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

[ohnoitsyou]

Interesting that he's come back and managed to destroy a domestic team - although four of the five came against lower order players. At least you can say that he's gone in and put a performance on the board domestically, something he hadn't done before.

It is his second 5-for tbf.

 

[Flem274*]

Bevan Small continues to be a boss.

 

[ohnoitsyou]

So Phlegm, who's going to be the better bowler, Milne or Small?

 

[Flem274*]

Both will outdo Malcolm Marshall obvz.

Facing those two ****s playing together for Manawatu must have been fun/life threatening, and then you got to enjoy Roald Badenhorst at first change who is no mug.

 

[Immenso]

Does ODonnell normally open? I assumed (based in u19 WC 2 years ago) that he was a middle order batsman.

 

[Kippax]

Does ODonnell normally open? I assumed (based in u19 WC 2 years ago) that he was a middle order batsman.

3 and 4 for Takapuna.

 

[Wright]

took a five-for...

Dunno, I know it's the wrong decision but he could end up trolling some Indian batsmen. The spinner's slot shouldn't be the vital cog.

It's one of those ones where the expectation is so low that anything could happen. The wrong selection, but it will be fun to watch.

Perhaps i should keep bagging Sodhi during the test series, he might take a few wickets then!

 

[Bahnz]

It is his second 5-for tbf.

Yeah, but his first was a 5/100. Even if he was bowling to the tail, it's still by far his best return and Ellis and Astle are decent FC batsmen who've caused Plunket Shield bowling lineups plenty of pain this season. It's an encouraging performance.

But there is still no way that he should be in line for selection against India.

 

[hendrix]

I think everyone agrees with that, but it's still going to be fun.

There's always that lingering hopefulness. "What if he turns out to actually be good?"

 

[Bahnz]

Well I do think Sodhi will be a passable international bowler within 2 years. But I'm worried that that kind of excitement about him will be damaging to his long term prospects (have the same concerns re Milne).

 

[Blocky]

Well I do think Sodhi will be a passable international bowler within 2 years. But I'm worried that that kind of excitement about him will be damaging to his long term prospects (have the same concerns re Milne).

I think he'll get absolutely slammed against India and likely need to go back to domestic for a few seasons to prove himself and get a slot again, I think it'll be much harder for him to get selected the second time. I just don't see enough in his bowling for me to think he has the potential that everyone else feels he has. Have a look at Muirhead - same age, completely different level of talent. Muirhead rips his leggie big, has a developing flipper and generally lands eight out of ten. Sodhi is still struggling with about six out of ten landed, a potentially good wrong'un but a leggie that doesn't really grip consistently. Taking domestic tail end wickets as a leg spin bowler isn't that much of a task when you're in NZ and probably the first or second leggie they've seen that isn't bowling every single ball as a half tracker outside leg.

 

[Kippax]

I've seen Sodhi get 85-90kph leg breaks to rip in Australia, just not in NZ.

 

[Blocky]

I've seen Sodhi get 85-90kph leg breaks to rip in Australia, just not in NZ.

That word "consistently" - the same word I used in regards to Milne and his ability to swing the ball. If it doesn't happen consistently, it's not really something you can use to indicate their likely performance at the international level.

 

[Bahnz]

I think he'll get absolutely slammed against India and likely need to go back to domestic for a few seasons to prove himself and get a slot again, I think it'll be much harder for him to get selected the second time. I just don't see enough in his bowling for me to think he has the potential that everyone else feels he has. Sodhi is still struggling with about six out of ten landed, a potentially good wrong'un but a leggie that doesn't really grip consistently. Taking domestic tail end wickets as a leg spin bowler isn't that much of a task when you're in NZ and probably the first or second leggie they've seen that isn't bowling every single ball as a half tracker outside leg.

I agree that he'll get smashed by the Indians and shouldn't play in the test series. Hesson and co seem to have taken the "we'll back him to the hilt" attitude, but it's easy to say that when you're playing against overmatched sides like the Bangerz and WI. Against competitive teams his inclusion could seriously hurt the team cause. When he starts losing us test matches - as he might well do in the upcoming series - I don't think it'll be long before he gets the chop.

