*Official* New Zealand Domestic Cricket Season 2012/2013

[Flem274*]

Guptill/Ryder is the obvious choice. Jesse can't be too far away surely?

Because of the ridiculous runs being scored in the Ford Trophy this season it won't just be a case of how many runs you score, but how you look doing so. I'm pretty confident it won't matter what Papps does because I suspect the selectors have all but blacklisted him in all formats. Jamie How has a good record but is known to be a slow starter and very boundary reliant so I'm not sure him combining with another reasonably boundary reliant batsman like Guptill is a good idea. Strike rotation wins ODIs. Anaru Kitchen doesn't have the best technique but he times the ball well. I don't know too much else about him though. Peter Fulton might also get a gig. His ODI record is respectable despite his long slump at the end of his last major stint.

George Worker and Jeet Raval might be in there too. There are almost too many batsmen scoring runs. You can't tell who has the goods and who is just cashing in on the roads.

 

[straw man]

@ Jezroy - Would be tempted to fit Franklin into that A team for NcCullum.

Will also be suprised if we see Ryder any time soon.

 

[Immenso]

Both Henry and Bennett know a Champions Trophy spot is almost assured if they can cut through Ryder, Ronchi, Papps, Elliott, Franky and Jeets on Wednesday, will be an interesting battle.

Bennett is surely still on restricted loads? Only bowled 6 overs in the match. I would assume this winter would be too soon.

 

[Mike5181]

1. Jesse Ryder
2. Martin Guptill
3. Kane Williamson
4. Ross Taylor
5. Grant Elliot/BJ Watling
6. Brendon McCullum
7.
8. Nathan McCullum
9. Kyle Mills
10. Tim Southee
11. Mitchell McClenaghan

Number seven is really the only problem spot. You've got Franklin, Neesham, maybe an Anderson? Ronchi if you wanted an extra bat.

 

[Kippax]

Bennett is surely still on restricted loads? Only bowled 6 overs in the match. I would assume this winter would be too soon.

The Press wanted an NZC contract for him last June just months after the surgery, believe it or not.

Cricket | Pace bowler Hamish Bennett on track for... | Stuff.co.nz

The decision to snub Bennett is short-sighted and shows the selectors are looking back as much as forward.

Backing an injured player does comes with an element of risk, but Bennett seems at least a calculated one rather than an out-and-out punt.

The other cricketers who have had the major back surgery Bennett had with leading Christchurch surgeon Grahame Inglis have bounced back better and the amount Bennett is working on his recovery suggests he too will be the same.

With his height and pace, the now 25-year-old will likely play a big part in the New Zealand team's quick bowling future, especially as Chris Martin gets closer to retirement. That said, he will now be contracted with Canterbury and if he stays fit will waltz back into a contract next season.

He was also probably victim to the fact the quick bowling stocks look healthier and have more depth than ever.

Martin, Tim Southee, Kyle Mills and Trent Boult are all expected to keep contracts and Doug Bracewell is a shoo-in to earn his first. Bennett was also in contention with Wellington's Andy McKay and Mark Gillespie plus Northern Districts journeyman Brent Arnel.

 

[straw man]

Hahahahahahahahahahaha giving an injured Bennett a contract would be a 'calculated risk'. Yes I think NZC might have done that calculation.

Still bowls like a GI Joe with one of his arms stuck on backwards imo.

 

[Immenso]

They didn't give Gillespie a contract last winter, because he got injured after his test heroics, and had historic fitness isuues. Really ****ing harsh IMO.

 

[straw man]

Yes I know - they passed over both injured Gillespie and Wagner to give a contract to Andy Ellis. Obviously that was ridiculous but not giving one to Bennett was a calculated non-risk.

 

[Blain]

Andrew Ellis... Hesson thinks he's a proven player in the shorter international formats. I dont know how, but with NZC concentrating on ODIs before the world cup, this fits with their (sh*t) plans.

 

[Wright]

@ Jezroy - Would be tempted to fit Franklin into that A team for NcCullum.

