***Official*** New Zealand in the West Indies 2014

[Dan]

You'd pick Guptill ahead of Latham? Why?

Put him in there mostly to make the 'Guptill isn't a bad option on this tour' point.

If I were trying to justify it, I'd be arguing that with Fulton gone, NZ lack a high-quality slipper to the spinners. Guptill can be that man; he's nuts in the field. Plus if Latham is looked at as the long-term opener, it might not be the worst idea to give him experience in that position at home first, although in fairness being up against Roach and Taylor on these decks would probably be an easier initiation to Test opening batsmanship than starting out on an underprepared Queenstown greentop.

 

[WindieWeathers]

read my post again.
"and against India in NZ".
It's hard to see from all the outcomes that the bowlers not being incisive enough will be an issue.

re: Bangladesh; no Southee to hold Boult's hand on that tour.

The point remains though Hendrix..in the last SIX tests away in conditions similar to the Caribbean NZ have only taken 20 wickets in a game once.. (The win in SL) ...they didn't take 20 the last time they toured WI either.. so that's why i think weakening it even further would be a disaster for the kiwis.

Personally i think the attack will be

Boult
Southee
Sodhi
Craig

With Kane chipping in with whatever he bowls ..

And if that turns out to be true then i think our guys would probably play the pacers with caution...wait till they tire out and then attack the spinners.

 

[Howe_zat]

Looking forward to this series. Expecting the games to be brief if nothing else.

 

[Prince EWS]

looks like a team designed to draw imo.

Expecting the games to be brief if nothing else.

And we have our first completely polar opposite opinions of the series.

Side with Howe on this one.

 

[hendrix]

so that's why i think weakening it even further would be a disaster for the kiwis.

You've come in at the wrong point in the conversation. I never advocated weakening the bowling attack.

The question was should we add Neesham (another allrounder) as an opening batsman.

To an attack that is already likely to be:
1. Southee
2. Boult
3. Anderson
4. Sodhi
5. Craig/Wagner
6. Williamson.

It's completely unnecessary to add another allrounder to that lineup, is what I was saying.

 

[hendrix]

Personally i think the attack will be

Boult
Southee
Sodhi
Craig

With Kane chipping in with whatever he bowls ..

And if that turns out to be true then i think our guys would probably play the pacers with caution...wait till they tire out and then attack the spinners.

You forgot about Corey Anderson. And yes I agree I think that will be the attack.

 

[WindieWeathers]

You've come in at the wrong point in the conversation. I never advocated weakening the bowling attack.

The question was should we add Neesham (another allrounder) as an opening batsman.

To an attack that is already likely to be:
1. Southee
2. Boult
3. Anderson
4. Sodhi
5. Craig/Wagner
6. Williamson.

It's completely unnecessary to add another allrounder to that lineup, is what I was saying.

We'd have to disagree then because this is the attack i was referring to

Latham
Rutherford
Williamson
Taylor
McCullum
Ronchi
Anderson
Watling
Southee
Sodhi
Craig

That to me would be weakening the attack to lengthen the batting.

 

[Prince EWS]

We'd have to disagree then because this is the attack i was referring to



That to me would be weakening the attack to lengthen the batting.

Athlai was not making a serious post when he posted that team. He was pessimistically pondering how McHesson would get Ronchi into the side. No-one expects that to be the side.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

You've come in at the wrong point in the conversation. I never advocated weakening the bowling attack.

The question was should we add Neesham (another allrounder) as an opening batsman.

To an attack that is already likely to be:
1. Southee
2. Boult
3. Anderson
4. Sodhi
5. Craig/Wagner
6. Williamson.

It's completely unnecessary to add another allrounder to that lineup, is what I was saying.

It is unnecessary to add another allrounder to that lineup, but perhaps not unnecessary to consider fitting in a bloke with a batting average of 170 in a team that needs some runs. It is not as if our openers are Hobbs and Sutcliffe.

