Iain O'Brien's Cricket Blog

Delayed start, soggy out field, very quick lunch and we’re into it; Day One of the second Test is underway.  And a pretty engrossing day it was too! Oh, and before I forget, I was wondering if any of you ever do sports betting online?

We knew the outfield was going to be very wet as when we went to train the day before it was splashing a lot under foot just walking on it.  It was a lot better when we arrived this morning but still very wet and a bit splashy in places; hence the delayed start.  The problem with the wet outfield, apart from being a bit slippery, was that it was quite wet through part of the run up from the Northern end.  Running through the soggy bits isn’t the issue; it’s the water that gets transferred from the bottom of your boots to where you are landing on the pitch that causes the problems.  Eventually the pitch gets wet and becomes slippery.  This can become quite scary; hitting the crease at a decent running speed, trying to keep a stable front foot while delivering the ball can become difficult.  This did cause a couple of problems today, but it’s just part of getting the game played and sometimes you just got to get on with it!

Dan won the toss; I’ve written that a lot if you’ve followed these blogs.  Tuffey, playing in his first Test in five years opened the bowling with Tommy.  It is great to see Tower (Tuffey) back playing.  He’s been working so hard and finally gets his chance back in the Fern. 

The wind was blowing from the south, that’s the cold wind here at the Basin; it’s also not the common wind direction.  This meant that I would bowl from a slightly unfamiliar RA Vance Stand end and it’s fair to say it took me three overs to settle.  The next three were a lot better and cost just three runs.  I feel that also not having a decent bowl leading up to this match hasn’t helped me in regards to finding my rhythm quickly. 

Dan turned me around to bowl with it for my second spell.  I had been bowling at around 125-129kmph in my first spell, this next spell I reached 144kmph a few times and hung around in the 140’s quite a bit.  I felt great, the wind behind me and bowling from the end that I have made mine for Wellington and New Zealand.   I picked up the first wicket after getting Butt to hit one straight up to Tower at mid on.  The openers had done a great job; they left very well on a tough surface and played the right lines.  This wicket opened the gates up.  I bowled a really good over to Umar next up and really made it uncomfortable to the youngster in just his second Test.  Dan then, picked up two wickets in one over, Farhat and Yousuf, and we’re then well on top.  I kept making Umar’s life difficult and was really feeling great at this time.  I was feeling quick and aggressive and really wanted a couple more wickets.  Dan congratulated me on my spell at the end of an over, this means I won't be bowling the next one, and I really wanted to keep bowling; I was feeling great.  I made a unhappy grunt at him in protest, I really wanted to bowl, he then reminded me that there was only two minutes until tea.  Arrrh, that'll be why I'm done then; sorry Dan, I got that wrong.  Smiles all around.

Those wickets didn’t come for me, but we finished the day with Pakistan 161/6 and we’re in a good position to knock them over tomorrow and have a decent bat.  We’d love to set up a big score and help out poor Wyvern Hunt (91 not 93 as I had written), who presented us with our caps last night, and make this Test match a little less close.

Time for a bath, catch you tomorrow night...