**Official** New Zealand Domestic Season 2013/2014

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Oh dear god. It's like the Stu Mills or Joe Austin-Smellie departures only much worse. WTF is going on?

 

[Bahnz]

Argh. University and life claims another promising Wellington cricketer.

 

[Flem274*]

Lol Siddons. "I don't know why he's leaving. We givez him so much opportunitiez!"

Like playing a batting allrounder every second game at number eight and barely giving him a bowl?

 

[straw man]

A little disappointing he didn't just move to another province instead, maybe 12-24 months ago when he was stuck behind 50 other Wellington allrounders, Wellington were a basket-case, and before the malaise set in. Though from the article it also looks like he's fairly tied to living in Wellington.

Wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't play top level cricket again.

 

[Kippax]

Lol Siddons. "I don't know why he's leaving. We givez him so much opportunitiez!"

Like playing a batting allrounder every second game at number eight and barely giving him a bowl?

He certainly preferred a lack of sideways like a No. 8 tbf.

Tim Southee vs. Brodie / Pollard / Boam - YouTube

But yes, I think there's quite a few of the smarter guys who'd empathise with Boam within NZ cricket these days. ('Oh so you're a fully practicing dentist now. Yeah yeah, still just down here playing for the Volts. No, they don't really do commentaries any more. ND still seems to be really into it, plenty of updates for them during the Farming Show...').

Doctor And Ice Cream Tester - That Mitchell and Webb Look - YouTube

 

[Kippax]

Cricket | Rutherford's rise to open door for Duffy... | Stuff.co.nz

Ryan Duffy.

 

[Kippax]

Cricket | Come in spinner, if you're out there | Stuff.co.nz

New Zealand pitches also need to change. Last summer they were flat and got even flatter, with Martin (fifth), Nethula (ninth) and Sodhi (15th) the highest spinners on the Plunket Shield wicket-taking charts. Meetings have already been convened at NZC about curators producing surfaces that offer something for the quicks but will break up and turn on days three and four.

"If a young guy is trying to be a spin bowler and the ball's going straight on then that's no fun."

A few young tweakers have impressed Wiseman, including Auckland's Dane Watson and Otago's Mark Craig. The spinners are out there; they just need encouragement and fine tuning.

"We've got to start developing guys that take wickets on the last days of test matches and start winning games. We've got guys who can spin it, it just may take time.

"We've put plenty of resources into pace bowling recently. We need to put that same amount of effort and energy into our spin bowlers. They don't just fall out of trees."

Cricket | NZC snub leaves Firebirds in tight spot | Stuff.co.nz

Feathers are predicted to fly as Firebirds contracts are thrashed out at Cricket Wellington's headquarters in the next fortnight.

Grant Elliott was Wellington's sole representative on the 20-strong list of New Zealand Cricket contracted players for the next 12 months, much to the disgust of Firebirds coach Jamie Siddons.

Not only does he believe James Franklin and Luke Ronchi were hard done by, but their omission leaves him with the near-impossible task of squeezing nine current or former internationals onto his 14-man contract list for next summer.

Such is the issue that Siddons expects a few Firebirds to seriously entertain offers from other provinces.

"Trying to rank them from 1-8 is the most difficult part and any one of them who will be 4, 5, 6 or 7 could have an argument that they could be top-3. They could easily jump into a higher spot at another MA [major association] given they've got five blokes they can chuck out and we haven't," Siddons said.

"It's a matter of what their commitment to Wellington is and whether that extra $5000 they might get from going to another MA is going to make all the difference over a year.

"It's hard. If I was thinking I was the best player in this place and I was only given [contract] No 6, I'd be pretty pissed off as well. We're expecting to have some arguments."

Northern Districts and Auckland both have five players on the national list, Otago four, Canterbury three and Central Districts two. Elliott deserves to be on there but Franklin and Ronchi did too, in Siddons' estimation.

"Someone that's in the team one week and out of a contract the next is really hard for me understand. Franky, you'd just give him a contract and then get the best out of him," Siddons said of Franklin.

"He's probably the No 1 or one of the top players in the country, when he comes back to first-class cricket. He should be given a contract. You can't just throw someone out of a top 20 I would've thought."

Franklin scored 47 not out, 0 and 53 not out in New Zealand's one-day series win in South Africa in January but his formed tailed off to the extent that he averaged just 11.67 on the recent tour to England and took none for 113 with the ball at an economy rate of 7.53.

