*Official* New Zealand Domestic Cricket Season 2012/2013

[straw man]

Discipline reasons?

I thought it was simply that he bowled so terribly in that West Indies warmup match that he was not considered again.

 

[Immenso]

Agree with all of that. Add continual injuries to Milne, Small, Henry, Wheeler, Anderson as big disappointments

In some ways, I take it as a positive. At this age, getting through with only niggles is OK, avoiding career threatening back or knee injuries.

I want these guys still in the game at 23, 24, 35. Then look out I reckon.

Although not sure how serious shin splints are?

That Milne spell would count as a season highlight, actually.

 

[Immenso]

Discipline reasons?

I thought it was simply that he bowled so terribly in that West Indies warmup match that he was not considered again.

Apparantly, that was reason given when Astle selected. Although it could be as minor as too much experimentation in the nets and stubbornly ignoring coaches. E.g. His experimental run-up and action for NZ A v India that Kippax highlighted.

I've read of no other juicy discipline issue

 

[straw man]

In some ways, I take it as a positive. At this age, getting through with only niggles is OK, avoiding career threatening back or knee injuries.

I want these guys still in the game at 23, 24, 35. Then look out I reckon.

Although not sure how serious shin splints are?

That Milne spell would count as a season highlight, actually.

Well those eternally optimistic Ozzies (who are sounding more and more like NZ fans every week as they plot the steady upward trajectory of their young injury prone bowling attack), reckon that once a young bowler hits age 24ish and is keeping himself very fit and strong the injury problems should rapidly decrease. And this imo has some truth.

I think though that you're going to lose 2 of every 5 to injury before getting to that point, possibly more. Not necessarily injured out of the game but instead end up bowling at reduced capacity for the rest of careers like Arnel or Butler.

I would be very happy if three of Milne (20), Wheeler (21), Anderson (22), Small (21), Henry (21) could mature into bowlers that aren't injured much and so have a chance to get somewhere near their potential. (though I think Anderson's bowling should be limited to avoid injury and give his batting a chance to improve)

 

[Immenso]

Well those eternally optimistic Ozzies (who are sounding more and more like NZ fans every week as they plot the steady upward trajectory of their young injury prone bowling attack), reckon that once a young bowler hits age 24ish and is keeping himself very fit and strong the injury problems should rapidly decrease. And this imo has some truth.

I think though that you're going to lose 2 of every 5 to injury before getting to that point, possibly more. Not necessarily injured out of the game but instead end up bowling at reduced capacity for the rest of careers like Arnel or Butler.

I would be very happy if three of Milne (20), Wheeler (21), Anderson (22), Small (21), Henry (21) could mature into bowlers that aren't injured much and so have a chance to get somewhere near their potential. (though I think Anderson's bowling should be limited to avoid injury and give his batting a chance to improve)

Yeah, think I read the same Aussie sports science article. Which has adjusted my expectations for bowlers in this age group.

 

[hendrix]

Nethula already blew his opportunity be being dropped for discipline reasons, whatever they were. So, he blew it the most IMO.

So his decent season was I guess a step in his comeback for contention, and good on him for putting in the performance. But he obviously isn't going to get straight back in.

I don't even rate him that highly as a bowler, but it was shocking how he went from back-up spinner to having a batsman/part timer picked over him (sorry Tastle). There was one point when I genuinely thought they were going to give him a shot over Patel, and then bang he was out of the team.

The disciplinary things...quite frustrating really. They always say things like "not fitting into the team culture" and crap like that...I do believe in making players responsible for their own actions, but really it's also a management issue if young promising players are having disciplinary issues.

 

[Mike5181]

Young player Plunket Shield career update:

Bowlers:
Matt Henry 37 wickets @ 18.51
Tim Southee 96 wickets @ 22.50
Bevan Small 24 wickets @ 23.24
Trent Boult 73 wickets @ 24.39
Ben Wheeler 44 wickets @ 26.15
Adam Milne 29 wickets @ 26.41
Anurag Verma 14 wickets @ 33.07
Doug Bracewell 65 wickets @ 36.49

Batsmen/allrounders:
Kane Williamson 1763 runs 56.87 + 34 wickets @ 37.79
Daryl Mitchell 756 runs @ 50.40 + 8 wickets @ 31.00
Craig Cachopa 907 runs @ 47.73
Hamish Rutherford 1347 @ 40.81
Jeet Raval 2337 runs @ 38.95
Will Young 376 runs @ 37.6
Harry Boam 1170 runs @ 35.45 + 33 wickets @ 39.69
Corey Anderson 1246 runs @ 33.67 + 19 wickets @ 44.84 (First good season with the bat, averaged 51. Didn't do much damage with the ball.)
Thomas Latham 1171 runs @ 32.52
Jimmy Neesham 665 runs @ 25.57 + 35 wickets @ 34.28 (Averaged 40 with the bat, and 33 with the ball this season.)