 

[Hurricane]

I was keen (well as much as you can be) of having a Latham-Fulton opening partnership, don't back Rutherford whatsoever against the spinners. But you just can't play Fulton now, he hasn't scored a run in four innings, not to mention how rubbish he was last season. Latham-Rutherford and hope to god he can score a quick 20-30 before the spinners come on.

all of them have failed. Fulton scored a 30 at least. Latham got a 33. SOK never got to 20. None of them deserve to be picked. Latham could very easily be left out as he is not an incumbent.

If I were picking the openers I would put Fulton in there as at least he offers something in the field. Ken's boy is garbage under the helmet.

I also hope Latham if picked takes test cricket more earnestly than he did on debut. Fight and scrap mate. Bat ugly if necessary.

 

[Howe_zat]

I can't see Neesham adding much to an attack that already has Anderson in it, and judging from the pitches there'll be a lot of Williamson bowling. Has to make the side as a batsman AFAIC.

 

[BeeGee]

This is awesome batting from Taylor. Just trolled the Jam XI spinner into bowling a leg stump full toss.

Edit: NZ declare. Booooo! I was enjoying Taylor's batting.

Target 214.

 

[BeeGee]

Southee and Boult are bowling beautifully, but this pitch is dodgy as hell.

Didn't they change pitches overnight? It looks different, but still dodgy.

Jam doing well just to survive. So many balls missing the edge.

EDIT: and there's the wicket for Boult.

And he scones the new batsman right in the head first ball. Batsmen need life insurance to bat on that pitch.

And he takes his wicket two balls later.

 

[BeeGee]

Jam XI 3/3

 

[WindieWeathers]

Well Boult and Southee are loving this track now aren't they? been busy watching the HPC play Bang-A and young Jermaine Blackwood hit yet another quick ton..honestly haven't seen a talent like this since Darren Bravo came on the scene five years ago. Jermaine has three tons in three games now and honestly the pressure he's putting on the test batsmen now is immense...it's just a matter of time now before he debuts.

Would expect the kiwis to win this game now...not much in the batting in this side but the bowling was brilliant and some of those individuals like Brown and Powell look like they have massive futures in the game which is great to see.

Our guys finished their warm up game against a barbados eleven yesterday and according to reports Shilly and Benn looked extremely dangerous...Roach and Taylor also had some decent bursts with the new ball.

 

[BeeGee]

Jam XI 20/5

Craig with big turn.

Edit: Make that 20/6

Edit2: 26/7. Craig the destroyer.

Edit3: Southee bowling tripe in his second spell. Craig taking too many wickets, so they replace him with Williamson who throws down a half tracker and gets pummeled.

 

[WindieWeathers]

Jam XI 20/5

Craig with big turn.

Edit: Make that 20/6

Edit2: 26/7. Craig the destroyer.

Good confidence boost for the guy...for his own sake he shouldn't get too carried away though as the pitch is clearly assisting and tbh bar Cambpell the batting order isn't anything to shout about...just thinking what will NZ take from these games? Craig and Boult have done ok...while Sodhi got some wickets but is that down to the track? one thing's for sure the kiwis can't afford to collapse when the series start...because at that level you're gonna pay for it.

 

[BeeGee]

just thinking what will NZ take from these games?

The bowlers will get very little, if anything out of them. The fighting knocks from Taylor, Williamson and Watling will be very valuable to them. These pitches have been extremely difficult to bat on.


Edit: 47/8. Williamson turning the ball square. Need I say more?

 

[BeeGee]

My NZ team prediction for the first test:

Fulton
Latham
Williamson
Taylor
McCullum
Anderson
Watling
Southee
Sodhi
Craig
Boult

 

[RxGM]

WindiesIntl ‏@WindiesIntl 9m
#JAMvNZL: For those of you asking and wondering, there is nothing wrong with the pitch over the last three days. . .NOTHING!!!