul Dravid 51, M Azharuddin 44 not out, SB O8217;Connor 2-43, D Nash 2-36 by 66 runs.

Not Good Enough8217;

Skipper Mohammed Azharuddin dubbed today8217;s experiment with a red ball under lights not quite good enough. Azharuddin said the ball was difficult to spot.

India, yet to play after their tour game win against Wellington, erred against deciding to bat first. The visitors earlier declined to play under lights as they maintained the red ball lost its gloss after a few overs.