NZ V West Indies Test 2

anybody but Gabriel and best

wi win toss and bowl

Tyco, what do comms say about the pitch?

comms say it is good for bowling initially and will seam around a bit, less swing. That said it is very overcast in wellington (do not think it will rain though) but this could be a reasonable batting track on days 2 and 3. there is normally more pace and carry in the basin wicket than in the Dunedin one. Other than that they (comms) are in the dark as well. The pitch has browned off somewhat from 2 days ago. 1st session will be crucial.

Thx

bloody hell that pitch (just seen it for the first time) looks very very green. Like its got real grass on it.

like a pitch we would play on on Saturday afternoon club cricket.

Market went cold on WI pretty quickly.

there is not much movement at all. So pitch is green but ball not moving and WI are bowling a lot too short.

Fulton out, NZ 14/1

If WI don't get 3+ this session, draw looking good.

Rutherford out, NZ 24/2

nz 2 wickets down and 1.77

Market likes NZ. I don't fancy draw, so it's been a back of WI to trade if they can knock a few over early doors.

and they drop taylor.... that could be costly

Luck isn't going WI's way.

Yep 2 dropped catches in first 15 overs. NZ picked up run rate last few overs

shocking over from best

These two have taken away early WI impetus. Out of my bet for now, think NZ win it but that price too low this early on

nz far too low. How can you back at 1.56 with WI not even batted yet?

If the pitch is batting better than expected you would think this would apply to the WI batsmen as well.

Agreed. NZ too short, but strong homeside bias in market (predictably).

Its nice that someone is giving us such good prices on the draw and the WI :)

79/2 at lunch. Can't resist a few quid back on WI at that price.  Should be nearer starting odds on that score

I think a "lay NZ/back draw" strategy would work very well at present. But what ratio to use is the question I need to work out for myself. What price will NZ be if they bat till lunch tomorrow for 350 runs? What price the draw then?

i laid off my draw back in the first 30 mins. But at this stage, with an oldish ball, backing the draw would seem the play until the 2nd new ball.

Ive backed the draw for now at 5.1 and 4.9
If its around 190/3 at tea am I wrong in thinking the draw will be below 4

this market is most odd.

i don't mind NZ at 1.6 on its own, but 3 down for 100 odd and the windies price should be much shorter pulling from the draw.

essentially, the sentiment on the NZ price is that their bowlers will cause no end of difficulty for the windies, it follows therefore that the draw should be much longer.

you are correct in your synopsis there DStyle, and I tend to disagree with that analysis (the markets). I think that the WI will bat ok on this track, esp as they will get the best batting conditions as well. Interestingly poised in any regard.

WTF, NZ are 257/5 and the WI are available at 9??????  and NZ are 1.61????

Is everyone ignoring the weather forecast?
This is from YR.NO who are pretty good
http://www.yr.no/place/New_Zealand/Wellington/Wellington/hour_by_hour.html

Got to be some sign of draw panic unless of course this has already been priced in??

YEp, drizzle patches in WEllington this morning and where I am 40km north of Wellington it is raining at the moment but that is showing on the radar and WEllinton is looking ok on the radar. But I have gone a little saver on the draw and seeing how this plays out.

Its not showing much at all today but could be a problem for a couple of sessions tomorrow.Not expecting it to effect the result long term but might present short term opportunities

Local updates much appreciated Tyco

starting to spit in Wellington according to the radio

raining in Tawa and Porirua, and that is to the North and the wind is from the north. So could arrive at the ground by 10/10.30. Will wait and see

Thanks for the updates Tyco161.

no worries. Tawa and Porirua are about 25kms north of Wellington. But it does not mean it will rain at the ground. Often in Wellington the rain stays there but it can come around. It is looking very dark and bleak though at this stage.

Starting to drizzle 500m away from the Basin. I have a man there.

If it stays or not is the question. But it could delay play if they get covers on the pitch. Could be interesting.

full covers are on at the basin just on the radio

comss reackon that once covers come off though play can get underway reasonably quickly. Players are warming up but the weather is still falling.

On the radar it looks like it will clear shortly.

hoping it will clear up towards afternoon and showers tomorrow morning

yeah that maybe but it has just started raining heavier. Met service guy on the radio says it may clear in 30 mins but there are more showers forecast all day. And showers can build up in the hills and flow through.

the wellington micro climate

yep the wellington Micro climate indeed. For all I know it could rain all day. Do not think that will happen but you never know in Wellington with all the Hills around and the basin being in the middle of things.

backers of NZ have got huge kahunas. At 1.53 it is not an odds on bet. really crazy prices. Has everyone forgotten Dunedin so soon?

rain getting heavier according to radio comms.No play in next half hour at leasst

yes, and NZ lower order going to batting on a spicey wkt again

groundsman thinking an hour if they are lucky.

not sure about that

on tv they are saying rain getting heavier. The micro climate in action.

