Wednesday 18 March 2009

NZ vs India - 1st Test - Hamilton - Day One

Sixty one for six before lunch and I’m sitting in the changing room contemplating putting my pads on; that’s not how I envisaged this morning going.

 

A look out of my window before heading down to breakfast, skies a blue and it looks good for a great day of cricket.  Flick on the telly to get watch the news and see the weather report, look like showers some stage today are on the menu; nothing strange there this summer.  Good breakie with a relaxed Guppy, who’s debuting in this Test, posted yesterday’s blog and then off to the ground.

 

Pitch looks good, in fact, if we win the toss we’re going to bat first; which is what we ended up doing, but through losing the toss that was.  I was pretty keen to get the ball in hand and bowl first, I always am though, I like to get out there and squash the nerves by getting into it.  Not to be today, back in the shed, boots off, feet up and got set to watch an entertaining morning of Test match cricket.

 

Guppy and Mac were looking good early, Mac his typical watchful self and Guppy continuing the timing he’s had during the OD series.  The Indian’s bowled well and as the session went on, their lengths adjusting to the pitch, they got better and better, really making life tough for our boys.  Not only tough but taking their wickets too.  And at lunch I’m almost padded up.  Not perfect.

 

Now, after lunch it was a different story.  Jesse and Dan were out in the middle together, Millsy padded up, next in.  Mme after that partially padded up.  And that was how we stayed for the whole session.  At the start of the session, with us 61-6, the plan was to push and grit it through to 150, maybe 200.  Jesse and Dan did an amazing job and heading into the 3rd session the target had changed to 250, maybe 300.  One record breaking partnership, two tons and the game changes, not necessarily back in our favour, but certainly a whole lot better prospect than being dismissed for around 150.

 

Jesse and Dan, together, broke the 7th wicket partnership record vs India and both scored great 100’s.  Dan’s third ton and Jesse’s first, a real special moment for him.  This innings Jesse was out paced by Dan, not often that Jesse’s strike rate is second to many and that fact makes it an even better hundred.  When the going got tough, he hung in there, gutsed it out and did something special on a track that tough. 

 

Soon before Dan was dismissed with Millsy, Tommy (Martin), Flynny and myself sitting in the changing room, not daring to move as to maybe upset the ‘whole balance’ and something bad happen out in the middle, the mood was pretty good, a little bit of banter was being thrown around.  It’s tough to sit around waiting to bat, and for Millsy, sat there with his pads on for about three hours, it was really tough.  Unfortunately he got a beauty first up, so after waiting so long for a hit, with his new bat, no less, he was walking back and I was on my way out.  Jess was getting close to 100, I was facing a hat trick ball and I was just a little damn nervous about the whole thing.  I got through that ball and the next two in the over.  I scored eight while I was out there, trying my hardest to not get out.  Runs didn’t matter, it was about getting Jesse through to his ton, and I couldn’t do it, in fact I did about the dumbest thing I’ve ever done on a cricket filed, and I’ve done some dumb things.  I walked past one from Harbhajan, my foot got stuck and I couldn’t make it back to my crease.  Embarrassing; yes.  I was trying to get to the pitch of the ball and push a single, get Jesse on strike and watch him score the last couple of runs he needed to tick over the ton.  I felt so sick heading back to the changing room knowing that I had made such a bad mistake, I felt like throwing up while watching Tommy face out the five balls left in the over.  I still feel bad about it now, but there is one positive side, Jesse made it and Tommy saved me some one of the worst feelings in the game.  I owe Tommy a couple of red for that!

 

We got through seven overs in the field before time was up in the day.  I just bowled the one, felt ok and got a little bounce; I’m looking forward to exploring that a bit more tomorrow.  A very important day tomorrow, we have to get out there and bowl well, stick to our plans, use whatever there is in the track and make life really tough for the batters; nothing different there.

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

hey at least you didnt shit youre pants while you were batting

That would have been embarrasing

richard said...

Well done Iain, that must have been a pretty hairy time for ya, watching CM bat - not the guy you'd want out there when you're on 98.

Gutted about Mills' bat(!)

Unknown said...

Viewing the match on cricinfo, I was waiting to here what you would say about your dismissal ! I like your honesty about what happened too.

Anonymous said...

Awesome blog again Iain, always enjoying reading you blogs mate..

1st day was great to watch and good luck for tomorrow!!

Oh yeah i see your playing for Leicestershire for the 1st part of the county season.. Good stuff!!

But more importantly at the moment good luck with your bowling.. Go hard!!!

Anonymous said...

hi Ian O'Brien,

It's exciting for me to write this comment and if i can ask a request , i would like to have a autograph of all you NZ players...Good Luck for you tomorrow at the fields.

Cheers
Nagarajan
http://www.triggerout.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

IAM NOT SAME ANONYMOUS IIAN,

I GUESS TENDULKAR WUD FORCE IIAN EXPRESS OFF TRACK...

