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**IrishBlue** · 12-23-2009, 07:01 PM

T20 WC:
a first up meeting against scotland should have been a walk in the park but after the Scots posted 6/166 off their 20 it was always going to be more of a challenge. Shane Bond nabbed 4/36 off his 4 and Jesse "Whale" Ryder picked up 1/15(2). In reply, the Kiwis posted 3/137 with Asauru Kitchen posting 64*(56) on debut and Ross Taylor 66(58).

Votes:
3 - Bond
2 - Taylor
1 - Kitchen

The Proteas were our second opponents and after losing the toss, we batted first and notched 10/155(19.2), a rather disappointing score given the batsmen in our top 6. After coming together at 5/81, McCullum (45 off 31) and Oram (41 off 30) took the score to 134 and a late collapse sealed our fate. Oram knocked over DeVilliers and Duminy in consecutive balls, but the Saffers passed us without losing another wicket and with 17 balls to spare. Jacob Oram backed up his batting with 2/30 (4) and Tim Southee 0/17(4) also bowled well.

Votes:
3 - Oram
2 - McCullum
1 - Southee

Now off to Sri Lanka hoping Martin Guptill and Jeetan Patel are fit and ready to tour.

**CyberCricketer** · 12-23-2009, 10:44 PM

Some pictures of the scorecard will help so that we know you aren't making this up.

What I do to get a picture of the scorecard is:

1. Go to Options > disable Full Screen (you may already have fullscreen off)

2. Go to the scorecard of the game and press 'Shift + Print-Screen' (at the same time) on your keyboard.

3. Then I go to a program called 'Windows Picture Manager' (I have Microsoft Office '07 and Vista) and paste the picture in there. Becasue the game wasn't on full-screen you should be able to see some of your desktop around the edge of the scorecard in the picture.

4. Click on the picture once you have pasted it into Pic Manager, then go to 'Edit Picture' > 'Crop'. Use the black markers around the picture to cut off whatever you don't need, then click OK. You may need to resize the picture ('Edit Picture' > 'Resize') so that it will fit in the thread here. I resize mine to about 600 x 500 pixels. Rename the picture and save.

5. Then you need to have a Photobucket or Imageshack account. They're both free so make one if you don't already have one. I use Photobucket.

6. Once you have an account, you can upload that saved picture and then you have an option to 'Save & Get Links'. Click on it.

7. There will be three or four urls available for you to use. Select the 'Image' one: [IMG]url[/IMG]. Copy and paste that into your thread here and you should see the picture.

Here's an example:

**IrishBlue** · 12-24-2009, 02:29 AM

thanks very much, i was struggling with it last night

**IrishBlue** · 12-24-2009, 02:48 AM

The squad to tour Sri Lanka looks very similar to that which took the field in the T20 World Cup. Sadly there is a great lack of spin options beyond the skipper, but this is out weighed but the return of Martin Guptill

The Squad:
Opening Batsmen -
M. Guptill (22)
A. Kitchen (25)
S. Eathorne (23)

Middle Order Batsmen -
R. Taylor (25)
C. Anderson (18)
D. Flynn (24)
K. Williamson (18)

Keepers -
B. McCullum (27) VC
B. Watling (23)

All Rounders -
J. Ryder (24)
J. Oram (30)
K. Mills (30)
D. Vettori (30) C
J. Franklin (28)

Bowlers -
S. Bond (34)
T. Southee (20)
J. Patel (29)
T. Boult (19)

Most exciting is Kane Williamson who averages 42 in first class cricket as an 18 year old, and can also add some part-time offies to the team.

**IrishBlue** · 12-24-2009, 02:52 AM

I hope to break even against the 4th best team in the world, and make sure Murali doesn't have too much of and influence. The first test pitch looks like a road and the side in batting order is:

M. Guptill
A. Kitchen
J. Ryder
R. Taylor
D. Flynn
K. Williamson
J. Oram
B. McCullum
D. Vettori - C
T. Southee
S. Bond

**IrishBlue** · 12-24-2009, 03:21 AM

Well....

Quite a convincing victory in the end set up by a good bowling in the first innings. Williamson picked up his first test wicket of his first ball and also his 6th ball. Oram, Vettori and Southee all picked up two. Guptill was dismissed at 5/175 for a fighting 77 well supported by Taylor and Williamson who picked up 25s. Oram made a hard hitting 88* to take the score to a respectable 360 (including 12 sixes). Bond again got Sangakkara cheaply in the second innings and ended up with 4/25(16). Southee picked up the last 3 to end up with 5 for the match, all tail enders. Oram picked up two more to complete a good match. Taylor and Ryder guided us to a pretty easy victory.

No changes barring injury

**CyberCricketer** · 12-24-2009, 03:40 AM

Oram got 12 sixes!?!? I've been playing the game for months and the most sixes I've seen a single player hit is about three, even if they're fully settled, are on full agression and have a 'very aggressive style'.

