Australia, New Zealand push on with day-night Tests

SYDNEY: Cricket Australia said Monday it is pushing ahead with plans to stage an historic day-night Test match with New Zealand, possibly as early as the 2015-16 season.

CA chief executive James Sutherland and his New Zealand Cricket counterpart David White met in Melbourne last week during the International Cricket Council (ICC) annual conference to discuss the idea. They are devising plans to stage the match when New Zealand tour Australia in November 2015, with the venue to be determined, CA said.

The ICC gave its approval in 2012 for member countries to work together on staging Test cricket under lights. "We are serious about pushing ahead with the concept of day-night Test cricket," Sutherland said in a statement. "We feel it will only strengthen the position and possibilities for Test cricket in many parts of the world. There are many Test matches played during non-holiday periods when adults are at work and kids are at school and that´s not an ideal way to promote the highest form of the game."

Sutherland also said there was not a major team sport in the world that scheduled the majority of its premium content during the working week. "We´re not talking about playing the Boxing Day or New Year´s Test at night," Sutherland said. "The summer holiday period in Australia really lends itself to Test cricket, but at other times of the year it can be difficult for fans to attend or watch Test matches, be it here or in other parts of the world. That´s really at the heart of the issue. The challenge is to try to make Test cricket more accessible for fans."

White said his organisation was looking forward to contributing to the day-night Test concept, especially in terms of helping develop a new pink ball suitable for Test conditions.

"Australia continue to assess conditions to ensure they are appropriate to stage Test cricket at night, and we fully support that duty of care," White said in the CA statement.

Both governing bodies said they would continue to seek the opinion of players, spectators and broadcasters.

ICC chief executive David Richardson said he supported the idea. "I´m pleased that after the ICC board gave its thumbs-up during the 2012 annual conference and following extensive trials and debates, we are now at a stage when two of our members are contemplating playing the first-ever day-night Test".

Disciplined New Zealand claw back into reckoning

BARBADOS: New Zealand faced an extended session with West Indies sitting on a useful overnight foundation. Starting well was imperative and the visitors did that in addition to sticking to their plans. West Indies were 53 runs from eclipsing the lead, and lunch was minutes away when they suffered their biggest blow with the dogged Shivnarine Chanderpaul becoming the third victim of the morning.

Inventive fields and consistency from the bowlers made for an absorbing session. The abrasive pitch sapped most of the pace off the ball and the search for wickets led Brendon McCullum to play hot potato with his close-in fielders. It started with twin gullies for Darren Bravo, then twin short covers, and as the batsman continued to drive on the up, a third short cover.

Bravo took on the challenge. Two fours were conceded before Neil Wagner duped him with a slower ball that drew him a little too far outside the off stump. Williamson at gully completed a good catch and the visitors celebrated an astute plan coming off.

Wagner and Tim Southee were adamant in keeping the ball up to the batsman. If the ball stopped in the pitch, silly mid-ons and short midwickets lay in wait for the miscued drive. The short ball was used as a surprise weapon as Chanderpaul found out against Wagner, whose accuracy was remarkable.

It did help New Zealand that even set batsmen like Kirk Edwards had trouble regaining their stride. He had to contend with the bowlers targeting the stumps. His strokeplay was restrained and a simple defensive push skimmed across the turf to usher him to his half-century. However, pushing on from the mark has been a problem in recent times. The last three times he had reached this far, he could not reach 60. Southee ensured the continuation of that trend by generating reverse swing in his second spell. The flick off the legs ended up as a leading edge that swirled in the air before Hamish Rutherford held a well-judged catch.

Trent Boult was held back until the 10th over of the morning and extracted some zip off the deck. He enjoyed a hint of reverse swing as well and almost had Chanderpaul caught at short midwicket.

New Zealand created opportunities and if they couldn't they kept things tight. They would know West Indies' tail is long and traditionally brittle. The onus now is on the captain Denesh Ramdin to regain lost ground.

New Zealand bat, West Indies play five bowlers

BRIDGETOWN: West Indies rejigged their bowling again, this time opting for three quicks and two spinners. They will get first use of the pitch at Kensington Oval after New Zealand elected to bat.

Fast bowler Jason Holder was handed a Test debut, with the impressive Jermaine Blackwood making way. Blackwood had made 63 on debut at Port-of-Spain. Offspinner Shane Shillingford returned to the XI in place of fast bowler Shannon Gabriel. New Zealand had already broadcasted their one change on the eve of the match - Neil Wagner coming in for Ish Sodhi.

Barbados churned out a dry pitch for its 50th Test and with the series level at 1-1, both teams had a lot to play for. New Zealand's away record is a source of much scrutiny and their captain Brendon McCullum believed his side had the chance to do something special. Their last series win away from home against a top-eight nation came in the Caribbean in 2002.