Ronchi scored 47 runs at 7.83 on the same England trip. But opening the batting is not his strength, says Siddons, despite Black Caps coach Mike Hesson reiterating that it's the only spot where Ronchi can get a game for New Zealand.

"Yeah, but he's better than some of those in the middle order, so you shouldn't be closing the door there. He's better than the other three or four guys that they're throwing around, in my opinion," said Siddons.

"He will fire in the middle order in one-day and Twenty20 and in test cricket he'd dominate."

Fast bowler Mark Gillespie was the other Wellington player in contention for a national contract. Siddons felt Gillespie was worthy of one but, such are the stocks New Zealand have developed in that area, that other bowlers were simply more deserving.

Wellington and the other major associations need to submit a contract list of between nine and 13 players to NZC by July 26. The Firebirds aim to name 13 and then add their fourteenth player at a later date.

The job of getting players onto the bottom of their list has been made easier by Scott Kuggeleijn transferring to Northern Districts and Harry Boam making himself unavailable.

 

[hendrix]

if by "middle order" Siddons means batting at 7-8, then I'd agree with him. That's the only position I'd have Ronchi batting in any form of the game. Moreover, we already have Watling as the incumbent in test cricket and he deserves to be there for all forms of the game, frankly.

And sure it's tough on Franklin, but we should only be giving contracts to a maximum of 2/20 allrounders, and that's what Hesson has done. There are far too many of these bits-and-pieces players and we need to develop the main skills (pure batsmen and pure bowlers) first and foremost. People need to be doing their jobs. Not to mention the fact that taking a punt on Anderson is far better long term value than taking a punt on Franklin.

There's far more value in developing opening batsmen like Latham and Rutherford than allrounders.

I agree with most of Hesson's calls here. The only other thing I would've liked is for Milne to be given a shot.

 

[straw man]

Cricket | NZC snub leaves Firebirds in tight spot | Stuff.co.nz

tl;dr summary: "Siddons says Ronchi is 'booming' through the crease"

 

[straw man]

Have decided for the upcoming domestic season that based on years of disappointment, I'm completely giving up on the idea that any openers, other quality batsmen, spin bowlers or all-rounders are going to make themselves known. What do we need any of those for anyway?

Just give me fast bowlers. Fast bowlers that swing, seam and bounce out domestic batsman and never let up. I want a massacre where most top orders average <25 per wicket for the season (in no part due to pitches) and lower orders are not able to put together their usual jammy recoveries because the bowling is too hostile and too skilled. Failing that (which is unrealistic if for no other reason than Canterbury would need to go from 0 fast bowlers on the park to a full contingent, and because Wellington exists and Auckland only has trundlers and McClenaghan), I at least want batting averages vs CD and ND and Otago to be in this range.

And most of all I want a test quality 3rd-seamer for NZ and a better backup/4th-seamer than we have now, and for Bracewell and Wagner to only get to play test matches if they significantly improve to stay ahead of the pack.

That's not too much to ask is it?

 

[Flem274*]

I like the look of Dean Bartlett for Auckland tbf.

Henry has sorted his back now so he should be on the field, and Bennett has a new action. Maybe Canterbury can finally field their favoured attack this year.

#eternaloptimism

 

[hendrix]

yeah I liked what I saw of Bennett's remodeled action.

There should be massive competition between Bracewell, Wagner, Bennett, Milne, McCleneghan, Henry and Wheeler for that 3rd test bowler slot.

Wagner has just done enough to be considered the incumbent, but they really should be including another prospect alongside Bracewell in the squads. Or if Bracewell isn't tearing through domestic lineups before the Bangladesh tour, he should be given a spell.

NZ only needs an Iain O'Brien level bowler to turn into a top level, well-rounded attack. Bracewell should've been that guy but he's not performing and there are heaps of guys who should be getting a shot.

 

[Flem274*]

we need a spinner tbh

 

[Kippax]

Sodhi's offspin (replete with doosra) mentioned in that Wiseman article was fairly interesting. Makes me hope that one day, when we've gone fully bat**** with the left-armers and are playing three of them including Corey, we hit someone with a Kane/Sodhi offspin duel.

Or if Bracewell isn't tearing through domestic lineups before the Bangladesh tour, he should be given a spell.

