*Official* New Zealand in Sri Lanka

[straw man]

I have to say I'm quite tired about this 'punching about our weight' line coming out everytime we play like crap. Use what we have and get the most out of it, which is something we are not doing.

Go O'Brien.

Exactly. It's just a tired cliche that has had little truth for the last few years. In the Bracewell era there is no way we were making the best use of scarce resources - it's been more of a story of mismanagement (senior players retiring early, losing guys to the ICL etc). Now we're back to a poor mid-nineties-like young side slowly building out of a mess. Am very hopeful that under Vaughan, Moles and Vettori things will improve though.

 

[DingDong]

I do show my support. Plenty of others have said the same thing what I have said.

well u have a strange way of showing support. Anyway, there are probably a few NZ kids reading these forums as well. Do u want them to grow up thinking like you?

 

[Inny Binny]

I will be happy to see us compete in this game and take the game to day 5. It's hard to expect a country of 3 million to beat a country of 21 million(?).

Just have to come out of lurk mode and say that that is utterly maniacal thinking. Come on!

Our consistency in top-order failing is disturbing. We always seem to avoid the follow on though. I'm sure if you reversed the order in its current state it would make little difference to the wicket distribution.

I'm sorry, but I'd be personally offended if you praised me for trying in a competitive sport.

 

[Zinzan]

Must be difficult for the umpires to constantly have Murali screaming appeals at them all day, bound to make a few mistakes. For such a successful & experienced bowler, it does amaze me he still appeals for absolutely anything; even when its clearly not out. Honestly don't remember other class bowlers like Hadlee or McGrath bothering to appeal for when its clearly not at, not often anyway. Suppose it might be because he's a spinner.

 

[Hurricane]

I think I have seen enough now of our batting - and I am convince if I wasn't already that we should play an additional batsman and drop a bowler. We aren't good enough to carry 5 bowlers. I would rather the other team score an extra 50 runs off us each time by giving up a bowler rather than seeing us collapse as easily in the batting.

 

[Howsie]

1.McCullum
2.Guptill
3.Broom
4.Taylor
5.Ryder
6.Batsmen?
7.Vettori

8-11 our best bowlers. Most likely Bond, Tuffey, O'Brien and maybe Martin.

 

[NZ Guy]

well u have a strange way of showing support. Anyway, there are probably a few NZ kids reading these forums as well. Do u want them to grow up thinking like you?

People like you are a massive reason for where NZ are in the rankings we are taught that 30-50 is 'good enough because you tried your best' well Im sorry but 50 is not good enough, if you want to be successful you have to score hundreds and make'em big! Just look at the Aussies, we need to grow some balls and be ruthless ffs!

And can you stop saying 'there are probably a few NZ kids reading these forums as well. Do u want them to grow up thinking like you? You need to pull your head in!' its really annoying ofcourse he wouldn't care if they think like him!

In short: Your a muppet! You need to pull your head in!

 

[DingDong]

People like you are a massive reason for where NZ are in the rankings we are taught that 30-50 is 'good enough because you tried your best' well Im sorry but 50 is not good enough, if you want to be successful you have to score hundreds and make'em big! Just look at the Aussies, we need to grow some balls and be ruthless ffs!

And can you stop saying 'there are probably a few NZ kids reading these forums as well. Do u want them to grow up thinking like you? You need to pull your head in!' its really annoying ofcourse he wouldn't care if they think like him!

In short: Your a muppet! You need to pull your head in!

Why does everybody on the net think it's ok to abuse other people? And please don't ever have a kid. I can just imagine how ur kid would turn up with that kind of pressure...

 

[Hurricane]

1.McCullum
2.Guptill
3.Broom
4.Taylor
5.Ryder
6.Batsmen?
7.Vettori

8-11 our best bowlers. Most likely Bond, Tuffey, O'Brien and maybe Martin.

I am happy with the top 7. But our tail would start at 8 with that many bowlers.
My view is to play 4 bowlers and use Ryder for 5 overs a day as our fifth bowler.

If McCullum opens I want to see him play aggressively.

 

[straw man]

I've just reached that point you get to every so often as a NZ fan where our continuing crapness manages to erode the last remnants of the normally unflappable 'next game will be better' optimism that usually exists. Everything's crap, this match is gone, the new players have not performed at all, the experienced players have performed adequately or poorly (apart from Vettori) and the team is going nowhere. Like the feeling after throwing away that winning position against England last year (but not as bad). Anyone else?

Give it a week and I'll be happy to pick our team for Pakistan and believe that with a couple of selection changes and some improvement in a few of the new guys we'll be on the up and up.

 

[Inny Binny]

Why does everybody on the net think it's ok to abuse other people? And please don't ever have a kid. I can just imagine how ur kid would turn up with that kind of pressure...

I think you are confusing abuse with criticism. Abuse implies we are insulting them as a character - where we are merely critiquing their talent.

I've just reached that point you get to every so often as a NZ fan where our continuing crapness manages to erode the last remnants of the normally unflappable 'next game will be better' optimism that usually exists. Everything's crap, this match is gone, the new players have not performed at all, the experienced players have performed adequately or poorly (apart from Vettori) and the team is going nowhere. Like the feeling after throwing away that winning position against England last year (but not as bad). Anyone else?

