Classic case of sour grapes for the Kiwis

It is simple. The Kiwis are getting a taste of their own medicineand not liking it one bit! To start with who is Stephen Fleming totalk about discrimination? Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly shouted himself hoarseduring the Test series in New Zealand when subjected to appalling playingconditions only to be castigated as a spoilt sport by the New Zealandpress.Stephen Fleming had no complaints about conditions during thetwo Tests in India when the Kiwis were doing well but with two games down in thetri-series and still looking for their first win, Fleming has suddenly trainedhis guns on the itinerary. In the New Zealand newspaper Herald''swebsite, Fleming has lambasted the itinerary for the TVS Cup saying, "There''stwo competitions going on - one for us and Australia where it seams around andis tough to bat and India play another one where it gets lower and slower thenturns. I wonder who did that itinerary."Perhaps the Kiwi skipperneeds to get back to his cricket board who okayed the schedule. In fact, acontingent from New Zealand came to India before the series to check out thevenues and have a look at the wickets.After being sent packing for apaltry 97 by a relatively inexperienced Australian bowling attack at Faridabadand then initially struggling at Pune, Fleming has laid the blame squarely onthe early morning starts at the two venues.It is true that all Indiagames are day and night fixtures while Australia and New Zealand, when playingagainst each other, have day games. But that does not take away from the factthat the Kiwis batted like novices at Faridabad and came back well after losingearly wickets at Pune.If Fleming and his men could reach 258/9 afterbeing 21/4 at Pune, why could they not do the same at Faridabad? The Kiwis andthe Aussies of all teams should in any case be used to the conditions prevailingin early morning starts in India as they are similar to conditions in their ownbackyards!Somehow the Kiwis and the Aussies expecting thetraditional India dirt tracks favouring spin have been unnerved by the ballseaming and jumping. If anything the Kiwis and the Aussies should bedelighted with the change in playing conditions in India. Visiting sides havebeen cribbing in the past about crumbling wickets and tracks which were a seambowlers graveyard.New ball bowlers have got ideal conditions toshowcase their wares in India but that was something that the Kiwis were notprepared for. They did their homework by creating spin tracks in preparatorycamps back in New Zealand. The strategy worked in the Tests butboomeranged in the triangular series.It will be interesting to seehow the Kiwis shape up for their crucial tie against India at Cuttack onThursday. It is a day and night game and if New Zealand were to lose they wouldmost probably blame India again for not playing a day game.