***Official*** New Zealand in South Africa

[Perm]

Gone-skis.

 

[Athlai]

Well done Steyn, bad luck for Vettori on missing out on a deserved half century. Dominated well and truely in every aspect of the game.

 

[Corli]

Pommie.

Is that a nickname for some NZer or the esteemed Mr Mbangwa?

Well done Steyn on his 10er, well deserved.

 

[Isolator]

Wait, Mills is replacing Bond? I though he was injured? And if he wasn't, why the heck isn't he playing?

 

[pup11]

Wait, Mills is replacing Bond? I though he was injured? And if he wasn't, why the heck isn't he playing?

Good question mate.

 

[Goughy]

Congrats to SA. A real demolition job.

 

[Xuhaib]

Steyn is turning in to a real beast, I expect a 400+ wickets career for him.

 

[pup11]

Really disappointed with the way the black caps performed in this game and TBH all the talk of giving other countries test status seems so dire when the existing test nations can't perform decently, out of the 10 test playing nations Zimbabwe's test status has already been stripped and Bangladesh and West Indies aren't any good either and New Zealand also seem to be on a constant decline in test cricket in the recent times, so i just hope for the well being of the of test cricket that New Zealand pick-up on their standard of test cricket.

 

[Bahnz]

Wait, Mills is replacing Bond? I though he was injured? And if he wasn't, why the heck isn't he playing?

Considering that he's been out with injury for the last 12 months, I suspect that the selectors wanted to give him some domestic and then ODI cricket, to ease him back into the international side. Obviously now that things are becoming quite desperate, we've been forced to ask him into the side immediatley.

A truly pathetic performance. Is it just me, or does anyone else think that it's ridiculous that Daniel Vettori is now far and away our best batsman? Another miserable performance from our openers, particularly Papps, who can't even seem to hack it when the ball isn't new. As for the rest, not enough technique and application is being shown. Maybe the lot of them could do with some time in domestic first class cricket, just so that they can remember exactly how one is meant to bat in test cricket.

But full credit to the South Africans. There fielding was terrific (another area where we played horrendously). Steyn looks likely to be one of the great fast bowlers of the next decade, while Ntini and Nel gave him good support. And of course their batsmen were excellent. While I'd like to say otherwise, with Bond certainly gone, Oram questionable and the rest of the side so demoralised, there can really only be one result in the second test.

 

[Isolator]

Is it just me, or does anyone else think that it's ridiculous that Daniel Vettori is now far and away our best batsman?

I get the feeling that what he has to do while bowling is also coming into play while batting ie. using his head. More application to the job at hand than the guys around him.

edit: prediction: Mills to be NZ's best bowler in the next test.

 

[Isolator]

All round, yes. What I'm not convinced by is the benefit of taking another crock on tour. He'll probably break a toe nail on the flight over and be unable to bowl. Let Jeets have a crack.

I say kick out IOB and play both Mills and Patel.

 

[sunilreddy]

Shame to see half of the Kiwi team down with injuries or illness.(Fleming, Bond,Papps,Oram, McCullum). Bond returning home with hamstring injury.

 

[aussie]

Things seem pretty one-sided in these parts. Dale Steyn is real find for the saffies when him & Morkel eventually team up South Africa will have some real heat in their ranks.

 

[Jono]

I knew Steyn would absolutely dominate on this wicket vs. NZ after watching how the Kiwis bowled to SA in the 1st innings. No surprise it happens when I have removed all money from my betting account. Now that I've topped it up, watch me put money on him in the next test and he somehow goes wicketless.

 

[TT Boy]

Yeah top win by SA considering the poor start they had on day one. As for New Zealand they can expect more of the same at Centurion and unless a miracle happens and they learn how to play on wickets with pace and bounce before Friday then more of the same should be expected. They should feel gutted however for they did have a chance in this test and just blew it. And unfortunately the old adage remains, they can’t play pace.

Good bowling by Steyn though. Guy has some very impressive stats and at least SA know he can do the business both home and away.

Nice knock by Amla as well, was fortunate with the drop catch which probably would have ended his test career for now but after that chance he really did knuckle down and constructed a nice innings. Seems to have changed his technique slightly as well since Pakistan, eighteen months ago the likes of Bond would automatically be to quick for him given the peculiarities apparent in his game but that seems to have been ‘corrected’, for he lot like he played with a lot of time and didn’t seem as rushed as he normally does. My only critique would be that he failed to push on once Kallis was dismissed and his partnership with Prince left a bad taste in ones mouth - was completely pointless and he should have taken the New Zealand bowlers on, considering they were on their knees but Inshallah this innings could be the making of Hashim. Also his six of Bond in the first innings was stunning and any top subcontinent batsman would be proud of that, was simply effortless.

 

[TT Boy]

Urgh, I was just going to say a straight swap of Pollock for Harris if he didn't get any wickets...

But why? Centurion is Harris' home ground and he was threat today. Would have come into his own if New Zealand offered any palatable resistance.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Mørkel

I wish.

 

[Julian87]

The batting is just wafer thin. Papps and Cumming have been deplorable so Vincent has to come in.

I find it really dumb that an extra younger batsman like Broom, Ryder or How were,'t taken on this tour.

I'd bat Vettori at 6, ahead of McCullum. I'd also defo play patel.

 

[NZTailender]

Just terrible from our guys. Full credit to SA though. Really showed their class and how much better they are at cricket than us. Steyn was awesome. The fact Harris only bowled a few overs (probably due to Smith feeling he might be a bit left out TBH) shows how bad we batted.

Hopefully Fleming can score a double ton next test, with Vettori getting a well deserved hundred ala Fleming-Franklin last time round.

 

[Bahnz]

The batting is just wafer thin. Papps and Cumming have been deplorable so Vincent has to come in.

I find it really dumb that an extra younger batsman like Broom, Ryder or How were,'t taken on this tour.

I'd bat Vettori at 6, ahead of McCullum. I'd also defo play patel.

How can they though? Most of the younger guys haven't played any cricket for 6 months. To throw them into one of the toughest arena's in world cricket with zero match practice or experience at this level, would get them nowhere. It could even do irreperable damage to their long term carreers. Look what happened to Kenny Rutherford when he was chucked into a tough tour before he was ready. And How is pretty rubbish anyway...although I admit he couldn't do any worse than either of the current pair.

I agree this season may be the time to blood a couple of youngsters, but wait until the Bangladesh or England tours at home.