Will also be suprised if we see Ryder any time soon.

Think we need to move on from Ryder, unless he really sorts himself out.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Hahahahahahahahahahaha giving an injured Bennett a contract would be a 'calculated risk'. Yes I think NZC might have done that calculation.

Would have been as successful a decision as giving a contract for two years to Leighton Burtt...

 

[ohnoitsyou]

Think we need to move on from Ryder, unless he really sorts himself out.

Agree for tests, but surely Ryder hitting a quick 30 and out is perfectly fine considering, being 60/2 after 10 is much much better than 20/2 after 10

 

[Wright]

Agree for tests, but surely Ryder hitting a quick 30 and out is perfectly fine considering, being 60/2 after 10 is much much better than 20/2 after 10

If he sorts out his issues I have no problem with the guy coming back, but will he though, he just doesn't seem to learn. I think i'd rather go with McCullum and Guptill at the top of the order. If this was Impossible Id go with Papps and Guptill.

 

[Jezroy]

@ Jezroy - Would be tempted to fit Franklin into that A team for NcCullum.

Will also be suprised if we see Ryder any time soon.

Yeah - fair call. If Vettori DID come back for ODI's (which he might considering his stance on "marquee events", the fact the Champions Trophy is coming up, the World Cup is around a couple of corners, and maybe this massive injury lay off may make him think "tests? nah"),, we wouldn't generally need so much NcCullum.

Also, Kane seems to be one of the best Limited Overs bowlers in the country.

Bowlers.

 

[Kippax]

1 & 2. As mentioned above - 2 of Guptill/Ryder/Rutherford/How/Papps/Worker

NZC have actively requested Wgtn to open with Ronchi btw, which they're semi-disobeying due to the Papps run.

 

[straw man]

Would have been as successful a decision as giving a contract for two years to Leighton Burtt...

I have never actually seen Burtt bowl. Has anyone?

 

[Kippax]

.

OUR domestic fast bowlers are soft and lazy. They don’t work hard enough at their art and are allowed to repeat mistakes without consequences.
They come to the ground with two bats in their bag rather than two pairs of socks and screeds of notes on their competition.

Fast bowlers should be skilful and persistent. They should be able to make the ball change direction at high speed and bowl length in their sleep. They should be blessed with stamina and determination.

Our domestic coaches don’t help matters. Only Otago’s Vaughn Johnson comes from a pace bowling background and his team just happens to have won the Twenty20 competition and ran a close second in the Plunket Shield.

New Zealand Cricket issued a press release yesterday highlighting the fact that in the fifth round of the domestic 50-over competition the average innings score was 351 .
I’d be hiding that. It is a disgrace. Bats may be bigger, grounds smaller, outfields dry and another man up in the circle but our second-tier quicks need to be better than they are.

Scott Kuggeleijn will lace up his boots for Wellington again today.

He has spent the entire summer being smoked into nearby rest homes but Wellington refuse to make him accountable or take him away for tutelage.

Kuggeleijn has taken 6-323 across five rounds of the 50-over competition at an economy rate of 7.17 runs per over. One feels sorry for the lad.

The Firebirds are captained by widely travelled James Franklin, whose attitude to bowling sums up the modern-day quick.

They say the old-fashioned yorker is high-risk and not the weapon it once was because of the way a batsman moves about the crease.

In the domestic 50-over competition Wellington have conceded 349-7, 302-7, 321-6, 287 in a rain shortened (39 overs) game and 383-7 – and they’ve won two of those games.

Anyone for a yorker?

‘‘There is no doubt if you can execute a good yorker it is hard to score off,’’ Franklin said.
‘‘But the bowlers that can do it every ball are few and far between. For the mere mortal they have to find different ways.

‘‘We’ve got a couple of guys that are good at it, Jesse (Ryder) and Dizzy (Mark Gillespie) but to do it six balls out of six is pretty tough.

‘‘Sometimes you are just better to bluff to bowl a yorker and bowl a short one. You certainly need plenty of variations.’’

