NZ- gutsy overachievers, gormless underachievers, or just kinda average?

[JBH001]

Well, umm... yes. I think many people have a rather stiff, unimaginative definition of cricketing talent, TBH.

I think you confuse talent with intelligence, Richard.

Goochy and Richardson combined them both (in the case of Richardson, one making up for the lack of the other), while Macca is indisciplined and lacks intelligence.

 

[Richard]

Well intelligence is every bit as God-given as the ability to play the right stroke, TBH.

And really, I think it's overrated in batting. You need time to utilise intelligence - batting doesn't give you that, it's all about instinct.

 

[thierry henry]

Interesting to note (although I'm loathe to take my own thread off on a tangent) that Richardson was very much an underachieving batsmen when he was primarily a bowler. He was your archetypal lower order slogger who showed promise but never bothered much, because he could bowl.

He actually hit headlines (to a small extent) in about 1995. In a one-dayer for Otago B v Canterbury B, Otago needed 33 off the last over. Richardson went 6,6,6,6,6,3, and they won.

He wasn't actually a talentless stonewaller, but a rather talented lower order player who nevertheless wasn't good enough to make it as an ATTACKING international batsman. He took the hand-eye/strokemaking ability that he had, refined it, and worked on his shot selection, which was actually his NATURAL weakpoint.

 

[Craig]

New Zealand = France then?

I'd love to know what SP has against the country?

 

[Flem274*]

New Zealand = France then?

I'd love to know what SP has against the country?

We're better than england

No offense intended.

 

[Craig]

We're better than england

No offense intended.

Your new and I don't know if you like football/soccer or not, but it might be worth your while to read some of those threads as he doesn't exactly like the French either, but what he has against New Zealand and France I don't know.

 

[Flem274*]

Your new and I don't know if you like football/soccer or not, but it might be worth your while to read some of those threads as he doesn't exactly like the French either, but what he has against New Zealand and France I don't know.

Haha I recently started watching a bit of soccer as part of my little rebellion against rugby I suspect the French thing might just be he's taking the traditional rivalry (if thats the right word) a bit too far.

 

[honestbharani]

A few years ago, I would have said NZ are over-achievers, but the way the game is going today, I think they are where they should be, given their talent.


That is because I think today, the game has become more about fitness and planning than what it was earlier. So, I think NZ are a side who can make up for lack of natural, God-given (and just for Richard), stroke making talent through their physical fitness and attention to detail and stuff. I think given that the game goes along this road for a few more years, New Zealand have as good a chance as anyone to be one of the top sides in world cricket, at least in ODIs. Obviously, with better batsmen coming through, the same COULD happen in tests. In fact, I think they will become a better test side just by playing more test cricket.

 

[Richard]

Interesting to note (although I'm loathe to take my own thread off on a tangent) that Richardson was very much an underachieving batsmen when he was primarily a bowler. He was your archetypal lower order slogger who showed promise but never bothered much, because he could bowl.

He actually hit headlines (to a small extent) in about 1995. In a one-dayer for Otago B v Canterbury B, Otago needed 33 off the last over. Richardson went 6,6,6,6,6,3, and they won.

He wasn't actually a talentless stonewaller, but a rather talented lower order player who nevertheless wasn't good enough to make it as an ATTACKING international batsman. He took the hand-eye/strokemaking ability that he had, refined it, and worked on his shot selection, which was actually his NATURAL weakpoint.

Haha, wow. Would never have guessed that.

 

[Smudge]

This was the season where he started to get it right. I was at Carisbrook for some of this tour match against the West Indies, where he drew headlines for another reason:

Lara made milestone no ton of fun - Richardson
by Richard Boock of The Otago Daily Times

A stream of abuse from West Indian cricket captain Brian Lara be-
came the catalyst for Mark Richardson`s second first-class centu-
ry at Carisbrook, the Otago left-hander revealed after his in-
nings.

Richardson`s 103 in the drawn Bank Of New Zealand three-day match
was forged in the face of some fiery short-pitched bowling from
Kenneth Benjamin, and an equally hostile welcome to the crease by
Lara on Monday evening, the Otago player said afterwards.

The verbal sledging was apparently linked to an incident in the
West Indies` first innings when Lara - who was bowled by Aus-
tralian women`s representative Zoe Goss in a charity match before
Christmas - took offence over an intended humorous remark from
Richardson.

