Viscount Tom
International Debutant
Care to explain your reasoning?
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***Official*** New Zealand in England series 2013
- Thread starter NZTailender
- Start date
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
The batting depth is in much healthier shape than the bowling depth anyway, IMO. Even if guys like Hales, Buttler and Ballance don't end up cutting it, there's hope there - some talent and/or domestic success to work with. Samit Patel has been quite successful as a finisher of late when he's got a game too, and there's still Pietersen to come back. We're all left scratching our heads about the bowling options. though. All the bowlers who have played for the Lions recently are very much Test specialist options IMO, in that they either bowl too predictable a length for one day cricket (Onions, Woakes, Harris, Roland-Jones) or they don't have the control for it (Meaker, Dernbach, Rankin, this season's version of Woakes).
It's actually getting harder and harder to ignore the fact that Ravi kept bowling well the last time he was in the side, and that Tredwell bowled well when he filled in for Swann. The problem with those guys though is that they're definitely middle overs specialists and that's a hard role to pick someone for when Swann is already in the side and the fielding restrictions kept getting stricter as times goes on.
It's actually getting harder and harder to ignore the fact that Ravi kept bowling well the last time he was in the side, and that Tredwell bowled well when he filled in for Swann. The problem with those guys though is that they're definitely middle overs specialists and that's a hard role to pick someone for when Swann is already in the side and the fielding restrictions kept getting stricter as times goes on.
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
Wasn't Woakes in that side? I don't think that's really tenable anymore; you'd have to bring Bresnan in for him. He was been truly bad.
Cabinet96
Hall of Fame Member
Nah I had Bresnan over him. I was a bit undecided a while ago, but would definitely go with Bres now.
Out of interest, what speeds has he been hitting this series? Bresnan that is.
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
Low to mid 80s. Woakes the same.
Definitely a little quicker than he was before he took time off for his injury anyway.
flibbertyjibber
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Before the op Bres was barely over 80 at best/top speed so he has some pace back. He was never an 88mph guy anyway apart from the odd delivery which I always thought the gun may have got wrong anyway. He looks better than before the op anyway.
Viscount Tom
International Debutant
Iirc he was our quickest bowler when we went down under strangely enough.
Flem274*
123/5
I'm starting to wonder if we should apply a band aid to a gunshot wound and tell Guptill to go out and dominate the bowling in test matches.
It would mean a return to the scores he made at the beginning of his test career - lots of 30 (40) with a smattering of fifties but it would be a big improvement over what he does now.
More seriously, I think he thinks almost too much about his defensive technique in the whites and it has led to him shelving most of his shots. He is trying to be the "proper", John Wright-esque opener everyone keeps demanding him to be but he has been putting the cart before the horse for years and now he appears a hesitant wreck at the crease in test cricket. He would benefit from developing an impregnable forward defense, flexing his front knee more, looking for singles and bringing back his scoring options. He put away the back foot shots a few years ago because he couldn't control them but he plays a lovely controlled pull these days and batsmen with defensive techniques which are works in progress need plenty of scoring options.
He's only the reserve opener and his home ground is a road. He has a perfect opportunity to get his red ball game in order. I've been calling him an overrated straight drive specialist for years but you have to admire his determination. He could be an IPL millionaire right now but he opted instead to pad up for Derbyshire for a few seasons. It's a shame no one appears to be giving him the guidance he needs to improve in tests.
It would mean a return to the scores he made at the beginning of his test career - lots of 30 (40) with a smattering of fifties but it would be a big improvement over what he does now.
More seriously, I think he thinks almost too much about his defensive technique in the whites and it has led to him shelving most of his shots. He is trying to be the "proper", John Wright-esque opener everyone keeps demanding him to be but he has been putting the cart before the horse for years and now he appears a hesitant wreck at the crease in test cricket. He would benefit from developing an impregnable forward defense, flexing his front knee more, looking for singles and bringing back his scoring options. He put away the back foot shots a few years ago because he couldn't control them but he plays a lovely controlled pull these days and batsmen with defensive techniques which are works in progress need plenty of scoring options.
He's only the reserve opener and his home ground is a road. He has a perfect opportunity to get his red ball game in order. I've been calling him an overrated straight drive specialist for years but you have to admire his determination. He could be an IPL millionaire right now but he opted instead to pad up for Derbyshire for a few seasons. It's a shame no one appears to be giving him the guidance he needs to improve in tests.
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Hurricane
Hall of Fame Member
I disagree. Guptill looks fine against spin in ODIs.
Tests though.
If Tests were played on Roads and with white balls that stop swinging after 5 overs then maybe this might work. I read your article by McCullum on why he thinks NZ bats better in ODIs and it lacked insight. ODIs are often played on napier like pitches and that is the sole reason. That and only having to face ten overs from the top bowlers.
Guptil has done his dash in tests for now. Our next hope is that Latham has a break out year in FC next year.
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BeeGee
International Captain
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Flem274*
123/5
Way to ignore the rest of the post.
But for the sake of argument, Hayden and Sehwag?
True, both have terrible records in New Zealand (and England) where you can't get away with doing what they did (and Sehwag murders spin), but our pitches have changed from the days when Hayden was a regular here. If you get through the new Kookaburra you're in business.
And I think what McCullum said holds water. He's also the captain who has to talk to these guys so I think he has one reason why we suck nailed.