 

[Bahnz]

Frustrating season from a developmental point of view, none of the young openers really put their hands up, and only Raval and Rutherford managed decent returns. And none of the young quicks could stay fit for more than a few games. From my limited understanding of shin splints, it's a bit like a stress fracture, though not quite as serious. Milne will be out for a while, but I don't think his career is in any jeopardy.

It was good to see Anderson getting through a season without any serious injuries (broken finger aside). I suspect he's probably lost the potential to develop into a genuine wicket taker at the top level, but he's still got plenty of class with the bat, so I suspect he'll be back in the NZ team before too long. To come back after virtually no first class cricket in 3 years, and still average close to 50 is a good effort.

Hopefully, the NZC puts that ICC money to good use and schedules a proper A tour later this year. Reckon a squad of 13 could include:

Raval, Redmond, Carlchopa, Broom, Mitchell, Latham (wk), Anderson, Wells/Neesham, Nethula, Milne (if fit), Wheeler (if fit), Arnel and Butler.

 

[Flem274*]

Hopefully, the NZC puts that ICC money to good use

and you call me a hopeless optimist

 

[straw man]

Cbf going back and digging up predictions for this season but:

TOP RUN SCORER: Aaron Redmond with 941 at 55.35
Runner up: Peter Fulton with 902 at 56.37
Highest average (qual 400 runs): Colin Munro with 623 at 124.60

TOP WICKET TAKER: Brent Arnel with 52 at 25.78 (might include a couple from NZ A game)
Runner up: Mark Gillespie with 45 at 31.37
Lowest average (qual 20 wickets): Ryan McCone with 37 at 19.43

WINNER: CD

I picked Arnel but didn't get CD and I doubt anyone thought Redmond would top the runs this season.

 

[Flem274*]

Haha wow I knew Arnel was excellent but I didn't think he had done that well. 52 wickets doesn't happen every season.

 

[jcas0167]

I see Jamie How actually managed a decent season average of 40 in the end with a decent late run.

I never would have thought, when he was dropped 5 or do years ago, that he wouldn't be back in the team again within a year or so after sorting himself out with a bit of domestic cricket. It's very disappointing, but he just hasn't put any pressure on the selectors saying "pick me".

Yes, I remember after he scored that 139(?) in an ODI against England in 2008 thinking he had finally cracked it and would be a mainstay of the top order. He also scored a 170 odd in a tour game later that year against New South Wales. He got hit on the head in the nets by Southee and then didn't really fire in the tests before being replaced by Guptill later in the season.

He did really well for CD when they made the IPL champions trophy in 2010. That lead to a recall for the World Cup team in 2011. He had a few chances but seemed to always get out caught on the boundary playing the pull shot IIRC. But he does seem someone who had the potential to do better at international level and is a great fielder.

 

[Flem274*]

At least from what I've seen, his lack of a backfoot defence means he tries to defend balls slightly back of a good length off the front foot and the ball hits the splice or handle and he gets caught behind. He also has a tendency to pick the wrong delivery to drive straight down the ground, usually to an outswing bowler, and also get out caught behind.

He has hard hands too, so defensive edges usually carry and when he's in really poor nick he can reach for the ball too much.

When he's in good nick, he's still prone to brain fades in the 40s.

I'm a fan of How, and he is the best equipped opener in the country for test cricket, but he has too many flaws. He's not a polished turd but a rough cut gem and he's too old to change now imo.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

TOP RUN SCORER: Aaron Redmond with 941 at 55.35
Runner up: Peter Fulton with 902 at 56.37
.

heh

 

[Jezroy]

Hopefully, the NZC puts that ICC money to good use and schedules a proper A tour later this year. Reckon a squad of 13 could include:

Raval, Redmond, Carlchopa, Broom, Mitchell, Latham (wk), Anderson, Wells/Neesham, Nethula, Milne (if fit), Wheeler (if fit), Arnel and Butler.

Hopefully - but two problems...

1. Can NZC put the money to good use? Sound way too sensible.

2. With the way our test team is performing, would many want to play our A Team? Zimbabwe/Ireland/Bangladesh/Netherlands, maybe? Can't see many countries with good first class teams wanting to do it. Would be great to have a tour of either Australian or South African first class teams early next season, then get this next tier of players firing for next season's first class comp.

As for the team - Good mix of youth and experience. Maybe add in How, and have a squad of 15? And Flynn in there somewhere might be good. I wish Broom had been better managed - could have been a gun test number 6 by now.

 

[Kippax]

Pretty confident Henry will tour. Post-operation Small, India A could be saying 'hey, not the ribs, not the ribs!' if we fluked a receptive track, but he probably won't tour. Sodhi probably a shoo-in to go ahead of Doull's "chronic excuse-maker" Nethula. Cribb will hope for some Tastle.

