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

[Blocky]

5 for 54, Cachopa just decides to hit 180 at a run a ball and get them to 301/6.. Neesham showing his talent for Otago against a relatively good seam attack from ND, Sodhi just doing a Sodhi - going at 5 an over, taking no wickets and releasing any pressure that would've built on the batsman if he hadn't been bowling and we're still waiting for the much hyped but yet to be proven talent of Will Young to show through with another low score.

 

[vandem]

... Sodhi just doing a Sodhi - going at 5 an over, taking no wickets and releasing any pressure that would've built on the batsman if he hadn't been bowling ....

Not really a vintage year for spinners. This season's Plunket Shield averges (min 10 wickets) up after last completed games:

Astle 9 games, 23 wickets @ 38, 3.0 rpo
Craig 9, 22 @ 39, 3.5
Martin 8, 19 @ 53, 3.2
J Patel 8, 18 @ 47, 2.9
Nethula 7, 14 @ 49, 3.6
Sodhi 5, 12 @ 37, 3.6
N McCullum 5, 10 @ 33, 3.3

Can't recall a genuine 3rd / 4th innings match winning spell. Perhaps Astle vs Auck, 4-for but 2 were tail enders. Sohdi took a 5-for, but 4 were tail enders.

Edit, Astle in the wickets again today. Hope he's picked as 2nd spinner to WI.

 

[jcas0167]

5 for 54, Cachopa just decides to hit 180 at a run a ball and get them to 301/6.. Neesham showing his talent for Otago against a relatively good seam attack from ND, Sodhi just doing a Sodhi - going at 5 an over, taking no wickets and releasing any pressure that would've built on the batsman if he hadn't been bowling and we're still waiting for the much hyped but yet to be proven talent of Will Young to show through with another low score.

That is a pretty stunning innings from Cachopa, after Gillespie had knocked over the top order. No Patel playing, but a pretty good Wellington attack.

 

[BackFootPunch]

Cachopa is really quite good isn't he? The Outer Oval aspect of these runs is a bit nullified by them being 5/54.

 

[Hurricane]

I think I'd sooner have Michael Bracewell open the batting for New Zealand in test cricket then I would Tom Latham, who I just don't see as an opener whatsoever. Latham pretty much showed me what I've thought for a good two years now about his batting during that test. Limited footwork (it has improved tbf), real fidigty and a chronic proder. He might improve even more over time but I still think he should be batting four or five. He's a bloody useful player against spin too.

Cachopa is really quite good isn't he? The Outer Oval aspect of these runs is a bit nullified by them being 5/54.

How do you weigh in on Latham vs MB as potential openers for NZ BFP?

 

[African Monkey]

I think I'd sooner have Michael Bracewell open the batting for New Zealand in test cricket then I would Tom Latham, who I just don't see as an opener whatsoever. Latham pretty much showed me what I've thought for a good two years now about his batting during that test. Limited footwork (it has improved tbf), real fidigty and a chronic proder. He might improve even more over time but I still think he should be batting four or five. He's a bloody useful player against spin too.

Yes I was thinking the same thing. Don't know where he is in the black caps thinking though.

CaChopa brings his double up at a run a ball and is gone a ball later. Great counter-attacking knock it must be said.

 

[Flem274*]

I'm not convinced by Latham (I thought he looked like a middle order player when I first saw him too) but he's scored good runs and we don't have many options.

 

[Hurricane]

I'm not convinced by Latham (I thought he looked like a middle order player when I first saw him too) but he's scored good runs and we don't have many options.

He hasn't lasted long enough for me to have much of an opinion on him and I haven't seen him at FC level. Like I posted earlier and sorry to offend Hendrix but I thought he wasn't taking his 1st inning seriously enough against the Indians and had too much of a swagger about him for a rookie. Surprisingly for a New Zealander he seemed to lack grit in his inning. In his second dig he applied himself more as he learned that test cricket is harder than it looks on TV and I thought his footwork looked better than Ken's son. Then he went and got out the same way as the first dig by fluffing around with the ball instead of doing a tight leave.