BE PREPARED....EMBARRASEMENTS HAVE JUST BEGUN MATE

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

hey brein had u ever dreamt of bowling to viru who don't ever give u a chance of wat u want...

Anonymous said...

brien and one more question to u wat abt tendulkar xpress u may even miss the definition of getting batsman out.......

Unknown said...

Nice blog Ian. Keep it up.

Anonymous said...

Um...Perhaps the comments should be switched off until such time as you lot can give some respect to Iain's blog and the insider information we are getting.
I for one am stoked to be able to get an idea of what it's actually like to be a member of the squad.

Iain, i hope you don't even bother to read the complete rubbish that shows up in your comments...Just in case, will you say hi to Jesse for me? Major crush...again... :)

The Rock said...

lain, Nice blog. My suggestion for you is to moderate comments. Otherwise in next 1 month your blog gets spammed as the link to your blog is provided in cricket websites.

Iain O'Brien said...

Anyone leaving comments in my name again will mean the comments section will be shut down.

Usually I get the chance to read through all the comments, and normally, they are fun to read. now, sort your stuff out guys or it's gone....

simu55 said...

Hi Iain

I thought you batted pretty well till you got out, it looked as though Jesse trusted you out there,as he would get a single off the first ball of an over.

Good luck with your bowling today.

Cheers,
Simon

Anonymous said...

lets go india da da da da da

ryder is a fatso fatty fat man
how is he in the team
viru wil hit 6 6s in a over against you watch out

Anonymous said...

can you say hi to the indian team or Dan Vetorri/ congrats for his third 100 from me
thanks
Parminder

Anonymous said...

Great stuff Iain on the blog!

I was watching the cricket while supposeldy working and saw your wicket fall (gutted) Ryder didnt look too impressed at the time, but it all worked out ok in the end. Fantastic batting performance from Dan and Jessie. Good luck today.

Anonymous said...

Comments from 2nd Day's 1st session play before drinks:

Both Mills and you bowled a bit too much outside the off stump not making Dravid play enough. As we all know Dravid is good "leaver" and the more you make him the play the better are your chances of getting him out.

Anonymous said...

Hello Ian. I am watching you(right now, live) bowl to Dravid on the second day. As far as I know, He is very good at playing short pitched deliveries(he will punch it through the smallest of gaps in the field), so you might wanna avoid them. Anyways, youre a professional bowler and you know better than I do.

I have always wanted to ask, do you think this Indian team is really as good as it is said to be. Can they win the world cup? I really wanna know what an opposition bowler thinks of them. Please Reply. Please be honest. Thanks.

Satya said...

I really enjoyed the entire first day's play. I do not say that because India are fractionally ahead in this race, but for the sheer entertainment provided by both the teams. If it was India all the way in the first session, I really admired the way the Kiwis fought back in the second. Great show guys. Wish both the teams all the very best. Cheers !!!

Naly D said...

@ fake Verinder Sehwag - ever heard of a man with the last name W.G. Grace? Or S. Warne? They were quite large too.

iain, as I've said in the past, I always enjoy your blog and your writing has improved dramatically in the past few months.
Shame some people have to ruin it for everyone else.

g said...

Hello Iain,
Thanks a ton for your blog ! ... its honest and entertaining.
....and thanks a lot for your patience with some of us.

Ginu

Anonymous said...

that was one of the worst dismissals i have ever seen.truely horrible.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the blog, Ian. That was an brilliant dismissal of Dravid. Absolutely brilliant!
As an Indian team supporter I would say, ignore the ugly comments from some of my fellow Indians. But please keep writing, its so much better to hear from the player on the field than some of those regular cricket columnist. Good luck with the game.

Abhishek said...

great blog buddy.....keep it going

Joe Antony said...

Iain ,

nice post... keep them coming...
btw, regarding the comments crossing lines, I think you can change the settings to make the comments appear only after you read and moderate them.... but PLEASE dont shutdown the comments altogether, we like to interact :)

gane said...

hi man, grt delivery to break through the wall. earlier the day he was beaten by a similar delivery. this match would be exiting if u guys do something extra ordinary tomorw mrng. b o l.

Unknown said...

Nice blog mate ...

Among all Indian batsman's, whom you rate best ?

dooney said...

Iain, why do you not bowl full and let the wicket take care of stuffs? a couple of balls that u pitched up looked a lot better than others! so....just say congrats to sachin when he scores his century, on my behalf!

Anonymous said...

It is good on ur part iAn. So many cricketers wont express their feelings. But u are so Expressive which made me a fan of u. Keep it up.Bye.

Anonymous said...

u dont have taht scene. just dont give sixes. that is enough. it will be shame for u.

Unknown said...

yuvraj is not comfortable with the spinning ball and tendulkar is not comfortable with the ball comin in to him !

I'm just giving u a clue, mate.

Ganesh M said...

Nice Blog. Good luck for you Iain ..