A spirited rally in Port-of-Spain placed West Indies in a good position to secure their first series win against a top-eight opponent since their 2-0 drubbing of New Zealand in 2012.

Teams:
West Indies: Chris Gayle, Kraigg Brathwaite, Kirk Edwards, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Denesh Ramdin (captain & wk), Jason Holder, Kemar Roach, Jerome Taylor, Shane Shillingford, Sulieman Benn

New Zealand: Hamish Rutherford, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Brendon McCullum (captain), Jimmy Neesham, BJ Watling (wk), Tim Southee, Mark Craig, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult

Neesham hits ton as New Zealand dominate

KINGSTON: Jimmy Neesham became the first New Zealander to score hundreds in his first two Test matches to put the visitors in a commanding position after two days of the first Test against the West Indies at Sabina Park in Jamaica on Monday.

Neesham´s innings of 107 and a 201-run sixth-wicket partnership with B.J. Watling (89) lifted the Black Caps to a total of 508 for seven declared.

Left to negotiate a tricky nine overs before the close of play, West Indies reached 19 without loss with Chris Gayle, in his 100th Test match on his home ground, to resume on the third morning with Kieran Powell.

Powell has already enjoyed a moment of good fortune, being put down by Peter Fulton at second slip in the third over of the innings off Tim Southee.

Despite an encouraging effort in the morning session when three wickets fell for 20 runs to have New Zealand at 279 for five from their overnight position of 240 for two, the West Indies bowlers again laboured on a gentle pitch throughout the afternoon.

Neesham, the 23-year-old left-hander from Auckland who launched his Test career with a century in a drawn match against India in Wellington last February, mixed watchful defiance with periods of bold aggression. He smashed off-spinner Shane Shillingford for two sixes in the same over and had 11 fours in an innings that occupied three-and-a-half hours before he fell to a catch at the wicket off Sulieman Benn. "I´m very pleased obviously, although my first Test ended in a draw and this pitch is pretty flat, so I´m more concerned about getting my first Test win," he said. "There´s a bit of turn and bounce so it´ll be interesting to see if we can put them under a bit of pressure."

For Benn, who together with fellow returning spinner Shane Shillingford took three expensive wickets apiece, the experience over the first two days of the match reminded him of the tough nature of Test cricket. "You get shown up at this level. It was a rude awakening, a re-awakening," he said after completing 52 overs.

Neesham´s century followed the first-day hundred of Kane Williamson, and New Zealand might have had a third century-maker except that the immediacy of the declaration in the final hour of the day forced Watling to be a bit more adventurous, the pugnacious wicketkeeper-batsman falling to a catch at deep midwicket off Shillingford.

The second session of play had contrasted sharply with the first, 129 runs being scored off 35 overs to redress the balance from the morning stumbles.

Williamson added just another eight runs before misjudging the line of a straighter delivery from Benn to have his off-stump knocked back on 113.

Former captain Ross Taylor, the other overnight batsman, got to 55 before chipping a catch to Kirk Edwards at midwicket off Shillingford.

In the next over Benn grazed the edge of Brendon McCullum´s bat and Gayle took the lobbed catch via wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin´s shoulder to send the New Zealand captain back for just seven. (AFP).

Pakistan to play cricket series against New Zealand

LAHORE: Pakistan will play a series of three Tests, five One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and one Twenty20 match during the month of November against New Zealand in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Before this series, Pakistan will play one Twenty20 International, three One-day Internationals and two Test matches against Australia in October at same venue.

According to sources that schedule would be finalized soon between Pakistan and New Zealand.

On other side, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is trying to hold series in Australia and New Zealand.

Green Shirts will likely to play their two ODIs before taking part in the World Cup 2015 in New Zealand.

Netherland set 152 for New Zealand

CHITTAGONG: The Netherlands made 151 for four wickets in 20 overs against New Zealand in their super 10 Group One match of the World Twenty20 in Chittagong on Saturday.

After being sent into bat by New Zealand, the Netherlands batted steadily to reach 50 in 55 balls and later 100 off 88 balls after losing three wickets.

However, a 60-run fourth wicket partnership between captain Peter Borren and tom Cooper enabled the Netherlands to set a moderate target for New Zealand.

Borren made 49 off 35 balls with seven fours and a six while Cooper scored an unbeaten 40 from 23 balls with four boundaries and two sixes.

Netherlands who have been without a win in the tournament so far need desperately a win to remain in the race while New Zealand won one of their two matches so far.

New Zealand beat Netherlands by six wickets

CHITTAGONG: Brendon McCullum batted aggressively to get New Zealand their third win in three matches in Super-10 stage of the Group-1 in the World Twenty20 here at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Saturday.

McCullum top scored with a brilliant 65 off 45 balls hitting four boundaries and three sixes.