New Zealand A Tour of India and Sri Lanka

[straw man]

Just checked the score - not hugely surprised to see we didn't defend that tbh.

I'm going to bank on him landing it today. 4.5

With Astle, Sodhi and Kugs defending this score it could get ugly, hope they have 'on' days.

Heh. 18.5. Clearly no limited-overs score is unreachable when you have Astle and Kugs bowling to you. Looks like Sodhi did alright though and Bracewell and Gillespie's figures are actually good.

wow just looked up kugglejuggle on cricinfo for the first time. had no idea he was going at four and a half with the red ball and six and a half with the white at 40 a piece in each.

ouch.

Yes, iirc last season was a 'bowler' averaging 40 with the ball... and 40 with the bat.

 

[Bahnz]

Sooo, maybe going with Sodhi over Tastle for Bangladesh wasn't that bad an idea afterall?

DIsappointing to lose, but it's good to see fat butt getting back to some form.

 

[Kippax]

"Terrific balls to a defensive right-hander, ****".

 

[Kippax]

Sri Lanka Cricket News: Dinesh Chandimal to lead against NZ A | ESPN Cricinfo

Dinesh Chandimal will captain the Sri Lanka A side against New Zealand A in the first unofficial Test, which begins on September 17, with Dimuth Karunaratne to serve as his deputy.

Neither Chandimal nor Karunaratne were in the preliminary squad for the A tour, but with Sri Lanka's October tour of Zimbabwe since having been called off, both players will now have some match practice in what shapes to be a three-month break from international cricket.

Batsman Kusal Perera and 20-year-old offspinner Tharindu Kaushal are notable exclusions from the squad. Perera had starred in the first-class tournament early in the year, and had been part of Sri Lanka's limited-overs teams for much of the year, but has since encountered a lean patch.

Kaushal had also had a remarkable first-class season - his first - in which he took 50 wickets at 15.20. He had been named in two Sri Lanka Test squads without getting a game, but mediocre returns with the A team in the Caribbean has put him out of favour with the selectors.

The first-class tournament's top scorer, Kaushal Silva, and top wicket-taker, Malinda Pushpakumara, have both been named in the squad, with Kithuruwan Vithanage and Angelo Perera, who have played for Sri Lanka in the last six months, also earning call-ups. Fast bowler Nuwan Pradeep will continue his return from injury with the A team.

The first unofficial Test will be played in Pallekele, before the action moves to Dambulla. New Zealand A have been in India, where they lost the ODI series 3-0.

Sri Lanka A squad for the first unofficial Test: Dinesh Chandimal (c), Dimuth Karunaratne (vc), Angelo Perera, Kithuruwan Vithanage, Nuwan Pradeep, Kaushal Silva, Malinda Pushpakumara, Vimukthi Perera, Madura Lakmal, Ishan Jayaratne, Ashan Priyanjan, Udara Jayasundara, Sachithra Serasinghe, Chaturanga de Silva, Dilruwan Perera

 

[straw man]

Surprised nobody posted on the NZ-A v SL-A match in progress; some rain but then SL-A are 115/3 with two wickets to Gillespie, one for Anderson and none for Milne and Bracewell.

 

[hendrix]

It doesn't look like any of the bowlers have been pummeled yet.

There is zero batting lineup to speak of. Tastle hasn't bowled yet but we have 6 bowlers. Flem to rage.

I don't really have a problem with it, except that we do need to test whether the likes of Gillespie and Milne can bowl long spells.

 

[Immenso]

I have a problem with it (the lack of batsmen). Makes my blood boil that we are forgoing a once in god knows how many years opportunity to give a Raval or other upcoming openers / batsmen a taste of A cricket in foreign conditions.

What a wasted opportunity. We aren't even attempting to broaden our depth/knowledge in our area of greatest weakness.
Ronchi and Devcich opening an 'A' test, FMD.

 

[Immenso]

Btw, I don't want to come across as too negative about this A tour.

It's a fantastic itinerary, organised in fairly short notice.
A great opportunity to find out about our all rounders, spinners, and fast bowlers, batsmen v spin. I like Gillespie and Bracewell getting pre Banga cricket.

I very much like Sodhi in this squad even if I think his test squad pick is too soon.

While not glad he's failed, it's good for Munro and for selectors to know about his apoarant serious work ons required (v spin) at higher level (surprised he is in ODI squad For Bngl and SL).

Just need some Raval or M Bracewell for top order balance.

 

[Kippax]

New Zealand Cricket - Match Report

"Anton Devcich lead [sic] the NZA side."

 

[Blain]

**** Devcich is now captain of the A team? He is flavour of the month at NZC.

A shame Broom and even say Rutherford aren't batting for the A team. M Bracewell needs to up his record to get a go imo. I would have liked to see something like;

Raval
Devcich (he does deserve to be there)
Cachopa
Kitchen
Mitchell/Munro
Anderson
Ronchi

Makes sense to me. Maybe I'm crazy? But a guy like Kitchen who knows how to score a hundred and looks to have the shots to make it should get a sniff.

