***Official*** South Africa in New Zealand 2012

[Mike5181]

Dale Steyn respect++

 

[kiwiviktor81]

I expect the Test series to go something like this

Dale Steyn at his best!!!!!! - YouTube

 

[ganeshran]

I expect the Test series to go something like this

Dale Steyn at his best!!!!!! - YouTube

 

[SeamUp]

Tim Southee has got the nod after a blistering spell in the nets supposedly. So as you were from Hobart and Napier for the Kiwis.

I think the SA XI is also pretty much known before the test starts.

One thing is for sure, swing bowling will be the 'order of the day' for this test match.

 

[Immenso]

Tim Southee has got the nod after a blistering spell in the nets supposedly. So as you were from Hobart and Napier for the Kiwis.

I think the SA XI is also pretty much known before the test starts.

One thing is for sure, swing bowling will be the 'order of the day' for this test match.

Good. I like the balance of the Napier team.
I like Tim Southee and think he is a good bowler. It will all click for him one day. I don't think he should be punished for poor white-ball form in the last few matches.

It will be a really good test for the (mostly young) NZ attack. South Africa are really really good. I'm really looking forward to it.

Was listening to Craig Cumming on the weekend when he was guest commentating with Kevin Hart during a Plunket Shield match. Snippets;
- it doesn't always swing that much in Dunedin, because it is sometimes just too cold/cool
- the University Oval pitch is a totally new block. Not just relaid. Moved 20m north in March or April last year when the ground was expanded after demolishing the wing of the Art Gallery. It has only had 2 FC games since then. A bit of an unknown really.

 

[straw man]

"Timmy I just wanted to say you have my FULL support and are not close to being dropped at all"

"But I didn't even know I was close to being..."

"Exactly"

 

[straw man]

Tim Southee has got the nod after a blistering spell in the nets supposedly. So as you were from Hobart and Napier for the Kiwis.

I think the SA XI is also pretty much known before the test starts.

One thing is for sure, swing bowling will be the 'order of the day' for this test match.

Except we've replaced our best batsman from that series with Rob Nicol. So our batting goes from 'highly fragile' to 'look at me and I'll fall over'.

Nicol to prove everyone wrong and make a solid 74 in the first innings.

 

[SteveNZ]

Tim Southee has got the nod after a blistering spell in the nets supposedly. So as you were from Hobart and Napier for the Kiwis.

I think the SA XI is also pretty much known before the test starts.

One thing is for sure, swing bowling will be the 'order of the day' for this test match.

I think the nod after the net session thing was overblown via the media..he would've played anyway, unless they suddenly think Arnel's dobblers are the best idea (they aren't).

Apparently 'hooping around' in the nets yesterday. Ideal.

 

[Hurricane]

Of the 207 caps that Vettori, Martin and Taylor have between them, Vettori accounts for more than half, making him New Zealand's most experienced player. Test cricket is now his sole focus after he stopped playing the limited-overs formats of the game and he feels the decision to narrow his focus will pay off. "There are obviously a few sides to that, one of which is playing more four-day cricket," he said. "But you also don't show your wares to the opposition team in the one-day or T20 series, which is normally before the Test matches. Although I've played a long time and played against these guys [South Africa] quite a bit, hopefully I'll bring a little bit of a surprise element in that I haven't played them in this tour."

From cricinfo - I have always had this belief that playing against the opposition in T20s in particular helps the batsman to figure out a bowler in a no pressure environment. Wouldn't mind if Bracewell in particular was held back for tests.

 

[Kippax]

Van Wyk to play, Nicol to open with Guptill -
Van Wyk gets the gloves for test | Stuff.co.nz

 

[Prince EWS]

McCullum at 3? Facepalm.

 

[Kippax]

Yep, sounds like it should've been Guptill dropping down to three if he was struggling with Southee in the nets. Allow Nicol and McCullum to protect him from the first hour.

 

[straw man]

Congrats to Van Wyk. Four long years to qualify and has racked up the runs in that time. Overlooked in favour of Reece Young. Then overlooked in favour of Watling. Continued to score runs by the bucketload. Then overlooked in favour of Nicol as specialist batsman and it must have seemed like he was 32 and would never get a chance. And now he does.

In saying that, after watching him bat on the blackcaps website highlights can see him struggling against any sort of bounce and away movement and edging to slips/gully.

 

[straw man]

McCullum at 3? Facepalm.

To be fair, we thought he'd fail at it in the ODIs too and he was surprisingly successful.

Still don't think we should be breaking up existing opening combination though.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Good. I like the balance of the Napier team.
I like Tim Southee and think he is a good bowler. It will all click for him one day. I don't think he should be punished for poor white-ball form in the last few matches.

No-one's denying that he SHOULD be a good bowler based on his assets, or suggesting that he should be dropped based on ODI form, but the fact of the matter is that the guy is averaging over 40 after 16 test matches. Just hasn't been good enough.

 

[Prince EWS]

To be fair, we thought he'd fail at it in the ODIs too and he was surprisingly successful.

Still don't think we should be breaking up existing opening combination though.

I still don't think he'll be any good at it in ODIs either; he's played three games. Not going to change my mind based off that when he has a 200+ game career of which to judge his strengths and weaknesses by.

 

[straw man]

I still don't think he'll be any good at it in ODIs either; he's played three games. Not going to change my mind based off that when he has a 200+ game career of which to judge his strengths and weaknesses by.

We can only wait and see.

Would say that 3 in ODIs is quite a different role to 3 in tests, especially for NZ where it's a quasi-opener position. So I don't think he's any more likely to succeed or fail at 3 in tests than opening in tests. I just think it's stupid to move him to 3 for probably one match and then presumably back to opener for the next.

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

McCullum at 3? Facepalm.

At least it pushes Williamson out of the 3 spot.

 

[Mike5181]

At least it pushes Williamson out of the 3 spot.

Yeah, don't mind McCullum at 3.

Looks like there's going to be some rain during this test match unfortunately especially Thursday and Sunday.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

No-one's denying that he SHOULD be a good bowler based on his assets, or suggesting that he should be dropped based on ODI form, but the fact of the matter is that the guy is averaging over 40 after 16 test matches. Just hasn't been good enough.

Tim Southee is Mo Sami in disguise. Only without the application.