Sonstiges » y Miller.TRAINERS ROOMRays: 1B Nick Frankli

On the eve of their first match during their previous visit to India, New Zealand coach Mike Hesson asked the curator in Nagpur what the pitch was expected to do. Hesson says he was told it was a hard and bouncy pitch. New Zealand went ahead and left out Tim Southee and Trent Boult, played three spinners, attacked the new ball because they knew the old ball would be impossible to go after, scored just 126, but their spinners delivered them a 47-run win. New Zealands reading of the conditions, and then adapting to them, were big reasons behind their unbeaten run in the league stages of the World T20.That was Twenty20. This is Test cricket. New Zealand will draw confidence from that showing, but they wont be deluding themselves based on the World T20. This three-Test series has all the makings of this groups biggest test. New Zealand have only ever won two Tests in India, and may need to double that tally to win this series. But there is anticipation around them, mostly because of what they did in the World T20, in particular their two spinners whose performances suggested they could translate their promise into longer forms. Now, Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi are joined by Mark Craig.Never in recent memory has more been expected of a New Zealand tour of India. Never in recent memory have India looked this dominant at home. India have three spinners with much more pedigree and experience of these conditions. Ever since India decided to play on pitches where the ball starts turning early and turns big, beating them in a home Test series has become arguably the biggest challenge in world cricket.With cricket being a game of conditions, it couldnt be more loaded against New Zealand. The only preparation they have had in the move from their tracks to this intense, relentless trial by spin is two training sessions in Delhi, a three-day game on a flat track against unthreatening spinners, and two more training sessions in Kanpur. The heat is stifling. There is high humidity and no breeze in Kanpur right now.The curator at Green Park has said the turn wont be as alarming as it was in Nagpur, but the pitch looks really dry and has cracks. In unusual scenes two days before the Test, the groundstaff asked some net bowlers to bowl on the match pitch. It is technically allowed - the pitch is handed over to the match referee on the morning of the Test - but this is hardly ever done. The poor rating for the Nagpur pitch after the Test against South Africa last year plays on the minds of groundsmen now. There were no puffs of dust, which relieved them. However, there was turn. Dont be surprised either if the spinners business area is drier and rougher than the rest of the pitch, negating Neil Wagners bounce, and accentuating the turn.He hasnt told us it is hard and bouncy as the Nagpur groundsman did, Hesson joked when asked about any conversations he might have had with the groundstaff here.Hesson is not surprised by what he has seen. Unless some grass grows over the next two days, there will be plenty of assistance for the spinners, he said. I think the pitch will deteriorate, as it should. Spin will play a massive part, as will reverse swing. So there are no surprises here.Hesson knows knowing what to expect is different from reacting to it. If one jumps at them, Ravindra Jadeja will keep firing in that general area all day with slight variation of angle, and let the pitch do the rest. R Ashwin will add dip to it. He will swerve it with the new ball. Amit Mishra will add the legspinners X-factor. There will be catchers around, there will be deep fielders to choke easy runs, and there will be no relenting from the heat and humidity. Not in Kanpur and Kolkata at least.The ability to respond with a clear mind and quick feet when the ball starts jumping and staying low comes with solid defence and lots of practice playing on such tracks. Knowing the international schedules today, Hesson said this is possibly the best preparation his side could have had. He has now put it down to the ability to adapt.The conditions here are slightly different than they were in Delhi, Hesson said. Its up to today and tomorrow to make sure we adapt the best we can. And we know even during the game the pitch is going to change, so we have to keep adjusting.Hesson summed up the dual challenge of playing India in these conditions by saying that you have to prepare for the worst, but, at the same time, guard against jumping at shadows, by building it up too much and failing to recognise easier conditions when they come their way.We have watched the Test matches against South Africa, absolutely, Hesson said. We saw the conditions in that series, and they were challenging. There is no doubt about that. If you prepare, over-train in terms of preparing for those conditions and then you get something slightly better, then thats great. You have got to prepare for the harshest conditions and see how it goes from there.I think you can jump at shadows at times [if you prepare for the worst]. I think you need to adapt to what you are