Franklin won’t bowl against Canterbury at Hagley Oval in Christchurch today because of a side strain. He has good and bad days with the ball but has been performing for Wellington in this competition (economy rate 5.44 runs per over).

Franklin has been in the team more than a decade so has witnessed the mindshift of bowlers from a good day being three an over to a good day being six an over.
‘‘In five years the game has progressed so much,’’ he says.

‘‘Batsmen are prepared to do things that they weren’t prepared to do five years ago.
‘‘They are playing with less fear. They are prepared to take bowlers on no matter what stage of the innings.

‘‘With four players only outside the ring, if you don’t get early wickets you pay.’’
Everything goes round. Cricket is currently a game run by batsmen on behalf of batsmen but it won’t always be that way.

Fathers and grandfathers: train up your sons and grandsons to be determined quick bowlers.

The last time Hamish Bennett played a home match for Canterbury, it was in pre-earthquake Christchurch on the now nonexistent Village Green at the also non-existent QEII.

A horrible back injury and a few follow-up issues have kept the big quick out of the game at the domestic level since January 2011, but now he’s back. He played in Canterbury’s 108-run thrashing of Northern Districts in Mt Maunganui on Sunday and should feature today when his side takes on Wellington at Hagley Oval.

Sunday’s big win was the first time Bennett had played alongside four of the current side.
‘‘It’s pretty good to be back on the park,’’ the 26-year-old said. ‘‘It’s been a pretty tough two years with a few up and downs.’’

He’s remained patient and positive and is now reaping the rewards for a cautious comeback.

Bennett said he’d recovered well from his six overs on Sunday and was ready to back up today. His rejuvenation gives the Wizards attack more depth and venom, which in turn has given the side its swagger back.

After poor returns in both the Twenty20 and four-day competitions, Canterbury sit second in the 50-over competition and their three wins have all been big ones.

Before Sunday’s trouncing of ND, Canterbury had beaten Otago by 106 runs and CD by 67.
They have weaved two losses with top-of-the-table Auckland into their season too, but go into today’s match full of confidence.

The top three of George Worker, Brad Cachopa and Rob Nicol have all scored big hundreds, the middle order have all reached 50 at least once and with Bennett’s return, the attack looks good.

Ryan McCone and Matt Henry have grown hugely in Bennett’s absence and with captain Andrew Ellis, spinner Ronnie Hira and allrounders Logan van Beek and Nicol able to chip in well, the side is travelling well.

Coach Gary Stead admitted there was more confidence in the side, but its feet remained firmly on the ground. And it needs to, against a dangerous Wellington side led by former Canterbury opener Michael Papps, enjoying arguably the best form of his life. Papps has innings of 162no, 154, 12, 82 and 129 in this year’s one-day competition for 539 one-day runs at 134.75 and a strike rate of 111.

Then there’s his opening partner, the sleeping batting giant of Jesse Ryder. Ryder’s yet to take an attack apart in 50-over cricket this year, but is clearly due.

Canterbury have made one change from the 12 that went to Mt Maunganui. Tom Latham has returned to the Black Caps and been replaced by Lancaster Park-Woolston all-rounder Brent Findlay while Todd Astle is still out because of a finger injury.

 

[Blain]

I have never actually seen Burtt bowl. Has anyone?

Ooo yes I have, very tall, got good outswing, decent high action. Not overly quick, would have thought 130-135.

 

[Flem274*]

Millmow describing himself?

 

[Immenso]

While its good Millmow is asking questions, and providing some analysis to provincial cricket. He is patronising.

Is the "our domestic fast bowlers.. In ref to Wellington, or NZ as a whole? Assume NZ as a whole as he uses similar language for coaches and then cites Otago coach.

In terms of being patronising. Domestic bowlers have to work a lot harder for wickets and containment than in Millmow's day. Turf management and WOFs means pitches are flat.

First time Ford Trophy played at this time of year. Usually at this time Rutherford, Raval, Woodcock etc are plundering double tons in Plunket Shield.

Criticism is fair, but some context would have been fair as well, and less patronising contempt.