Still I disagree with your assessment of his potential. Sodhi's hit rate is generally a lot higher than 6/10 from what I've seen, and he is capable of serious turn, as he showed in the second test against Bangladesh and at times the 3rd test vs WI. His high arm action and pace will always make him more of a Kumble-klone than a Warne-wannabe in terms of turn. But with a combination of his height and pace he could still generate the kind of turn and bounce needed to take wickets. I agree that his stock legspinner is nowhere near good enough yet (more in terms of accuracy than turn) and that will only be remedied by (literally) years of practice. I also agree that he could tweak his action to generate more turn. The biggest concern I have about him at the moment is how little he uses his body at the moment. It's pretty much all from the shoulder and the wrist, and he's not really using his torso at all. His fiver on sunday included 2 lbws, 1 bowled and 1 stumping, so it looks like he's still getting the majority of his wickets from his wrong'un as opposed to his leggy.

 

[Kippax]

That word "consistently" - the same word I used in regards to Milne and his ability to swing the ball. If it doesn't happen consistently, it's not really something you can use to indicate their likely performance at the international level.

The arm coming through at about 11 o'clock with Sodhi doesn't seem to really lend itself to any consistency with it, no.

Muirhead picks up his first

 

[straw man]

His high arm action and pace will always make him more of a Kumble-klone than a Warne-wannabe in terms of turn. But with a combination of his height and pace he could still generate the kind of turn and bounce needed to take wickets. I agree that his stock legspinner is nowhere near good enough yet (more in terms of accuracy than turn) and that will only be remedied by (literally) years of practice.

Agree with these points in particular. Wouldn't be surprised if Sodhi is shoe-horned into a Vettori-like role in a way reminiscent of our past treatment of seamers - don't worry about the pace turn, just be accurate and keep the pressure on. Bat well too. He'll certainly feel the pressure to minimize the four-balls at the expense of attack/spin the more he plays for NZ, however do we really think he's likely to develop at domestic level? There's an element of 'faith in the chosen one' which NZ has had mixed success with in the past, however every other approach only brings mixed success as well and in the case of domestic spin bowling development, pretty much no success.

 

[Bahnz]

Given that his home ground is the most helpful pitch for spinners in the country, and one of his team mates happens to be the country's greatest ever spin bowler, I do think he could grow quite a lot in the ND setting. I do think that will be more helpful for him than getting an occassional 5 over spell against the tail in test cricket.

 

[Blocky]

Oh good, so he'll become Anil Kumble - capable of taking buckets of wickets on dusty death bowls with medium pacers that occasionally nibble, but absolutely ineffective in any other condition. Might as well tell his family to emigrate back to India as he's becoming a perfect bowler for their conditions.

 

[Blocky]

Agree with these points in particular. Wouldn't be surprised if Sodhi is shoe-horned into a Vettori-like role in a way reminiscent of our past treatment of seamers - don't worry about the pace turn, just be accurate and keep the pressure on. Bat well too. He'll certainly feel the pressure to minimize the four-balls at the expense of attack/spin the more he plays for NZ, however do we really think he's likely to develop at domestic level? There's an element of 'faith in the chosen one' which NZ has had mixed success with in the past, however every other approach only brings mixed success as well and in the case of domestic spin bowling development, pretty much no success.

Vettori before his back injury got impressive turn and bounce, you forget that Vettori used to routinely pick up four to six wickets a test and at one point had an average of 23 against Australia after several series there. After his back injury he became a containment bowler. Ultimately though, Kane Williamson offers more with the ball than Sodhi, a lot more flight and overspin. Sodhi has a good wrong'un but doesn't land half his deliveries. I'd be surprised if he doesn't go for 5 an over against India here.

 

[hendrix]

I would love to have a bowler capable of taking wickets on subcontinent dustbowls.

At worst, it might force the home teams to create more even surfaces that our batsmen and/or pace bowlers would be better suited to.