PS will start a few weeks after the Tests on that tour ftr.

The guys that I keep hearing NZ really needs to become guns are Milne and Duffy tbh (atm you'd say Duffy can suck in his breath and mix it with the men for about four overs max). There's going to be some good thoughtful non-jock elements in Duffy, along the lines of an O'Brien, which will serve him well as time goes on.

 

[hendrix]

PS will start a few weeks after the Tests on that tour ftr.

Ah ok.

I imagine Hesson will take a punt on someone. I think Sodhi is further away from being ready than Milne is tbh.

 

[Kippax]

imagine Hesson will take a punt on someone. I think Sodhi is further away from being ready than Milne is tbh.

Yeah FWIW Littlejohn has already stuck his neck out in print by saying Sodhi's years away from selection I believe.

 

[Kippax]

.

India A v New Zealand A
FIRST CLASS MATCH 28/08/2013 Port Trust Diamond Jubilee Stadium, Visakhapatnam
India A v New Zealand A
FIRST CLASS MATCH 2/09/2013 Dr. YSR Reddy ACA-VDCA Stadium, Visakhapatnam
India A v New Zealand A
LIST-A MATCH 8/09/2013 Port Trust Diamond Jubilee Stadium, Visakhapatnam
India A v New Zealand A
LIST-A MATCH 10/09/2013 Dr. YSR Reddy ACA-VDCA Stadium, Visakhapatnam
India A v New Zealand A
LIST-A MATCH 12/09/2013 Dr. YSR Reddy ACA-VDCA Stadium, Visakhapatnam
Sri Lanka A v New Zealand A
FIRST CLASS MATCH 17/09/2013 Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium
Sri Lanka A v New Zealand A
FIRST CLASS MATCH 23/09/2013 Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy
Sri Lanka A v New Zealand A
LIST-A MATCH 29/09/2013 Welagedara Stadium, Kurunegala
Sri Lanka A v New Zealand A
LIST-A MATCH 1/10/2013 Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium
Sri Lanka A v New Zealand A
LIST-A MATCH 3/10/2013 Welagedara Stadium, Kurunegala

 

[Bahnz]

Yeah FWIW Littlejohn has already stuck his neck out in print by saying Sodhi's years away from selection I believe.

Well then Wiseman better make damn sure the domestic pitches offer some turn next season. Otherwise he's never going to develop at domestic level.

 

[Kippax]

Against all PS lefties (i.e. rough outside off) 9/270, Sodhi. Right-handers 11/627.

Hard to see how anything meaningful will come out of that meeting though tbh, unless they'd actually scrub up some contrived rough pre-match. Jeets will tell you about the clays you want and why he averages about 15 less for Warwickshire, and no-one's been able to get anything to deteriorate for Jeets. Aside from his own dreams.

 

[Kippax]

Cricket | NZC contracts give ND space for standout... | Stuff.co.nz

Oh god, don't lure Carlchopa, Neesham or Wells to the worst MA of all ffs. I want Howsie to be forced to cheer Woodcock.

It's understood the Knights are close to securing the services of a batting all-rounder to bolster their squad for the 2013/14 season. Possible targets that fit that category include Central Districts' Carl Cachopa, his brother Craig (Auckland) and Otago's Jimmy Neesham.

The major associations can contract 14 players and have to submit a list of between nine and 13 players to NZC by July 26.

"We've obviously got a rough idea of what our list looks like," Pamment said.

"We can now action that and target one or two key players that we could bring to ND that would bring value to our squad."

"Losing Brent Arnel [to Wellington] and having Corey elevated gives us a little room towards the top of our list to potentially attract someone from another association. We'll do that really diligently - to come to ND, you've got to be a certain type of person to be in our mix.

"We won't do that unless we believe we can bring the skill-set and the type of character that's going to add some real value to us."

Pamment said the Knights are also likely to change tack slightly in their approach to seeking imports for the HRV Cup Twenty20 competition.

Last season the Knights had success with proven English performers Steven Croft and James Foster, despite missing out on the playoffs, but Pamment said import hunting wasn't a major priority at present.

"We're going to be heavily reliant on our own squad and then look to bring in perhaps individuals who could add some real specific qualities.

"We perhaps won't be scouring the marked like we have in the past for Twenty20 specialists, and more maybe relying on guys who are in the [Australian domestic T20] Big Bash squads to do short term jobs for us."