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

[Zinzan]

Reduced overs gives New Zealand the upper hand IMO. Play safety first for the first part of the innings, but if they have wickets in hand 120 of 10 is achievable.
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Lol, in a test match? It's miles easier to bowl dot-balls and set defensive fields in Test matches than in limited overs cricket

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Reduced overs gives New Zealand the upper hand IMO. Play safety first for the first part of the innings, but if they have wickets in hand 120 of 10 is achievable.

Obviously SA can put everyone back though, so you would have to factor that in as well.

Nah, you can't go at more than 10 an over at the end of a test match. Well, you CAN, but with pretty much everyone on the boundary it's a crazy long shot.

 

[Briony]

Lol, in a test match? It's miles easier to bowl dot-balls and set defensive fields in Test matches than in limited overs cricket

Exactly.

T20 might have had an effect on 50/50 but only because both are played within restrictions that don't exist in the test format.

Even in tests, the shorter forms might have given the batsmen the capacity to score more quickly but one has to put greater value on their wicket in tests.

 

[straw man]

It will be really annoying if the rain stops and we have say 30 overs to bat through - time enough for South Africa to bowl us out but no chance at all for us to win. Not that I think we would have much of a chance to push for a win anyway, but if nothing else it helps to have Graeme Smith thinking it's a possibility.

 

[SteveNZ]

It won't. Absolutely pissing it down, Duncan Laing guiding someone down the outside lane at long off etc.

 

[Mike5181]

Game's been called off.

 

[straw man]

A bit of a shame. At least the forecast for Hamilton from Thursday is pretty good.

 

[Briony]

With two and half day weather affected you'd hope that that's the last we see of test cricket in Dunedin for some time.

So a bit of a non-event really. Weather interventions, dead pitch. Taylor sounded like he wants some more grass for Hamilton.

SA may be better acclimatised so could improve.

Steyn's toe meant to be ok for the next test.

 

[SteveNZ]

With two and half day weather affected you'd hope that that's the last we see of test cricket in Dunedin for some time.

Harsh. I keep seeing on my Twitter feed 'Dunedin this' 'crap weather that' and etc...

For example, it pissed down with rain in Auckland on Friday and is doing so again. Only one venue is going today in the Plunket Shield - rain in Nelson and Auckland. It's been a crappy summer everywhere and if we had've started this Test a day earlier, we'd probably have had the full allotment of overs meant for a Test.

There was a Test here in 2009 against Pakistan and that got a result and the required amount of clear weather.

Plus it wasn't 2 and a half days, it was one and a half.

Okay, maybe it needs to be reviewed to have it earlier in the summer, if anything - maybe the Zimbabwe Test was a better fit and have this one in Napier. But to rob this place of Test cricket, with the rich history Dunedin has for hosting Test matches and the quite beautiful purpose-built cricket ground that it is, no way.

 

[Briony]

Maybe SA should have gone there earlier then, Zim isn't up to test standard and the two countries had already played one test against one another. Perhaps they could have had an ODI tri-series with those three countries and started these tests earlier.

 

[Ryan19]

With two and half day weather affected you'd hope that that's the last we see of test cricket in Dunedin for some time.

So a bit of a non-event really. Weather interventions, dead pitch. Taylor sounded like he wants some more grass for Hamilton.

SA may be better acclimatised so could improve.

Steyn's toe meant to be ok for the next test.

That's a great way to completely ignore the facts. Dunedin gets less rain than every other New Zealand city with a currently used test match cricket ground apart from Napier with the two cities getting about the same amount of rain. Wellington and Hamilton get far more rain. If the third test gets washed out are you going to stop playing at the Basin?

 

[TT Boy]

Maybe SA should have gone there earlier then, Zim isn't up to test standard and the two countries had already played one test against one another. Perhaps they could have had an ODI tri-series with those three countries and started these tests earlier.

They should have. The biggest thing happening in Dunedin this week was the Highlanders Tahs game. Silly that South Africa tour when rugby season has started, most South Africans attention has already shifted to that.

