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

[Pratters]

Just woke up to see the scorecard. From all accounts a shabby game? At least Styris seems to be in some form, I guess. Mills gunned it with the bat - a laugh or cry moment.

Patel with the ball

Yes. A real poor game. One of the worst I have seen in ages. Every one kept crapping up. The best part for New Zealand was Gillespie's bowling I think. Was bowling in the 140s at times and getting the right lengths too. Duminy v Vettory was good. Duminy dominated the Kiwi bowling early on showing that he is a class player but then Vettori was too good for him.

 

[Flem274*]

Positive signs for Gillespie. looks as if he's starting to adjust to international cricket though it's only been two matches this season. Jeetan Patel has confirmed he should play in all of our limited overs matches and more often in tests. Encouraging signs for How. How often do you see an NZ opener in double figures? The ODI team should be:

Lou Vincent
Jamie How
Ross Taylor
Matthew Sinclair
Scott Styris
Jacob Oram
Brendan McCullum
Daniel Vettori
Kyle Mills
Jeetan Patel
Mark Gillespie

It won't be however, Bracewell will probably have Hopkins in there and McCullum opening. Martin will probably be ahead of Gillespie of Patel. The team I bet will get chosen is:

Brendan McCullum
Lou Vincent
Jamie How
Ross Taylor
Scott Styris
Jacob Oram
Gareth Hopkins
Daniel Vettori
Kyle Mills
Mark Gillespie
Chris Martin

A dire team as well.

 

[TT Boy]

Yes. A real poor game. One of the worst I have seen in ages. Every one kept crapping up. The best part for New Zealand was Gillespie's bowling I think. Was bowling in the 140s at times and getting the right lengths too. Duminy v Vettory was good. Duminy dominated the Kiwi bowling early on showing that he is a class player but then Vettori was too good for him.

Was indeed. God knows how South Africa made that game a contest, they should have walked it.

 

[Flem274*]

Was indeed. God knows how South Africa made that game a contest, they should have walked it.

Yeah they played some really dumb shots but Patel in particular bowled superbly to get us back in the game.

 

[TT Boy]

Yeah they played some really dumb shots but Patel in particular bowled superbly to get us back in the game.

I like Patel. Would be a more potent test bowler than Vettori for mine.

 

[Flem274*]

I like Patel. Would be a more potent test bowler than Vettori for mine.

Sadly he probably won't play many tests unless Vettori has a Bond-esque injury record which is a damn shame.

 

[Athlai]

Patel is a better spinner than Vettori yet Vettori is unique in his way of bowling, his use of variations in flight and pace are what sets him apart from any other bowler.

Patel FTW though.

 

[Flem274*]

I was very impressed with Kyle Mills' batting. had good technique and the shots were superb. Not true tailend swiping at all. He and Franklin would be great to have at nine and ten in tests. (I have a funny feeling I've already said this)

EDIT: Nope, haven't

 

[slugger]

why was richard jones dropped. 5 inn. he ave. 33. mind you his sr was a tad over 50. maybe that was the reason.??

 

[Prince EWS]

why was richard jones dropped. 5 inn. he ave. 33. mind you his sr was a tad over 50. maybe that was the reason.??

Yeah, his strike rate was very poor and his domestic form dropped off significantly.

 

[cbuts]

Vetori is a **** spinner, does ok in ODI's cos he can tie up the run rate, but there is no placce forhim as a bowler in the test lineup. how can people constantly call him a world class player - he averages over 35 with the ball in test cricket, its crap!!!


Anyway my line up for tonight would be

Vincent
How
Taylor
Sinclair
Styris
Oram
Mcculllum
Vetorri
Mills
Patel
Martin

 

[Fiery]

Vetori is a **** spinner, does ok in ODI's cos he can tie up the run rate, but there is no placce forhim as a bowler in the test lineup. how can people constantly call him a world class player - he averages over 35 with the ball in test cricket, its crap!!!


Anyway my line up for tonight would be

Vincent
How
Taylor
Sinclair
Styris
Oram
Mcculllum
Vetorri
Mills
Patel
Martin

And you managed to spell his name wrong twice in two different ways

 

[Perm]

Vetori is a **** spinner, does ok in ODI's cos he can tie up the run rate, but there is no placce forhim as a bowler in the test lineup. how can people constantly call him a world class player - he averages over 35 with the ball in test cricket, its crap!!!

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels that way. You have your facts wrong though, he averages 34.71 in Test cricket when bowling and 25.58 when batting. Those stats are pretty misleading though, once you take out the matches against Bangladesh and post-2003 Zimbabwe his bowling average shoots up to 38.87 and his batting average dips to 24.19. Just not acceptable, especially for the captain of the side.

 

[Fiery]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels that way. You have your facts wrong though, he averages 34.71 in Test cricket when bowling and 25.58 when batting. Those stats are pretty misleading though, once you take out the matches against Bangladesh and post-2003 Zimbabwe his bowling average shoots up to 38.87 and his batting average dips to 24.19. Just not acceptable, especially for the captain of the side.

NZ spinners always average around 35 so it's not really that bad. Our conditions have a lot to do with it. Vettori's average is no worse than the guys who you would consider to be the best spinners we have had, e.g, Alabaster, Boock, Bracewell, H.Howarth all averaged around 35 to 38ish

 

[Matt52]

NZ spinners always average around 35 so it's not really that bad. Our conditions have a lot to do with it. Vettori's average is no worse than the guys who you would consider to be the best spinners we have had, e.g, Alabaster, Boock, Bracewell, H.Howarth all averaged around 35 to 38ish

As shown by Patels first class bowling average of 40, Vettori's is 31

 

[slugger]

Oram is injured.

Suggested line up.

Vincent
How
McCullum
Sinclair
Taylor
Styris
Vettori
Mills
Gillespie
Mason
Patel

 

[Fiery]

Oram is injured.

Suggested line up.

Vincent
How
McCullum
Sinclair
Taylor
Styris
Vettori
Mills
Gillespie
Mason
Patel

It sounds like Chris Martin is healthy again and they are going to play him

 

[slugger]

how about Mills to open with vincent.

Mills
Vincent
How
Sinclair
Taylor
Styris
McCullum
Vettori
Gillespie
Patel
Martin

 

[Perm]

NZ spinners always average around 35 so it's not really that bad. Our conditions have a lot to do with it. Vettori's average is no worse than the guys who you would consider to be the best spinners we have had, e.g, Alabaster, Boock, Bracewell, H.Howarth all averaged around 35 to 38ish

Vettori doesn't do too well when he's playing away from home either, averaging 37.86 (Bangladesh stats removed). You would think that he would perform in subcontinental conditions, being more conducive to spin-bowling, but an average of 40 against Test class sides is quite telling.

It's true that Vettori's average isn't all that bad when compared to other spinners we have produced, but there is one major difference between Vettori and the likes of Alabaster, Boock, H. Howart and Bracewell. All of those bowlers have FC bowling averages in the low-mid twenties, whereas Vettori's is around 32. Not all that impressive.

 

[Perm]

As shown by Patels first class bowling average of 40, Vettori's is 31

Jeetan Patel has a FC average of 39, Daniel Vettori has a FC average of 32. If you're going to use statistics, please try and use them correctly.

Anyway, there is a perfectly valid explanation. Jeetan Patel was a poor bowler earlier in his career, but around 2004-2005 he improved greatly. This was just prior to the time he was picked for ODI cricket, and his selection in these games has limited his FC appearances and stiffled his improvement in the longer form of the game.