**Official** New Zealand in South Africa

[BeeGee]

Bracewell had a ****ty FC average as well before he was picked

And look how well he is going now.

 

[hendrix]

In terms of selection it's a big improvement over picking Nicol as reserve batsman.

 

[thierry henry]

Honestly I think one of the main reasons people dislike Hesson is because he is short and looks like a stereotypical geek.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Honestly I think one of the main reasons people dislike Hesson is because he is short and looks like a stereotypical geek.

I didn't even know what he looked like until he shafted Ross Taylor tbh. I don't usually take much interest at all in how a coach looks, just how he coaches. Obviously I should take more notice in how a coach interacts, communicates and lies to his players though.

 

[Kippax]

Hesson will be hated because he's fitting the bill of the classic player power era toady, a 38 y.o. fanboy who didn't have the mana to live and die by his own calls.

Bryon Bell, part-time pimp

McCullum has a record of being more impressive the more frivolous the situation is, and is now showing us a walk-in wardrobe of sports speak's cast off clothes. Like John Key you could argue he ultimately wants the best for NZ's prospects rather than just his own, but he's a slippery eel that's very good at making an expedient call, and will look at you blankly if you ever used the word 'ambitious' in a pejorative sense. "Two jumps in a week, I bet you think that's pretty clever, don't you boy". We'll see if he gets this second jump tomorrow.

 

[Blain]

If you took 20 years off Andy Flower made him into a **** and a Kiwi then remove any osrt of use as a coach you'd get Hesson.

PEWS doesn't know where h's from.

Also
New Zealand in South Africa 2012-13 : McClenaghan added to New Zealand Test squad | Cricket News | South Africa v New Zealand | ESPN Cricinfo

How does he get picked I mean forgive me if I've missed something but an average of nearly 40 in FC seems somewhat high to be at the front of the queue.

To be fair on Mitch, his average was very high when he first came on the scene. Always bowled fast but broke down alot and got hit. Came back after a season or 2 last year and took a sh*t load of wickets late in the season. Has been consistant and dangerous this season, and tbf is the pick of the bunch who aren't injurred, or old and already tried. It's a good move getting him into the camp, get some work in with Bond and Martin will be first in, followed by Wagner.

If Bracewell was a bunny with the bat, he wouldn't be a starter for me. He needs to find his out swing again, barely moving it in the air atm. Thats what made him successful along with his seam off the pitch.

 

[hendrix]

Bracewell was much better in the second test. I realise he only took 2 wickets, but noone else would've taken those 2 if he hadn't.

 

[Hurricane]

If Bracewell was a bunny with the bat, he wouldn't be a starter for me. He needs to find his out swing again, barely moving it in the air atm. Thats what made him successful along with his seam off the pitch.

Very accurate assessment. I was thinking the same thing earlier today. Needs to find his swing otherwise he will be an ineffective Brent Arnel/Ishant Sharma type bowler.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

It seems like they've messed with his action to make him fit the stereotype "hit the deck third seamer" role, he's releasing it from twelve o'clock rather than the one o'clock of your typical outswing bowler such as Southee.

 

[hendrix]

he was always a "hit-the-deck" seamer though, at least from what I've seen.

Even seamers will get a bit of swing in very swing-friendly conditions (e.g. Siddle in today's test got some), and that's why he got a bit of swing in Hobart, but he's always looked like a seamer to me.

 

[Hurricane]

First time I saw him was in that famous T20 at the champions league for CD. And he was swinging it every ball iirc.

 

[Bahnz]

First time I saw him was in that famous T20 at the champions league for CD. And he was swinging it every ball iirc.

Yeah, Bracewell used to swing it around corners. But I don't think we should judge him until we see how he goes in SA. It's hard to get the ball to swing in the sub continent, especially if you have to have to wait 15-20 overs before getting a hold of the ball.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Yeah, Bracewell used to swing it around corners. But I don't think we should judge him until we see how he goes in SA. It's hard to get the ball to swing in the sub continent, especially if you have to have to wait 15-20 overs before getting a hold of the ball.

His seam release pretty bad too though, he didn't look like he would've swung it anywhere the way he was bowling.

 

[Howsie]

First time I saw him was in that famous T20 at the champions league for CD. And he was swinging it every ball iirc.

Yep, the season before he made his international debut he was bowling big booming outswingers, was fabulous to watch.

 

[Kippax]

He's swinging it in a bit here. I've included two balls from Milne first, for the lulz -
ACLT20 -12th Match: Warriors v Central Stags Highlights - YouTube

 

[Kippax]

Sep 2010 vs. Dec 2012 - YouTube

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Just finishing up for the night, about to go to bed, check cricinfo, suddenly notice that this one starts in half an hour. Though it was 5 like all the others. I have no choice now...

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Sep 2010 vs. Dec 2012 - YouTube

They're actually absolutely identical now that someone's shown it, I wonder what these changes were that they talked about.

 

[Briony]

SA will bat first. They have a funny team playing with Ontong amazingly given yet another chance. Phangiso gets to play again too. Looks like its experiment time.

Sad that these teams can't play a test match on Boxing Day.

 

[hendrix]

South Africa has the nicest anthem.