Neesham was tweeting about blundering and gullible domestic umpires btw, which he's now deleted. He's a bear with a sore head so he'll probably steel himself for a score in Queenstown now. KP to give him an approving word or two, encourage him to leave the bowling all-rounder's life behind, explore the full flourish of his ***ier discipline.

Distrusting Neesham vs. Blundering Domestic Umps - YouTube

 

[Bahnz]

Nah, if we can foot the bill, I can't see why any foreign board would have an issue playing us. It's not exactly as if A cricket is a big draw with the viewers. And playing our A team is hardly going to make opposition 2nd tier players go backwards as cricketers.

 

[Immenso]

The ECB wanted the England Lions to your NZ this summer, but we couldn't afford to host them. They are touring Australia instead.

They have the resources to send both test team and A team on tour at same time, with the 'Lions' in the same or similar conditions as the test team.

Not sure what it forts to host? But we hosted India A, couldn't manage both.

 

[Kippax]

Cricket: CD players remain in Black Caps mix | Hawke's Bay Today

Among those who have caught the public eye is CD batsman Carl Cachopa.

"I think he's in line for the NZ A programme," Littlejohn says of the "robust" plans for a second-tier New Zealand team agenda, thanks to an injection of capital from the International Cricket Council (ICC) to help boost the Black Caps' status in the world pecking order.

While Cachopa has had a memorable and consistent year, it's imperative he maintains that standard for a couple of seasons.

"When players like him make that transition they'll have a better chance of performing."

Littlejohn feels in New Zealand there's a tendency to push players into the Black Caps squad too early.

"They get beaten up and it takes two years to get them back to where they were."

The NZ A programme, he feels, will provide the ideal platform for aspiring players to test their mettle in the subcontinent as the Black Caps prepare to tour there in the next three years.

Matches against Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka are in the pipeline to 2015.

"Putting my accountant's hat on, I'd say the New Zealand dollar will go further in the subcontinent to give us more bang for our buck," he says, revealing director of cricket John Buchanan is in the middle of negotiations with the ICC this week.

Tours to Europe and South Africa, he contends, will hit NZ Cricket's pockets much harder.

Besides, Littlejohn says it'll be a great opportunity for New Zealand's budding bowlers and batsmen to learn to play that aspect of the game from the best in the world.

"Tarun's very much in the mix as well," he says of Nethula, who toured with the Black Caps to West Indies and India but lost his continuity and, consequently, confidence with minimal game time.

"He's returned from an injury [shoulder] and is bowling really well so he needs to continue to perform because his opportunity will come as he's the best leg spinner in New Zealand."

With the Black Caps seldom employing two tweakers in the country, it often comes down to whether coach Mike Hesson wants a leggie, offie or simply a left-armer in his mix.

"I can tell you Tarun's name comes up regularly."

An injury-plagued Daniel Vettori, in the twilight years of his playing career, is unavailable while hot-again-cold-again Jeetan Patel is likely to be dropped after the recent forgettable tour of South Africa.

That has prompted suggestions of promoting short-form spinner Nathan McCullum to the test arena.

Littlejohn sees the wicketkeeping position a bigger challenge.

The calibre and quality of players such as BJ Watling, Van Wyk, Luke Ronchi and Derek de Boorder excite him.

"We need to work out who'll work well in which format of the game and stick with them.

"Mike Hesson's got to decide that but for now BJ is the incumbent and McCullum is doing it in the short form."

Watling has had a stellar stint with the bat but it's open to debate if he's the best gloveman behind the stumps.

With the Black Caps building a stable of about 10 fast bowlers, Littlejohn says Milne, who missed the South African tour with an ankle injury, remains in the equation.

"He's got back on the park as a batsman in a Hawke Cup match but we're hoping he'll be back bowling."

CD coach Alan Hunt says Milne is recovering well and is on track to begin the domestic one-day Ford Trophy campaign later this month.

A "little way off" in the scheme of things are injured CD seamers Bevan Small and Ben Wheeler and batsman and former New Zealand under-19 captain Will Young.

 

[Jezroy]

The ECB wanted the England Lions to your NZ this summer, but we couldn't afford to host them. They are touring Australia instead.

They have the resources to send both test team and A team on tour at same time, with the 'Lions' in the same or similar conditions as the test team.

Not sure what it forts to host? But we hosted India A, couldn't manage both.

Well hopefully this cash injection does help us - but it's only a short term thing - $2.14m over 3 years.

On reflection, I guess our A team would be quite competitive at home as they would be playing teams with very little experience of NZ conditions.

Also, we wouldn't want to send them to play Aussie state teams (for example) and see them get spanked. Don't think that would do any good.

Seem to remember the NZA team getting a bit out of this Zim tour a couple of year ago - New Zealand Cricket -