This is Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka, so I can remain blindly optimistic this time, but I was pretty unhappy with our inability to bowl India out once in over 2 days a few months ago, just after we had already done it in 1 day.

 

[NZ Guy]

Why does everybody on the net think it's ok to abuse other people? And please don't ever have a kid. I can just imagine how ur kid would turn up with that kind of pressure...

Stop abusing me it hurts my self esteem Im just a child!

Seriously though if I was to have a kid in the future I would teach him a winning mentallity and not to be a *****. Id say good on ya if he scored a fifty but its not like I say thats enough. Grrr your attitude really gets up my nose! These players are paid for there job! if a flight controller performed like this would you just say oh well you tried your best!!!

 

[Hurricane]

How many test matches is the series against Pakistan for - I hope it is three games we are evenly matched with them.

You are right Strawman this game is gone we are going to lose 2-0. I bet on a draw as well so there goes $5.
I just don't see us batting out a day and a half to save the game on a wearing pitch.

If Mcintosh gets a thirty in the next inning it will be enough to save his test career given he scored 69 in the first test.

I think Broom is going to have to prove his case in the ODI squad for inclusion in the test match squad that is just the cards he has been dealt.

 

[Kippax]

That's the thing though, just how flat it's been IMO. NZ should've really attacked this series with nothing to lose, but it just seems like it's..."tests? Nah". This team's not even attempting to utilise what they have very well any more it seems.

 

[Howsie]

Okay new attempt

1.Guptill
2.McCullum
3.Fulton (He's done well for NZ emerging and A)
4.Taylor
5.Ryder
6.Broom
7.Batsmen?
8.Vettori
9.Bond (Hopefully)
10.Tuffey/O'Brien
11.Martin

Ryder to bowl 5-10 overs a day. I wouldn't know who to play at seven though. NZ isn't good enough to be playing 5 bowlers though, hopefully Moles has figured that out.

McCullum would just as well as anyone else at the moment, best option I think.

 

[straw man]

I just don't see us batting out a day and a half to save the game on a wearing pitch.

If Mcintosh gets a thirty in the next inning it will be enough to save his test career given he scored 69 in the first test.

I think Broom is going to have to prove his case in the ODI squad for inclusion in the test match squad that is just the cards he has been dealt.

Agree with all of this. Though wonder if McIntosh gets another duck next innings they'll then drop him. In fact for the top 3 the final innings could have a big impact on whether they're retained or dropped after this series.

 

[Howsie]

I've just reached that point you get to every so often as a NZ fan where our continuing crapness manages to erode the last remnants of the normally unflappable 'next game will be better' optimism that usually exists. Everything's crap, this match is gone, the new players have not performed at all, the experienced players have performed adequately or poorly (apart from Vettori) and the team is going nowhere. Like the feeling after throwing away that winning position against England last year (but not as bad). Anyone else?

Give it a week and I'll be happy to pick our team for Pakistan and believe that with a couple of selection changes and some improvement in a few of the new guys we'll be on the up and up.

Haha, I've got that same feeling mate.

 

[Meridio]

Watching for the first time this series thanks to Sky being installed today. Pity it's a game we're already out of.

Typical limp-wristed effort by our batsmen today. While I agree that McCullum could probably do with being dropped, who have we got to replace him? Gareth "Hopeless" Hopkins?

 

[JBH001]

Okay new attempt

1.Guptill
2.McCullum
3.Fulton (He's done well for NZ emerging and A)
4.Taylor
5.Ryder
6.Broom
7.Batsmen?
8.Vettori
9.Bond (Hopefully)
10.Tuffey/O'Brien
11.Martin

Ryder to bowl 5-10 overs a day. I wouldn't know who to play at seven though. NZ isn't good enough to be playing 5 bowlers though, hopefully Moles has figured that out.

McCullum would just as well as anyone else at the moment, best option I think.

If McCullum is opening then he needs to play as a specialist bat - dont think he can do both things. In which case, Hopkins needs to come into the side for his wicketkeeping. Although, I would rather he bat 9, after Vettori and Franklin. I would not include Bond in the test side, he is now too old, and also still too prone to breaking down - the last thing NZ need in a 4 man attack in which he would be expected to do a fair amount of bowling anyway.

Hence, something like this:

1. Guptill
2. McCullum
3. Fulton
4. Taylor
5. Ryder
6. Brooom
7. Vettori
8. Franklin
9. Hopkins/McGlashan?
10. O'Brien
11. Martin

Also, is this dingdong guy for real? Seems more a troll than anything else. The NZ side have talent and ability, small population base blah blah notwithstanding, but we never seem to want to grit our teeth and eke out every bit of ability we have, everytime its asked of us. No excuses for not making the best of your skills, imo.

 

[Hurricane]

Okay new attempt

1.Guptill
2.McCullum
3.Fulton (He's done well for NZ emerging and A)
4.Taylor
5.Ryder
6.Broom
7.Batsmen?
8.Vettori
9.Bond (Hopefully)
10.Tuffey/O'Brien
11.Martin

Ryder to bowl 5-10 overs a day. I wouldn't know who to play at seven though. NZ isn't good enough to be playing 5 bowlers though, hopefully Moles has figured that out.

McCullum would just as well as anyone else at the moment, best option I think.

Two thumbs up.