confronted with. We have got an idea how we think how the surface might play, but it might be quite different. We are capable of adapting.Adapting quickly won them games in the World T20, but there wont be any quick wins here. We have won two Test matches in our history here, Hesson said. So we know it is a tough place to come and win, as it is for any touring side. And India are playing good cricket at the moment, but we have got a group of cricketers who will be highly competitive. Thats our challenge - to be highly competitive and stay in the game for long periods of time. Then, anything can happen.There is no set formula to beat India in India in this mood, but England showed it can be done if you have four attributes: a solid defensive batsman in Alastair Cook, who showed to the rest that it was possible to bat, a maverick in Kevin Pietersen, who could drive the nail in, two spinners in Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann, who were accurate and quick, and reverse swing in James Anderson. Lower-order runs can be a big factor as South Africa learned in their defeat despite having reduced India to 120-odd for 6 on more than one occasion.New Zealand have a defensive batsman in Williamson, they have a potential maverick if Ross Taylor can have a big series, they have spinners and the variety of spinners, although unproven at this level, and they have the possibility of reverse swing. They bat deep. If all, or most these factors click, they can take games deep. Then, anything can happen. Authentic Sneakers Ireland From China . -- Arizona raced out to a big lead and did not back off, hitting the accelerator instead. Wholesale Sneakers Ireland . Inter president Erick Thohir says in a club statement on Wednesday that Vidic is "one of the worlds best defenders and his qualities, international pedigree, and charisma will be an asset. http://www.sneakerssaleireland.com/ . 31, the CFL club announced Monday. 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BALTIMORE -- The Orioles had their ace on the mound and a two-run lead against the last-place Tampa Bay Rays.That seemingly ideal situation was thrown awry by Evan Longoria.Longoria homered, tripled and scored three runs as the Rays blunted Baltimores playoff push with a 5-2 victory Saturday night.The loss dropped Baltimore three games behind first-place Boston in the AL East and a half-game in back of Toronto for the top AL wild-card slot, pending the Blue Jays late game at the Los Angeles Angels.They understand the atmosphere that theyre playing in, Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. Every game is important, just like they were in April. Weve got a chance, and tonight wont change that.The Orioles have lost two of three to the Rays in a series that ends Sunday.You say what you want about the Rays and the standings, but theyve got a formidable major league team over there, center fielder Adam Jones said. Theyre not just laying down, dying, quitting and just letting us win.Chris Tillman (16-6) had a one-hitter and a 2-1 lead after five innings, but he failed to get out of the sixth.Longoria led off the inning by hitting a long fly ball outside the left-field foul pole. He sent the next pitch over the center-field wall -- his eighth career homer off Tillman in 63 at-bats.It was pretty impressive, Rays manager Kevin Cash said. You dont see many guys go homer foul and then straighten it out a little more.Brad Miller followed with an infield hit and scored on a two-out double by Richie Shaffer.Tampa Bay added two unearned runs in the eighth when Mikie Mahtook hit a bases-loaded single after an errror by first baseman Chris Davis.ddddddddddddLongoria has homered in each of the three games and has a career-high 35 for the season.Just taking advantage of those pitches I should hit, he said. Id love to keep it going.Matt Andriese (8-7) allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings to win his second straight start after losing seven decisions in a row. Alex Colome worked the ninth for his 34th save in 36 chances.The Orioles played a second straight game without major league home run leader Mark Trumbo, who has back spasms.Baltimore got a first-inning run when Jones doubled and scored on a fly ball by Manny Machado.A sacrifice fly by Hyun Soo Kim made it 2-0 in the third. Tampa Bay broke through in the fourth when Longoria tripled -- the Rays first hit -- and scored on a grounder by Miller.TRAINERS ROOMRays: 1B Nick Franklin missed a second straight game with a hamstring strain and will likely be re-examined Monday after the team travels home.Orioles: Trumbo could return Sunday. Hes better, improved, close, manager Buck Showalter said. RHP Darren ODay (rotator cuff strain) should come off the disabled list on Sunday or Monday, Showalter said.UP NEXTRays: Jake Odorizzi (9-6, 3.81 ERA) pitches the series finale for the Rays. Hes 6-1 since the All-Star break and has 15 starts overall in which he received no decision.Orioles: Wade Miley (8-13, 5.80) starts for Baltimore. Hes 1-5 with an 8.41 ERA in eight starts since coming to the Orioles just before the non-waiver trade deadline. ' ' '