 

[Mike5181]

New Zealand aren't seen as worthy opponents for a lot of the top test teams. We probably don't get a lot of say scheduling-wise.

 

[Days of Grace]

Thoughts on the first test:

1. McCullum really impressed me at no.3. I actually now think that no.3 is now best suited to him, since he avoids the new ball for at least 2 or 3 overs, and maybe even 15 if our openers somehow survive. He can then play his natural game and take the attack to the opposition, regardless of the score, i.e. Ponting in his pomp.

2. Nicol is not going to be dropped after one game, but long-term this team is in desperate search for an opener now that McCullum should be (IMO) the no.3. Guptill is safe for now, and should improve in the next few years, especially if he plays country cricket (legend, btw).

3. Southee needs to be dropped. Just who will replace him is anyone's guess, but Ellis might be the best bet, even though I was against it before the first test. I just can't see Arnel or any other medium pacer making an impression on the South African line-up, knowing that the pitches at Hamilton and Wellington will most likely be flat. At least with Ellis you get the batting option.

4. Van Wyk impressed me. If Nicol doesn't get dropped, then nor should he. Bad luck for Watling, but he has to force his way back into the side now.


So...

Guptill
opener
McCullum
Taylor (c)
Williamson
Vettori
Van Wyk
Ellis/spinner
Bracewell
Boult
Southee

Thus, this team needs another good opener and a spinner/fourth seamer who is good enough to bat either no.8 or no.9.

 

[Mike5181]

1.Martin Guptill
2.Brendon McCullum
3.Ross Taylor (c)
4.Kane Williamson
5.Dean Brownlie/Daniel Flynn
6.Daniel Vettori
7.Kruger Van Wyk+
8.Doug Bracewell
9.Trent Boult
10.Mark Gillespie
11.Chris Martin

 

[Ryan19]

I too think van Wyk is better than Wattling but you have to bring the injured incumbent back in, especially considering he made 100 in his last dig.

 

[cricdude]

wow ! what a waste of talent.

 

[Bahnz]

1.Martin Guptill
2.Brendon McCullum
3.Ross Taylor (c)
4.Kane Williamson
5.Dean Brownlie/Daniel Flynn
6.Daniel Vettori
7.Kruger Van Wyk+
8.Doug Bracewell
9.Trent Boult
10.Mark Gillespie
11.Chris Martin

I'm fine with that team, though I'd also seriously consider strengthening the batting by picking both Brownlie and Flynn and dropping one of the bowlers. Having said that, I think Wright might give Southee one more game to improve.

 

[Mike5181]

I too think van Wyk is better than Wattling but you have to bring the injured incumbent back in, especially considering he made 100 in his last dig.

Against Zimbabwe so it doesn't count for much. When you're considering who to select against South Africa and one of them has played and done well against that exact same opposition he should be selected for the second test. Watling would be playing Steyn, Philander, Morkel fresh without much exposure to them as well.

 

[straw man]

Thoughts on the first test:

1. McCullum really impressed me at no.3. I actually now think that no.3 is now best suited to him, since he avoids the new ball for at least 2 or 3 overs, and maybe even 15 if our openers somehow survive. He can then play his natural game and take the attack to the opposition, regardless of the score, i.e. Ponting in his pomp.

2. Nicol is not going to be dropped after one game, but long-term this team is in desperate search for an opener now that McCullum should be (IMO) the no.3. Guptill is safe for now, and should improve in the next few years, especially if he plays country cricket (legend, btw).

Have to disagree with this part mainly because I hate the thought of us writing another lengthy chapter in New Zealand searches for a half-competent opener. I doubt it makes much difference to McCullum* if he opens or bats 3 but if he opens then Williamson can bat 3, which he should be. And if Williamson fails then perhaps Flynn at 3. Guptill is our other opener until someone else tears the door down - we could be waiting a while .

Agree that Nicol won't be dropped unless it's for Brownlie returning.

*yes he has been impressive and I really hope he gets a century this series, and gets some recognition rather than the usual criticism from the public.