Bryan Waddle saying more covers coming on.

but look odds nz 1.55

why they short

yep thats the funny one isnt it housefull. I guess this pitch will suit the NZ bowlers that much more than the WI bowlers and that is why the WI have gone out, draw come in and NZ stay the same

why nz stay the same bulshit

dont worry about it, lay it if you are sure. NZ been short all game and a load of money have come for them regardless. I think they are too short too but its a good opportunity that otherwise may not have been around.

I think NZ seamers will do better on this pitch, but how much better remains to be seen. WI don't play the moving ball well.

then why i lay nz 1.70

Looks like it is getting brighter and covers are looking at coming off soonish.

radio commentator thinks if no more showers could have play at 11.30

covers are coming off, in fact hessian is off and the rain looks to have passed through. umpires will look at 11.20 ish and then determine a start time.

mower is on pitch, stumps are in, and shouldnt take too long to prepare according to groundstaff. radio comm reackons 11.30 as well.

Clear on the radar, except for perhaps a light shower pm.

wow max of 87 overs so they could get almost a days play in with losing only 3 overs. dont think that will happen but you never know. Play in 15 mins.

starting early at 10am tomorrow just been told

is a possibility to make up play that has been lost.

Market doesn't fancy WI's batting chances.

not at all and the pitch looks ok for batting on too. Time for shiv to step up. :)

southee gone, he was never going to last long.

If there's seam movement for NZ then, tbh, I don't fancy WI's batting chances either. No seam movement and they should come close to NZ'z total.

best on a hattrick.... well done, 1 to go and then it gets interesting

finally. Well they are going to put some hessian on the wicket over the lunch break as a just in case and there are a few spits in the air but I do not think it will be too bad.

thanks tyco
what do they call the local radio station that is doing the live broadcast??
ive got "live" pictures but they are behind cricinfo's updates

with tomorrow's forecast surely the draw has got to go odds on.

Im well stuck into the draw but its desperately approaching bedtime and i dont know whether to stick or twist!!

The tv stream now showing a repeat of a one day international

a start circa 4.15pm nz time... or so they say. Umps going back out at 4pm to check (after tea) and then will get things underway if they can. See NZ still a silly short 1.63, I guess no wicket in 10 overs this will roar out. But I could be proven wrong and the WI could be 30-4 as well. Just dont know until the NZ bowlers show what they have got here.

I'm out for a $15 all green.

Big positions in the Ashes series to manage.

market loves NZ rain tomorrow again. draw should come in more

I just had a look at the V forecast and by all accounts it could (this is a could not a will) rain all day. The prospect is that we lose a lot of overs. But WEllington is fickle and it could miss the basin completely and be fine all day too for all I know.

Thanks for all the updates Tyco. I'm still holding red on New Zealand which is a bit nervy in view of WI erratic performance. Could level out or reverse position at minimal cost but inclined to hold on for another day. If the rain accounts for 50+ overs then NZ and draw should reverse positions, if not...

ditto

ditto

I know forecasts are purely forecast but Ive been watching them all day and the threat of rain seems to be deminishing.

If we take the weather totally out of the equation, where do we price the draw ?? Certainly alot closer to 4 than 3

After NZ's bowling performance yesterday I would have the draw closer to 5 if the threat of rain was gone. I had layed NZ and should have (hindsight is wonderful) taken some back when NZ went over 2's early on in the WI innings. Oh well. I am going to call my mate at around 9am and see if he can update me on the weather situation. Its still looking very cloudy but the weather cams do not show any rain as yet.

gone big on the draw, having made a tidy wee bit on the 1st test. every forecast i have studied points to rain today and possibly early tomorrow. loss of 40 overs makes the draw odds on. off to do the rain dance ;0 gl all ;)

ocassional showers now from rain just updated

Dry in Wellington and at present sunshine at the basin. Some clouds to the south and some to the north but at this stage it looks like it will start on time

The odds are reflecting the improving forecast. Next milestone is the target for avoiding the follow on.

Wi all fall down

have to enforce the follow on shirley.

great forecast for tomorrow, a green top like this should get better in the sun, and the bowlers are hardly going to be exhausted.

good move bmac.

last 4 out for ducks, trouble in the camp? nobodys that bad

very good bowling from boult

good bowling but has the NZ enforcement of the follow on backfired again? The rain just adds to the puzzle but I do not think it will last.

sunshine again, rain has stopped for 10 mins now so all is well for a start after lunch

rain gone, about to start

are the windies worth a back here?

possibly, small. a very good day for batting tomorrow; they need a bit more rain today and nothing stupid.

In the end, neither the rain nor the West Indies turned up.
It was a speculative punt, not too much harm done.