*Official* - Pakistan in New Zealand 2010/2011

[wellAlbidarned]

Younis Khan as first change at the ****ing Basin Reserve?

 

[Uppercut]

Younis Khan has such a queer-looking action.

 

[SilentOne]

Kane Williamson blowing bubbles and hitting boundaries simultaneously.

WAG

 

[King Pietersen]

Wow, Williamson blowing bubbles as he hits boundaries. That's pretty awesome.

 

[Prince EWS]

Why don't one of the more experienced players step up into that position. Asking a lot of Williamson in the long term to nail the number three position. It's not necessarily handling him with kid gloves, just doing the right thing and being patient with his development. I'm not saying he cannot succeed doing it on a temporary/one-off basis, but for me, he is best served currently at around number 5 or 6 while he gets to know his own game inside out.

Because they aren't as technically or temperamentally equipped to do it as Williamson. He's a natural #3 - every man and his dog in New Zealand knows it's at least his long-term spot even if not his spot term one, with Taylor and Ryder following at 4 and 5. It's one thing to ease him in down the order if you've got a stop-gap player holding his place for him at #3, but it's another thing entirely batting your medium to long term #4 or #5 there and batting Williamson at #4 or #5.

I've always believed that batting order should more be determined by a batsman's strengths, weaknesses and natural role than experience. As I've said, I can see the argument for batting him at 5 or 6 for a little while, and in an ideal world it'd happen, but Williamson at 3 is by far the best option for the team at the moment IMO, especially if this is the decided eleven.

 

[Woodster]

Because they aren't as technically or temperamentally equipped to do it as Williamson. He's a natural #3 - every man and his dog in New Zealand knows it's at least his long-term spot even if not his spot term one, with Taylor and Ryder following at 4 and 5. It's one thing to ease him in down the order if you've got a stop-gap player holding his place for him at #3, but it's another thing entirely batting your medium to long term #4 or #5 there and batting Williamson at #4 or #5.

I've always believed that batting order should more be determined by a batsman's strengths, weaknesses and natural role than experience. As I've said, I can see the argument for batting him at 5 or 6 for a little while, and in an ideal world it'd happen, but Williamson at 3 is by far the best option for the team at the moment IMO, especially if this is the decided eleven.

I don't watch enough first-class cricket in New Zealand to be aware of the options they have available, and I'm not doubting Williamson's credentials in this position - long term. In his innings today he's already shown he has the tools there, and in time if he continues to progress he'll be their number three for a long time.

This is what, his fifth Test, I personally would have liked him to bat in the middle order for a few more Tests, get accustomed to Test cricket, and in a way ease him in so to speak. This is the future of Nz batting and should be allowed to develop gradually. Of course we've established this is not an ideal scenario NZ find themselves in, and I'm not suggesting anyone else would do a remarkably better job than what he could do, my gut feeling was I'd like him in the middle order right now.

What a shame, he's just nicked off! Was enjoying watching him too.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

****.

 

[Woodster]

Loved his ability to blow bubbles while forcing a drive off the back foot, magic.

 

[Howe_zat]

Seems a bit late now but I still made this

 

[Zinzan]

Always looks awesome for mine.

Shame about the whole getting-out-all-the-time thing.

Yup, just a shame for Guptill that scoring runs >>>> playing million dollar looking drives in Tests

 

[Burgey]

Comms saying Williamson almost got away with that, but I get the impression Harper was waiting for Gul to turn around and appeal.

 

[Blakey]

Top delivery to get Williamson there.

**** shot from Taylor there. What happens to him if he has another failure in this test match?

 

[Woodster]

Because they aren't as technically or temperamentally equipped to do it as Williamson. He's a natural #3 - every man and his dog in New Zealand knows it's at least his long-term spot even if not his spot term one, with Taylor and Ryder following at 4 and 5. It's one thing to ease him in down the order if you've got a stop-gap player holding his place for him at #3, but it's another thing entirely batting your medium to long term #4 or #5 there and batting Williamson at #4 or #5.

I've always believed that batting order should more be determined by a batsman's strengths, weaknesses and natural role than experience. As I've said, I can see the argument for batting him at 5 or 6 for a little while, and in an ideal world it'd happen, but Williamson at 3 is by far the best option for the team at the moment IMO, especially if this is the decided eleven.

Just a further note on this, I think the combination of experience and knowing your own game gives you the ability to adjust to the situation, whether you'd say Jesse Ryder rather than Ross Taylor, fits that description better, I don't know. Ryder's only in his 16th Test, and while Taylor's in his 30th, not sure he's learnt or progressed as quickly as a man with that experience should.

 

[Chewie]

I think that's the picture in my avatar :/

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Commies discussing Taylor and his shuffle. Apparently it's all nerves, not intentional. Interesting to hear, good to see he's cutting it out of his game.

 

[Howe_zat]

Just a further note on this, I think the combination of experience and knowing your own game gives you the ability to adjust to the situation, whether you'd say Jesse Ryder rather than Ross Taylor, fits that description better, I don't know. Ryder's only in his 16th Test, and while Taylor's in his 30th, not sure he's learnt or progressed as quickly as a man with that experience should.

Surely having experience and the ability to adjust to the game situation are the key skills of a #5-6, though? You could be playing your natural game, rescuing a top order collapse, trying to counter or press the advantage with aggressive shots or running hard to shepherd the tail. I've never thought it's a sheltered position in any way, and as much a specialist's slot as in the rest of the team.

 

[Woodster]

Surely having experience and the ability to adjust to the game situation are the key skills of a #5-6, though? You could be playing your natural game, rescuing a top order collapse, trying to counter or press the advantage with aggressive shots or running hard to shepherd the tail. I've never thought it's a sheltered position in any way, and as much a specialist's slot as in the rest of the team.

Yes I'd agree that you have to be flexible, and I suppose batting anywhere you're going to encounter a number of different scenarios, where the best players will adjust their games accordingly. But at five and six you're less likely to come across a spanking new ball darting around (unless it's the second new ball or third, by which means you're in a pretty good position anyway), I think technically you have to be more flexible at three as the new ball is likely to offer more extreme behaviour out of the pitch.

 

[Blakey]

Surely having experience and the ability to adjust to the game situation are the key skills of a #5-6, though? You could be playing your natural game, rescuing a top order collapse, trying to counter or press the advantage with aggressive shots or running hard to shepherd the tail. I've never thought it's a sheltered position in any way, and as much a specialist's slot as in the rest of the team.

6 definitately isn't a sheltered position in the NZ team. More of a rescuing position.

 

[Woodster]

Taylor looking to be positive here against seam and spin, and it's working well for him so far.

 

[Woodster]

Nice to see a fairly healthy crowd in today aswell. Helped by the sun being out no doubt, but good to see.