We've not learnt an awful lot from the current New Zealand vs India series, apart from the fact that New Zealand Cricket knows what side its bread is buttered and has prepared some lovely batsman-friendly tracks for their visitors, whose governing body throws its weight around like Craig Bellamy in a Cardiff nightclub. We have, however, witnessed the emergence of a major star in Jesse Ryder, the rotund left-hander from Napier who scored 201 on his home ground last week, his maiden double-ton in international cricket.
Ryder burst (or should that be waddled) onto the scene last year by scoring 198 runs @ 49 in the ODI series against England, only to ruin his chances of selection for the return series over here by getting mighty sloshed in Christchurch and putting his hand through a glass window. Faith has been shown in him, however, and he has rewarded the selectors' patience with some devastating one-day performances and back to back big scores in the current series.
A natural hitter, Ryder is the perfect addition to the New Zealand team which, in test matches at least, has struggled with a less-than-adhesive top order. Martin Guptill's emergence gives them a hope of forging a decent opening partnership for a long time in a while, but Ryder's contribution in the middle order, alongside the talented if infuriating Ross Taylor, offers Kiwis a bit of stability there too. Since the retirements of the likes of Fleming, Astle and McMillan gaps have emerged that have yet really to be filled until now. Ryder's appearance, which initially strikes you as less than athletic, does not get in his way when it comes to the game as evidenced by his bowling, which gets more wickets than you imagine it should (in the best traditions of Kiwis like Craig McMillan and Scott Styris). Dubious though his fitness may seem, he is still able to remain at the crease for the best part of 8 hours to compile 200 and for this reason he is an inspiration to us all. Of course, not all of us can hit the ball quite as well as he can, but I'd rather not let that get in the way just now. He also seems to have the measure of Ishant Sharma, which by my logic makes him better than Ricky Ponting.
Yeah, alright, maybe in a few years....
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