Was important to make them play; wasnt really rocket science Matt Henry
New Zealand inched ahead on the first day of the second Test in Kolkata after restricting India to just 239 for 7 on Friday (September 30). Matt Henry dented the hosts early on in the day with wickets of Shikhar Dhawan and M Vijay. He came back later in the day to dismiss R Ashwin to peg the hosts back even further.
![New Zealand inched ahead on the first day of the second Test in Kolkata after restricting India to just 239 for 7 on Friday (September 30). Matt Henry dented the hosts early on in the day with wickets of Shikhar Dhawan and M Vijay. He came back later in the day to dismiss R Ashwin to peg the hosts back even further. The pacer fronted the media after the day's play. Excerpts from his press conference: How happy are you with the effort today? The way we went about our work today was outstanding. We knew we had to make sure we controlled the run rate because it is very tough in these conditions to take wickets. We knew it was important with the new ball to take advantage of it because the wicket had been under covers for a long time so that was going to be a crucial part of the game. Moving forward from there it was just important to maintain those [bowling] partnerships through the middle and make sure we could create pressure by building dot balls. Our spinners were outstanding today. Jeets (Jeetan Patel) and Sat (Mitchell Santner) were fantastic in allowing us to build a lot of pressure and that manifested to what happened at the end of the day. How tough was it come into the playing XI and perform? I found out this morning and nothing really changes, we all prepare to play and we knew what are roles were with the batsmen and the what we had to do out there today. I knew I had to make sure I did all my preparation. I've been doing a lot of training and work behind the scenes. Even not being able to play in South Africa, I was still doing a lot of work with the coaches in the nets and making sure I was ready to go if needed. Your thoughts on the wicket? Coming over here you probably don't expect conditions like that at the start of the day so we knew we had to make the most of that, especially being put in with the ball. It was always going to be tough work through that middle period when it would become a good surface. We had to find ways to put pressure on when we weren't taking wickets and as a bowling group that is a box we ticked today. Can you talk us through your approach today? It was important to make them play. It wasn't really rocket science. It's the same thing at home, new ball offering a bit of bounce. You've got to make sure that we are getting them to drive and hitting in the areas. They batted really well (in the second session) and were really composed throughout the whole middle period. We knew if we could hold the runs the wickets would come eventually. It was really hot and tested us a lot mentally and physically. A lot of the guys we knew we weren't far off and if we put a couple of wickets on that scoreboard it would put on an interesting situation for the new ball [later on]. Any plans for the first session tomorrow? That first hour tomorrow is crucial. We just have to keep applying our work, stay patient and do our jobs. It is going to be an important session for how the game unfolds. Jeetan Patel flew in from England just ahead of this game. What did you think about his performance? It is a tough ask coming in from England and only having a couple of days to prepare. He's obviously got a lot of experience. He brought a lot of energy in the field and experience and confidence. I thought the way he played today was exceptional, the way both spinners bowled in tandem. They showed a lot of control and created pressure through those tough periods where it was really hot. Did the team go out with a plan for Virat Kohli? He is obviously a world-class player and you have to very patient with those kind of guys. Every bowler has an individual plan of how they will skin the cat. The way Boulty (Trent Boult) bowled to him was fantastic and he eventually got the result. How hard coming in from fringes and performing? It's never easy but it is one of those things that we have such a strong bowling group. It is a good position for us to be in, you just always have to prepare to play and focus on what the team needs, what your role is going to be so if you do get called in you can do what we need to get done. What's the total the team is looking at restricting India? We have a great batting line-up and obviously it is a shame not to have Kane (Williamson) there. It is going to be a tough day with the heat and things like that. We just have to keep playing the long game and apply it as best we can. I'm not a batter but we are in a good position and it is going to be an important day tomorrow.](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nQ2zKtc1rPY/V-5y34XLRoI/AAAAAAAAC2E/OexGKh1K2FkR03D9eRRLXaxDO2CM4TKVgCLcB/s1600/Was%2Bimportant%2Bto%2Bmake%2Bthem%2Bplay%253B%2Bwasnt%2Breally%2Brocket%2Bscience%2BMatt%2BHenry.jpg "New Zealand inched ahead on the first day of the second Test in Kolkata after restricting India to just 239 for 7 on Friday (September 30). Matt Henry dented the hosts early on in the day with wickets of Shikhar Dhawan and M Vijay. He came back later in the day to dismiss R Ashwin to peg the hosts back even further. The pacer fronted the media after the day's play. Excerpts from his press conference: How happy are you with the effort today? The way we went about our work today was outstanding. We knew we had to make sure we controlled the run rate because it is very tough in these conditions to take wickets. We knew it was important with the new ball to take advantage of it because the wicket had been under covers for a long time so that was going to be a crucial part of the game. Moving forward from there it was just important to maintain those [bowling] partnerships through the middle and make sure we could create pressure by building dot balls. Our spinners were outstanding today. Jeets (Jeetan Patel) and Sat (Mitchell Santner) were fantastic in allowing us to build a lot of pressure and that manifested to what happened at the end of the day. How tough was it come into the playing XI and perform? I found out this morning and nothing really changes, we all prepare to play and we knew what are roles were with the batsmen and the what we had to do out there today. I knew I had to make sure I did all my preparation. I've been doing a lot of training and work behind the scenes. Even not being able to play in South Africa, I was still doing a lot of work with the coaches in the nets and making sure I was ready to go if needed. Your thoughts on the wicket? Coming over here you probably don't expect conditions like that at the start of the day so we knew we had to make