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

[straw man]

Promising left arm spinner from Gillette Cup featured on TVNZ sports news.

Well it's good to see a bit of cricket coverage like that, even if hilariously inaccurate to describe his action as a 'carbon copy' of Vettori's. U19 WC next year apparently so hopefully he will be in that.

 

[Bahnz]

Another biiig 100 for Guppy. Well on his way to taking Sinclair's throne as the biggest domestic bully in New Zealand.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Great to see a ton for Pollard. Could he potentially on his way to fulfilling his potential?

I walked across Petone Rec earlier and watched some of the club cricket in passing. Petone were 265 - 5 off 45 and lost 2 wickets in the minute or so of me walking past. On the way back, North City were 25 - 1 off 6 overs and they too lost a wicket in passing. I guess I should stop doing my Ronnie Irani calisthenics behind the bowler's arm.

But seriously though, the Rec was looking a lovely surface for batting and one of the dismissals was a Boult-esque catch. Not quite as acrobatic, but still good to see.

 

[ohnoitsyou]

Good to see Henry bowling a lot of overs and picking up wickets.

 

[Flem274*]

Yeah nice comeback from Canterbury after the Carter-Mitchell partnership. Setting up a much easier chase than looked likely at one stage. Especially good to see Henry get Dan for a first baller.

 

[Kippax]

Neesham has completely ditched that crabbing trigger movement from his red ball cricket I see. Risk of him still reading: Elevated.

Meanwhile Phlegm and I were concerned about Wheeler's ****ness on TV last month, but I like what I'm seeing in this match from him. Good control of length and more consistent shape back in.

 

[Prince EWS]

Papps.

 

[Bahnz]

Cricket: Bennett has put injury nightmare to bed - Cricket - NZ Herald News

Sounds like a pretty positive and proactive guy. Can't have been easy being kept out of all cricket for 2 years. Really hope he can continue his good start to the season

 

[Flem274*]

Nicol achieves his highest score of the season with 2 runs to his name before getting out. Jeez, when it goes bad it goes really bad. This is a bloke who only a couple of years ago tonned up against an Otago attacking featuring Steve Finn, along with locals Wagner and Butler. As much rage as he inspires on the forum, that was quite a respectable knock.

CD have staggered to 215/9 but a 330 run lead is a tough target on the final day. Must be coming up to lunch now. Declare surely?

Looks like only Wellington can win the game against Otago, but they're doing a crap job of it.

 

[Howsie]

I would really love to see Ben Wheeler get through this season injury free, it's been what, two seasons now with back to back serious injuries? Fully fit this kid is the best bowler going around after Southee and Boult. Swings the ball back at good pace (real good pace some days) and actually has quite abit of talent with the bat. If he didn't go down injured on an "A" tour back in 2011 I don't doubt for a second he'd be playing test cricket, probably ahead of Doug Bracewell who got picked just after that tour.

 

[Flem274*]

He's not quick at all. HRV Cup speedos have him consistently hovering at 135kph or thereabouts. He is one of our best and brightest though, and has the swing, height and bounce to cause test batsmen serious issues. When Boult eventually misses a test or several with injury, Wheeler would be my ideal replacement.

I can't help but feel he will take a long time to make it though. Wagner has the backing of McHesson (rightly so, but imo he must be on his last chance since better teams will hurt us if our third quick goes missing every two innings) and Bracewell is next cab off the rank. They refuse to give up on Gillespie too, and fair enough since fully fit and firing Gillespie is definitely the third best seamer in the country. Henry is putting in the performances to be in with a shout (I'd pick him if Southee went down), Bennett might be the same and Milne has the most potential of any bowler in the country so he's the most likely left field selection.

Prior to this game Wheeler has looked pretty out of nick on TV and in the vault and it's showed in his stats. He was averaging 59 with the ball before this.

edit: haha yessss he has 2 wickets for 3 runs now. Removed Guppers and Raval. We're in amongst the middle order now.

 

[Howsie]

Hmmmm I don't know, I've seen him live in a couple of PS games and he's definitely quicker than your average trundler running around domestic cricket. That was two seasons ago mind you, maybe he's lost some pace or isn't back where he was back then. Either way he's a talent, think he'll prove that this season if he can stay healthy.

 

[Flem274*]

Without a speed gun in the whites he looks sharp but sadly they only clock HRV games, and he's always been mid 130s for four overs on those. Probably just a case where it looks quick because batsmen are late on the swing and bounce.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Our best opening pair in the past two decades bowl 125-135 90% of the time and we're still obsessing over pace?

 

[Flem274*]

Yes. As Bahnz said in another thread, we pretend otherwise but we're all shameless speed whores here.

 

[Flem274*]

Come on, one more wicket. Would be really good to get Munro in before the ball is nice and old for him to smack it around.

 

[Kippax]

That ****ing attack watchman is standing very still at the crease, thwarting Jeets' push for victory.

 

[Hurricane]

Location: Hawkes Bay
Ajaz is a left arm spinner who bats in the lower order and joins the Devon Hotel Central Stags contracted list for the first time. In his debut year for the Stags Ajaz proved in Plunket Shield cricket, and in tandem with Tarun Nethula, that he can be a match winner. Formally a left arm pace bowler Ajaz only recently started bowling spin, and with this rapid rise to first class cricket, his progress in the coming season will be watched with much interest.

This is a small red flag to me. He is 24 years old and he has just taken up spin.

 

[Bahnz]

What an effort from Jeets. Get'im in da team.

 

[Kippax]

Ah good, Wellington need 80 off 21 overs. The second straight week JimmyGS will be bowling two bouncers an over, testing the umpire's discretion with the other four.