BOMBAY, 13 October 2003 — New Zealand’s batsmen showed incredible determination in ensuring that their team did not go down in the first Test at Motera. It was a truly remarkable change in attitude and approach and one that the Indian batsmen need to look at emulating when they play abroad. Gone was the resigned stoop of the shoulders and the negative body language which visiting batsmen display at the first sign of a ball that turns and bounces. Instead what one saw was jutting out of the chin and squaring back of the shoulders as batsman after batsman ensured that his wicket was earned and not gifted away. The night watchman Tuffey who batted at No. 11 in the first innings made sure that the Indians did not get the early breakthrough and that determination was carried on by the batsmen that followed.
India is a country where one needs patience not only on the field but off it and New Zealand Cricket’s decision to send a young team last year to participate in some local tournaments has paid off for them. One of the youngsters Lou Vincent who is normally a dashing stroke player, who loves the ball coming onto the bat showed how he had benefited from that experience last season by playing a waiting game. He played the ball late waiting for the turn before committing himself to a shot or leaving it well alone. If anything he looked a bit iffy against the medium pacers where he seemed to push his bat at the ball. He held up one end up for New Zealand when Kumble was striking at the other end. His effort was improved upon by McMillan and Astle both of whom had good first innings knocks and their partnership not only ensured that India did not go one up but that New Zealand came out of the Test with their heads high. Once again what was seen was the determined approach especially after the ball had turned and jumped. There was no jabbing at the ball and no bat pad push, which gets visitors in trouble. The ball was met by the bat well ahead of the pad and any turn smothered by using a loose grip on the handle to ensure that if there was an edge it did not carry to the cordon of close in fielders. The adjustment that needed to be done to counter the turn and uneven bounce was done with the minimum of fuss and maximum results.
The draw will make Ganguly’s critics sharpen their pens finding fault with his bowling changes, field placements and just about everything. The fact is New Zealand have come better prepared mentally and are thus tougher customers than their previous teams. That no Kiwi batsmen had scored a Test century since 1976-77 was something that needed to be changed and Astle’s superbly crafted century got that taken care of. He then carried on in the same vein in spite of being indisposed in the second innings and then batting down the order and in his company McMillan almost scored a century too.
The next Test at Mohali will afford lesser assistance to the spinners than Motera did and it may well help the quicker bowlers a bit more if it stays true to character. Balaji did try gamely but didn’t really trouble the Kiwis and Zaheer is still not at his best as can be seen in his later spells. Harbhajan and Kumble bowled beautifully but were thwarted by the Kiwis, which indicated that the visitors have come not looking to make excuses this time but to make history!!!