No problems with the bowling, but Tastle really is a wasted spot. Sodhi and Devcich are more than equiped to hold down the spinning fort.

 

[hendrix]

Given that Bracewell is on this tour, Brownlie really should be there too.

 

[Kippax]

Devcich (he does deserve to be there)

 

[Mike5181]

**** Devcich is now captain of the A team? He is flavour of the month at NZC.

A shame Broom and even say Rutherford aren't batting for the A team. M Bracewell needs to up his record to get a go imo. I would have liked to see something like;

Raval
Devcich (he does deserve to be there)
Cachopa
Kitchen
Mitchell/Munro
Anderson
Ronchi

Makes sense to me. Maybe I'm crazy? But a guy like Kitchen who knows how to score a hundred and looks to have the shots to make it should get a sniff.

No problems with the bowling, but Tastle really is a wasted spot. Sodhi and Devcich are more than equiped to hold down the spinning fort.

As I said previously, I don't really have a problem with Devcich in the OD stuff. But it makes no sense having him in the first class team, let alone as captain. It should've been Raval/Latham at the top in every FC game on this A tour.

 

[Kippax]

Just need some Raval or M Bracewell for top order balance.

Would've been denied Bracewell; he's warming the bench in Mohali.

Quite telling how even the BCCI won't take the eligible Champions League players out of their own A side despite their depth, but for New Zealand it wasn't even a question of how that dough flows. We'll cadge ourselves a booty call into the Asia Cup one of these years.

"Black Caps home seasons ending in February might become standard if we you managed that. At last!" - NZRU.

 

[Immenso]

**** Devcich is now captain of the A team? He is flavour of the month at NZC.

A shame Broom and even say Rutherford aren't batting for the A team. M Bracewell needs to up his record to get a go imo. I would have liked to see something like;

Raval
Devcich (he does deserve to be there)
Cachopa
Kitchen
Mitchell/Munro
Anderson
Ronchi

Makes sense to me. Maybe I'm crazy? But a guy like Kitchen who knows how to score a hundred and looks to have the shots to make it should get a sniff.

No problems with the bowling, but Tastle really is a wasted spot. Sodhi and Devcich are more than equiped to hold down the spinning fort.

If we're talking only List A/'ODI' then I'd agree with all that.
If we're including the tests then don't agree re: Astle v Devcich as a spinner, or Devcich as an opener.
Agree M Bracewell needs to do more to earn it, but better than the current wasted opportunity of 0.5 openers (I'd call MB another 0.5 opener anyway)

 

[hendrix]

Would've been denied Bracewell; he's warming the bench in Mohali.

Quite telling how even the BCCI won't take the eligible Champions League players out of their own A side despite their depth, but for New Zealand it wasn't even a question of how that dough flows. We'll cadge ourselves a booty call into the Asia Cup one of these years.

"Black Caps home seasons ending in February might become standard if we you managed that. At last!" - NZRU.

As idealistic as I like to be sometimes, there's little I can argue with that decision. Sure, it's cash rules, but you'd otherwise be denying a team the chance to earn greater honors in a theoretically more competitive environment.

India don't need that. We do.

 

[Immenso]

Would've been denied Bracewell; he's warming the bench in Mohali.

But he could have played in the 2 India tests, and if we were going to give Latham a rest ..... do it while other top order optio was there.

I've previously only bleated fir Raval and only brought up MB now because we have the ridiculous situation of Latham resting and Devcich and Ronchi opening.

What are the selectors going to learn from Ronchi opening? We know he struggles against the moving ball from his ODI opening performances. At least we might learn that Devcich is or isn't suited, Ronchi we already know.

Latham should be opening every red ball game in this tour.

 

[straw man]

Latham should be opening every red ball game in this tour.

Wouldn't go so far as to say he must open but he absolutely should be playing every red ball match this A tour. Bizarre that he's 'resting'. He is the ONLY batsman on this tour that has the potential to bat in the top 4 in test matches for New Zealand. The rest are potential 6 or 7s at best.

 

[hendrix]

Wouldn't go so far as to say he must open but he absolutely should be playing every red ball match this A tour. Bizarre that he's 'resting'. He is the ONLY batsman on this tour that has the potential to bat in the top 4 in test matches for New Zealand. The rest are potential 6 or 7s at best.

Yup.

But Latham will be turned into a McCullum-esque 6 and then we'll turn a limited 7 into an opener because "he's a grafter".

The thinking is "can play shots=will play shots" and "Can't play shots=good shot selection"

 

[straw man]

The thinking is "can play shots=will play shots" and "Can't play shots=good shot selection"

Haha yes. And an extension of the first is the "can hit the ball a long way = should try to hit the ball a long way" that I was muttering about the other day w.r.t big allrounders like Anderson, Mitchell and Neesham.