Black Caps captain Daniel Vettori is hoping for a more sporting pitch for the three-Test cricket series finale against India starting in Wellington on Friday.
Black Caps captain Daniel Vettori is hoping for a more sporting pitch for the three-Test cricket series finale against India starting in Wellington on Friday.
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McLean Park's reputation as a batting paradise was vindicated by a high-scoring second Test stalemate which ended earlier today.
Although India flopped to lose their last six first innings wickets for 59 on Saturday, that collapse was an aberration.
Any prospect of New Zealand pushing for victory on the final day was thwarted by a flawless batting surface - and India's nuggety strokemakers.
Tasked with batting more than two days to save the game after being asked to follow on 314 runs in arrears, India completed their assignment when play was curtailed about an hour before stumps.
The tourists were 467 for four at the close, a lead of 162, after they negotiated 180 overs without undue distress.
History suggested the pitch would not deteriorate - six of the eight tests held at the ground have ended in draws - but Vettori still lamented a lack of assistance for bowlers as the game progressed.
"I suppose on most good Test wickets you get a little bit of variable bounce, a bit of inconsistency when the wicket tends to wear away and it becomes more difficult for batting," he said after recording a match analysis of three for 121 from 55 overs.
"But I think on this wicket you could bat on it for another five or six days if you wanted to."
Vettori said he had discussions with the umpires as play progressed about whether the pitch constituted a good Test wicket and he felt it should offer the bowlers more.
"I think everyone wants to see a wicket deteriorate and the spinners come into play a little bit, and a little bit of inconsistent bounce," he said.
"I suppose you want batting to become more difficult as the test match goes on. I'd probably say batting was pretty even throughout the test match. At no stage did you think 'this wicket's getting tough'. You could bat as long as you wanted to on it if you applied yourself."
New Zealand centurions Ross Taylor, Jesse Ryder and Brendon McCullum backed up that assessment and Indian opener Gautam Gambhir provided the match-defining knock in India's second innings when he laboured nearly 11 hours in making 137.
VVS Laxman became the fifth centurion of the match when was 124 not out at the close of play.
His was also the 18th hundred made in the eight-Test history of the ground - an abnormally high ratio.
"I suppose we want something different to this wicket," Vettori said when asked what he would like to encounter at the Basin Reserve from Friday.
"We want to give both teams an opportunity for a result."
Understandably India's captain Virender Sehwag was perfectly happy with a pitch that helped his side protect a 1-0 series lead.
"I can say it was a good track," the opening batsman said.
"We have played on flatter wickets than this in India and abroad."
Both sides travel to the capital tomorrow.
New Zealand Cricket selectors will announce their squad for the third test before the team departs Napier.
Most interest focuses on whether Daniel Flynn, who has a bruised hand, will be available to return to the first drop batting position for his replacement Jamie How.
Bowler Kyle Mills' status will also be clarified after he was released to play for Auckland in the latest round of the domestic four-day competition.
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