 

[BackFootPunch]

How do you weigh in on Latham vs MB as potential openers for NZ BFP?

My gut says Latham tbh, though I do think Bracewell could probably do it. Latham is probably the more natural opener, while Bracewell seems to have taken to batting 3.

Having said that, they both opened a lot at age group level (and kept too, for that matter) so maybe Bracewell will look to open eventually seeing as Williamson is locked in at 3 for the foreseeable future.

I can see why people have reservations about Latham's technique and how it would work opening at Test level but many of the same things probably apply to MB too. Both can be pretty destructive but Bracewell can really dominate an attack once he gets going. Showed pretty incredible patience in the game against Auckland the other day too by the sound of things. Defended anything on the sticks and left everything else completely alone for the first hundred or so balls.

 

[hendrix]

yeah I honestly think you guys are reading too much into Latham's first test.

 

[Howsie]

yeah I honestly think you guys are reading too much into Latham's first test.

Why? Both his dismissals were textbook Latham. I'm not saying he won't make it as a test cricketer, I mean he's only 21. But I really don't like him as a test match prospect at this stage, especially not as an opener.

 

[NZTailender]

Good to see all the openers pushing for selection for what will probably be the only spots up for grabs come WIndies time. Ben Smith letting them all down.

 

[hendrix]

Why? Both his dismissals were textbook Latham. I'm not saying he won't make it as a test cricketer, I mean he's only 21. But I really don't like him as a test match prospect at this stage, especially not as an opener.

they were reasonably good balls. He probably shouldn't have been playing at them, but it was a very good spell of bowling under a pressure situation on a green deck and wickets had already tumbled.

Williamson's been getting out in the exact same way.

 

[Blocky]

they were reasonably good balls. He probably shouldn't have been playing at them, but it was a very good spell of bowling under a pressure situation on a green deck and wickets had already tumbled.

Williamson's been getting out in the exact same way.

Not often I agree with you, but yup - in two. Williamson definitely still has the fish outside off problem.

 

[Hurricane]

He hasn't lasted long enough for me to have much of an opinion on him

yeah I honestly think you guys are reading too much into Latham's first test.

I did put a disclaimer on my post tbf - that said CW always makes some tentative initial comments after a debut performance. The exception to this was Kane who didn't last anywhere near long enough for anyone except some Australian poster to make any comments. Who was that fellow again. He said Kane would never be an ATG after his inning lasted 4 balls.

 

[Immenso]

Just watched the boundaries .....
M Bracewell's innings was very aesthetically pleasing. If you like your Flemingesque drives. He tucked into Aldridge and Verma, yet I don't think he hit any off Kugs or Baker. I assume due to the different lengths they bowl.

In contrast; Cachopa's boundaries in his double ton we're not that pretty, a heck of a lot of them seemed quite streaky (although I can't see the field set). He's very bottom handed, but his stance is (like his brothers) very different from his previous years hunched over set up.
But congratulations on a bagging a double ton, we'll played and all that ..... Building an impressive career record.

 

[Immenso]

Will Young caught at mid wicket boundary today. I've noticed from his highlights and boundaries that he hits a lot of his runs (either pulls or clips) in the air over mid wicket or mid on. They look good though .....

He's had a bit of a disappointing season.

 

[Immenso]

Very green in Dunedin, very brown and dry looking in Napier.

Looks like Astle got Hay out with a variation? Not sure it came back enough to be a google?

 

[Flem274*]

Very green in Dunedin, very brown and dry looking in Napier.

Looks like Astle got Hay out with a variation? Not sure it came back enough to be a google?

could have surprised hay by using bing.

 

[Kippax]

http://www.beigebrigade.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/podcasts/BYC-Episode163.mp3

Bit of a mention of Hay and his hiatus there at 22:30 in. "What you could euphemistically call a loss of confidence".