NZ XI v West Indians at Lincoln

The University Oval pitch in Dunedin is expected to have some zip to it when New Zealand take on the West Indies in the first of the three-test series starting on Tuesday.

The pitch came under fire in March, when New Zealand and England played out a dull draw in which only 25 wickets fell in the 341 overs that were sent down over the five days.

At the end of the test, English commentator and former test batsman Geoffrey Boycott was one of the people to slam the University Oval pitch, saying similar pitches would kill test cricket.
"You could play a timeless test on that. You could play for 10 days and not get a result," he said.

He's in a race against time, but Kane Williamson hasn't yet ruled himself out of being part of the Black Caps for the first Test against the West Indies.

Williamson broke the thumb on his left hand while fielding during the first one-day international against Bangladesh in Dhaka on October 31.

That appeared likely to cause his absence from the New Zealand side for the opening Test of the three-match series against the visitors starting in Dunedin on Tuesday.

However, Williamson said yesterday he was still giving himself an outside chance of being fit, with the squad due to be named on Friday.

The 23-year-old had a net session in Hamilton today and expressed himself pleased with the progress, but felt fielding may be a problem.

"They said six weeks for it to fully heal, and it's been three and a half, so it is probably a bit early," he said of the still-bandaged thumb.

"But we'll see how it goes this week."

Williamson has been in regular contact with New Zealand Cricket's general manager national selection, Bruce Edgar, over his progress.

Should he be selected, Williamson would go into the test without any match practice, which he admitted wasn't ideal "but that's just the way it may work out".

Another option would be to trial the injury in the Plunket Shield four-day match for the Northern Knights against the Otago Volts in Whangarei starting next Wednesday. If he came through that unscathed, he would then be set to return to the national team for the second test against the Windies in Wellington from December 11-15.

Martin Guptill, recently returned from surgery on his right ankle and a fractured finger, and Dean Brownlie appear set to contest the No 3 spot in the New Zealand batting lineup should Williamson be unavailable.

Otago Cricket Association boss Ross Dykes said yesterday he expected a pitch with a bit more pace and bounce to it come the first test against the West Indies.
He said there was a fine line between in preparing a pitch that does not offer too much for the bowlers and one that is not a road where the bowlers are cannon fodder for the batsmen.
Dykes believes groundsman Tom Tamati was starting to get the right balance.

It's taken next to no time for a couple of New Zealanders to crack the inner circle of the touring West Indies cricket side.

Former Black Cap Aaron Redmond is one of six kiwis in the Windies 12-man squad for a three day warm up match against a New Zealand CI, starting today.

It's a unique chance for Redmond to push his claims for a recall to the national side.

He's told the Crowd Goes Wild Breakfast it's as good a time as any to impress.

"I'm going to just feel like any other game but it'll be quite nice to go out there and get some runs against obviously the New Zealand captains and the opposition.

"And we're at the home of cricket as well, so it'll be good trying to make some runs."

Redmond says he's slotted straight into camp and the inner circle, though remains loyal to the Black Caps.

"I'm in an awkward predicament, I don't want to be giving them too much info.

"I've got to keep my lips sealed."

Redmond opens the batting for the tourists, and says it's hard to get a real handle on their game plan.

"It's actually quite hard to actually understand what they're saying to be fair.

"When they talk to us white boys I think they slow down a bit but amongst themselves when they get going they're hard to understand."

Six Black Caps feature in the New Zealand side, including Brendon McCullum.
Play is underway at 10.30am.

"It's actually quite hard to actually understand what they're saying to be fair.

"When they talk to us white boys I think they slow down a bit but amongst themselves when they get going they're hard to understand." ;D ;D

4.30 est start

read the thread 6 kiwis in squad. lol