"I was at first slip and (Chris) Finch was bowling to Lara. I
just said to Finchy, `Come on Zoe`. I thought it might make him
(Lara) smile, but he obviously didn`t like it."

Richardson, who came to the wicket after Ken Rutherford`s dismis-
sal, said Lara welcomed him with a stream of "total abuse" and
intimated the West Indian fast bowlers would be attempting to hit
him."

"I`m not sure what his game was but he made me feel very deter-
mined. I wasn`t going to give him the satisfaction of getting
involved in a scene with his quick bowlers."

Unbeaten on eight overnight, Richardson said he struggled to come
to terms with the incident when he went home and attempted to re-
lax.

"I simply couldn`t settle down. I couldn`t even sit down; it
really got to me. I`ve been abused by good players before but he
was someone I completely idolised, a great player. He just let
me have it from point-blank range. It upset me, I guess."

When Richardson returned to the fray yesterday he said he was
determined not to be bounced out, and, while eventually losing
his wicket attempting to hook Benjamin, he had brought up his
second first-class century off the previous ball.

"I guess I`m too smart for my own good; maybe I`m too mouthy,"
Richardson said during the lunch interval. "I`m happy it wasn`t
Curtly (Ambrose) out there."

In contrast, Richardson said another senior West Indian player,
Keith Arthurton, had been "really nice and complimentary" during
his innings.

When asked about the altercation with Richardson after the game,
Lara said he was surprised the issue had been raised, as he be-
lieved "whatever happened on the field should stay out there."

"There was no misunderstanding," Lara said. "The comments were
directed at me and I think if you`re prepared to give a bit (of
verbal) you should be able to receive it as well."

"His comments did affect me and I didn`t think they were a major
problem or anything but when he came out to bat, I thought `well
he`s back on the field, I should give something of his own
back`."

"He (Richardson) played pretty well I thought. He put away the
bad ball and it was nice to see the guy putting up such a fight.
I haven`t played a game here (at Carisbrook) before but the (Ota-
go) team seemed a pretty good side and it was nice to get a com-
petitive match before the test."

http://www3.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1994-95/WI_IN_NZ/WI_OTAGO_29-31JAN1995_MR

 

[Richard]

Haha, 103 off 116 balls... quite some effort.

 

[Dick Rockett]

but what he has against New Zealand and France I don't know.

He's simply a relic of a bygone age - your archetypal arrogant, patronising British colonial. He's convinced of the superiority of his own kind, and he gets angry and bitter because reality upsets his world view. Thank goodness most modern Brits have 21st century attitudes.

 

[Fiery]

He's simply a relic of a bygone age - your archetypal arrogant, patronising British colonial. He's convinced of the superiority of his own kind, and he gets angry and bitter because reality upsets his world view. Thank goodness most modern Brits have 21st century attitudes.

I thought we were the colonials ?

 

[Dick Rockett]

Could be used either way. Colonial-era type then.

 

[JBH001]

Scaly's that old then, is he?

 

[Dick Rockett]

Scaly's that old then, is he?

Wouldn't be surprised. Mind you, he could have been listening to way too many of his Great-grandpappy's Boer War stories as a child.

 

[Flem274*]

Wouldn't be surprised. Mind you, he could have been listening to way too many of his Great-grandpappy's Boer War stories as a child.

I have'nt read much of Scaly's posts so I can't comment but theres only one member I've had a problem with so far.

 

[Flem274*]

Haha, 103 off 116 balls... quite some effort.

Amazing for Rigger. Bring back Mark Richardson!

 

[Sir Redman]

That is because I think today, the game has become more about fitness and planning than what it was earlier. So, I think NZ are a side who can make up for lack of natural, God-given (and just for Richard), stroke making talent through their physical fitness and attention to detail and stuff. I think given that the game goes along this road for a few more years, New Zealand have as good a chance as anyone to be one of the top sides in world cricket, at least in ODIs. Obviously, with better batsmen coming through, the same COULD happen in tests. In fact, I think they will become a better test side just by playing more test cricket.

Where exactly is this lack of stroke-making talent? We've got Fleming, Taylor, McMillan, Oram and McCullum in our top 7. If they don't have natural stroke-making talent then who on Earth does?

 

[Flem274*]

Where exactly is this lack of stroke-making talent? We've got Fleming, Taylor, McMillan, Oram and McCullum in our top 7. If they don't have natural stroke-making talent then who on Earth does?

The popular perception of NZ cricket is we are a hard working bunch who have a few stars but achieve our good results with great teamwork.