Holiday Breakfast

Holiday Breakfast

Don't miss a thing while you're on holiday, with Tim Dower and Newstalk ZB Holiday Breakfast. Tim delivers the best in news, views and opinion to keep Kiwis informed and entertained while you're on the road, at the bach, or relaxing at home.

  1. OCT 27

    Gary Stead: Black Caps coach on the side's historic first-ever series win over India

    It was hardly surprising Mitchell Santner woke up sore the morning after his match-winning heroics. Twenty-nine straight overs while bowling the Black Capsto a famous victory would have that effect. Santner’s 13-wicket haul inspired a 113-run win in Pune on Saturday, recording the third-best figures by a New Zealander and the third-best for any bowler against India. The spinner held up an end while shutting down the hosts’ chase, battling a side strain that required stretching between overs. A maiden series triumph within reach, Santner was the constant and content to later pay a physical price. “The side was all right last night – I was numbing it with a few beers,” he said. “But this morning it’s a little bit sore.” The good news for Santner is the Black Caps can now enjoy their historic success and rest weary bodies before gunning for a series sweep. “It’s ideal that test only went three days,” he said. “It took a toil on the rig, I bowled 29 overs in a row which is very foreign for me. I’m usually used to four or 10.” Such is the limited life of a spinner combining black cap and red ball, knowing that no matter their ability or achievements offshore, a summer played on green pitches can still leave them superfluous. Teammate Ajaz Patel will attest to that – without a test wicket at home despite taking 10 in an innings on his last trip to India – and Santner is accustomed to an “in and out” schedule when the longest form occupies the international calendar. Seizing opportunities is essential, and although some thought he had missed a chance while held to one wicket, Santner developed a rhythm and confidence during the 2-0 series defeat by Sri Lanka. The left-armer felt he bowled well without reward on that tour, receiving no luck and in the second test no assistance from the pitch. Heading to Pune, having watched his team thrive in seam-friendly conditions in Bengaluru, Santner knew what type of surface would await the tourists. This was his shot, one he would not miss. “The first test was a massive achievement but we had conditions that were suited to us in the first innings with the ball, and we made the most of it,” he said. “Coming here, we knew it was going to be a different challenge altogether – a classic Indian track where it would be slow and take some turn later on. “That’swhat’s most pleasing about this win — we beat them at their own game. We outspun them and outplayed them in their own conditions.” There was no doubt about that, nor the calibre of conquered foe. Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja took their combined tally to 842 test wickets, while Washington Sundar returned 11-115 in his first test in more than three years. But watching from the sideline and in the middle as Washington began with a seven-wicket bag, Santner joined Patel and Glenn Phillips in formulating a plan. All three New Zealand spinners were removed by the 25-year-old and the trio made note of what worked — and what didn’t for the wicketless Jadeja. “We had a lot of chats us a spin unit,” Santner said. “We felt India might have bowled a little quickly in their first innings and it was skidding on. “We saw Washington and Ashwin slow it up a touch under that 90km mark and it started to take some turn. We wanted to make that our stock and go either way from there. “On a pitch where you’re not doing anything different but one will skid and one will turn, it becomes an accuracy thing. That’s what we tried to do – be accurate – and hopefully one spins and they nick it or one skids and it hits them on the pad. “That what the mode of dismissal throughout that whole test – either bowled, lbw or they nicked it.” Of Santner’s 13 wickets, only one came via a different method, while Phillips’ three scalps were the same. Although the allrounder pair outshone the team’s specialist, Santner shared the plaudits with both Patel and Phillip

    7 min

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Don't miss a thing while you're on holiday, with Tim Dower and Newstalk ZB Holiday Breakfast. Tim delivers the best in news, views and opinion to keep Kiwis informed and entertained while you're on the road, at the bach, or relaxing at home.

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