the most of that, especially being put in with the ball. It was always going to be tough work through that middle period when it would become a good surface. We had to find ways to put pressure on when we weren't taking wickets and as a bowling group that is a box we ticked today. Can you talk us through your approach today? It was important to make them play. It wasn't really rocket science. It's the same thing at home, new ball offering a bit of bounce. You've got to make sure that we are getting them to drive and hitting in the areas. They batted really well (in the second session) and were really composed throughout the whole middle period. We knew if we could hold the runs the wickets would come eventually. It was really hot and tested us a lot mentally and physically. A lot of the guys we knew we weren't far off and if we put a couple of wickets on that scoreboard it would put on an interesting situation for the new ball [later on]. Any plans for the first session tomorrow? That first hour tomorrow is crucial. We just have to keep applying our work, stay patient and do our jobs. It is going to be an important session for how the game unfolds. Jeetan Patel flew in from England just ahead of this game. What did you think about his performance? It is a tough ask coming in from England and only having a couple of days to prepare. He's obviously got a lot of experience. He brought a lot of energy in the field and experience and confidence. I thought the way he played today was exceptional, the way both spinners bowled in tandem. They showed a lot of control and created pressure through those tough periods where it was really hot. Did the team go out with a plan for Virat Kohli? He is obviously a world-class player and you have to very patient with those kind of guys. Every bowler has an individual plan of how they will skin the cat. The way Boulty (Trent Boult) bowled to him was fantastic and he eventually got the result. How hard coming in from fringes and performing? It's never easy but it is one of those things that we have such a strong bowling group. It is a good position for us to be in, you just always have to prepare to play and focus on what the team needs, what your role is going to be so if you do get called in you can do what we need to get done. What's the total the team is looking at restricting India? We have a great batting line-up and obviously it is a shame not to have Kane (Williamson) there. It is going to be a tough day with the heat and things like that. We just have to keep playing the long game and apply it as best we can. I'm not a batter but we are in a good position and it is going to be an important day tomorrow.")
The pacer fronted the media after the day's play. Excerpts from his press conference:
How happy are you with the effort today?
The way we went about our work today was outstanding. We knew we had to make sure we controlled the run rate because it is very tough in these conditions to take wickets. We knew it was important with the new ball to take advantage of it because the wicket had been under covers for a long time so that was going to be a crucial part of the game.
Moving forward from there it was just important to maintain those [bowling] partnerships through the middle and make sure we could create pressure by building dot balls. Our spinners were outstanding today. Jeets (Jeetan Patel) and Sat (Mitchell Santner) were fantastic in allowing us to build a lot of pressure and that manifested to what happened at the end of the day.
How tough was it come into the playing XI and perform?
I found out this morning and nothing really changes, we all prepare to play and we knew what are roles were with the batsmen and the what we had to do out there today.
I knew I had to make sure I did all my preparation. I've been doing a lot of training and work behind the scenes. Even not being able to play in South Africa, I was still doing a lot of work with the coaches in the nets and making sure I was ready to go if needed.
Your thoughts on the wicket?
Coming over here you probably don't expect conditions like that at the start of the day so we knew we had to make the most of that, especially being put in with the ball. It was always going to be tough work through that middle period when it would become a good surface. We had to find ways to put pressure on when we weren't taking wickets and as a bowling group that is a box we ticked today.
Can you talk us through your approach today?
It was important to make them play. It wasn't really rocket science. It's the same thing at home, new ball offering a bit of bounce. You've got to make sure that we are getting them to drive and hitting in the areas.
They batted really well (in the second session) and were really composed throughout the whole middle period. We knew if we could hold the runs the wickets would come eventually. It was really hot and tested us a lot mentally and physically. A lot of the guys we knew we weren't far off and if we put a couple of wickets on that scoreboard it would put on an interesting situation for the new ball [later on].
Any plans for the first session tomorrow?
That first hour tomorrow is crucial. We just have to keep applying our work, stay patient and do our jobs. It is going to be an important session for how the game unfolds.
Jeetan Patel flew in from England just ahead of this game. What did you think about his performance?
It is a tough ask coming in from England and only having a couple of days to prepare. He's obviously got a lot of experience. He brought a lot of energy in the field and experience and confidence. I thought the way he played today was exceptional, the way both spinners bowled in tandem. They showed a lot of control and created pressure through those tough periods where it was really hot.
Did the team go out with a plan for Virat Kohli?
He is obviously a world-class player and you have to very patient with those kind of guys. Every bowler has an individual plan of how they will skin the cat. The way Boulty (Trent Boult) bowled to him was fantastic and he eventually got the result.
How hard coming in from fringes and performing?
It's never easy but it is one of those things that we have such a strong bowling group. It is a good position for us to be in, you just always have to prepare to play and focus on what the team needs, what your role is going to be so if you do get called in you can do what we need to get done.
What's the total the team is looking at restricting India?
We have a great batting line-up and obviously it is a shame not to have Kane (Williamson) there. It is going to be a tough day with the heat and things like that. We just have to keep playing the long game and apply it as best we can. I'm not a batter but we are in a good position and it is going to be an important day tomorrow.
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