Good work with the picture!

**IrishBlue** · 12-24-2009, 04:01 AM

Just to clarify, Oram personally hit 5, the team hit 12.

Back down to earth after this shattering defeat

On a dicy pitch, Matthews batted well, and we bowled poorly. Southee nabbed his 3 for off 28 overs and Vettori got his off about the same. Batting wise, WIlliamson faced 33 balls for his 34 which simply isn't good enough. Flynn battled for his runs and showed some grit. Beyond that it's reasonably slim pickings. Southee backed up his first innings poles, going just short of nailing his first Test Match Michelle. 4/58(33) was however a stirling performance. Vettori's 4/35/25 was also sensational but after our first innings we were always going to be up against it. Guptill, Flynn, Williamson and Southee all showed grit beyond their years but it simply wasn't enough.

Votes from 1st Test:
6- Oram
4- Bond
2- Guptill

Votes from 2nd Test:
6- Southee
4- Vettori
2- Williamson

Sean Eathorne, 23, will come into the XI for Kitchen to make his test debut, despite having a first class average of 7.2

**IrishBlue** · 12-24-2009, 04:33 AM

The series decider....

A disappointing outcome after our first test success. We won the toss and decided to bat and were well placed at 0/111 when Eathorne fell for his highest first class score, a mammoth 42. Flynn and Taylor hung around and with Guptill making 91, the Black Caps were in a good position at tea on day 1 but as always a collapse occurred and with McCullum making 37, we struggled to 304. With Bond out of form, our bowling attack lacked penetration but Vettori nabbed 5/80 on a spin friendly pitch and was ably supported but Oram and Southee who both took two wickets. We passed the Sri Lankans 1 down but with Ryder, Taylor and Guptill all making 40s and not going on, the frustration grew and we lost 6/34 to leave the men from Ceylon chasing 133 for victory. In hindsight, Vettori should have bowled more but his 4/22 off 9 was a good performance.

Votes
6- Vettori
4- Guptill
2- Taylor

Best Batsman (runs) - Martin Guptill 291 @ 48 (2 50s)
Best Bowler (Wickets) - Daniel Vettori 19 @ 19 (1 5for)

**IrishBlue** · 12-24-2009, 04:38 AM

Time for the one-dayers and the squad is:

The Squad:
Opening Batsmen -
M. Guptill (22)
A. Kitchen (25)

Middle Order Batsmen -
R. Taylor (25)
C. Anderson (18)
K. Williamson (18)

Keepers -
B. McCullum (27) VC
B. Watling (23)

All Rounders -
J. Ryder (24)
J. Oram (30)
D. Vettori (30) C
J. Franklin (28)

Bowlers -
S. Bond (34)
T. Southee (20)
J. Patel (29)
T. Boult (19)

**IrishBlue** · 12-24-2009, 04:48 AM

1st ODI team

M. Guptill
A. Kitchen
J. Ryder
B. McCullum VC
R. Taylor
K. Williamson
J. Oram
J. Franklin
D. Vettori C
T. Boult - Debut, LMF, 19
T. Southee

A gettable total even though Ryder, Boult and Franklin all went for more than and a half an over. Oram bowled well for his 4 wickets as did the skipper who got 3. Batting wise we were never in the hunt and only Williamson's 42(33) showed any class.

Votes
3- Oram
2- Williamson
1- Vettori

**IrishBlue** · 12-24-2009, 07:17 AM

a good performance but not enough...

Everyone bowled pretty bad, but as Tony Greig would say, these little Sri Lankans batted very well indeed. Jesse Ryder was the pick of the bowlers along with Jim Franklin. Batting wise we started poorly but a good 108 off 104 from Ross Taylor would have been a good anchor had others batted well. Oram maintained his consistancy with 65 from 44

3- Taylor
2- Oram
1- Ryder

**IrishBlue** · 12-24-2009, 07:34 AM

Two changes to the team for the third ODI:
In- Corey Anderson, 18 LHB Debut & Jeetan Patel, 29
Out- Kitchen & Boult

FINALLY!!!

A good bowling performance meant that we were in with a chance to win this game, even with a debutante opening the batting. Franklin came back at the end and bowled with precision to finish with 4/40. Spinners Vettori and Patel combined for 5 wickets. Anderson on debut set up the chase with a sparkling 68 off 72, bringing up his 50 off 49 balls. Ryder also made his best score of the tour and notched 70 off 79 and Oram finished off the chase with 34 off 38 and the Black Caps got home with 36 balls remaining

Votes
3- Franklin
2- Anderson
1- Ryder

**CyberCricketer** · 12-24-2009, 10:32 AM

Oh, sorry. I was reading too quickly. 5 sixes is still pretty good from one player, anyway...

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