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

[Ace4]

Latham
Rutherford
Williamson
Taylor
McCullum
Anderson
Watling+
Neesham
Southee
Boult
Craig

 

[Kippax]

.

Whether to play Neil Wagner’s pace or Mark Craig’s spin is the first-test selection poser for New Zealand coach Mike Hesson after a near-farcical final warmup match in Jamaica.

The Black Caps transfer to Kingston today after a week in popular tourist spot Montego Bay, where they tiptoed across a sub-standard pitch to beat a Jamaica Selection XI by 123 runs.

As they head to Sabina Park for Monday’s first test, Hesson was dubious as to the benefits of the five days of warmup cricket at Trelawny Stadium, where batsmen found the pitch a minefield and the spin bowlers got inflated value for their deliveries. Day three, when the tourists skittled the hosts for 90 in their second innings, was transferred to a next-door strip after the original was deemed too dangerous.

‘‘They [conditions] were pretty extreme,’’ Hesson said.

‘‘Kingston doesn’t have a lot of grass on it but it holds together and certainly has a lot more pace. This block had only been laid a month ago so it lasted one day then it just blew apart.

‘‘It was of little benefit from a batting point of view other than getting a little bit of time in the middle.’’

Despite legspinner Ish Sodhi taking 5-35 in the first innings, and offspinner Craig sealing the match with 4-8 including three wickets in one over, Hesson said it was no certainty they’d play two specialist spinners at Kingston.
Two years ago, the last time a test was played at Sabina Park, New Zealand selected four frontline pacemen who dismissed the West Indies for 209 in their first innings, before losing the match by five wickets.

‘‘We haven’t seen the wicket and we have to decide whether we play a third seamer [Wagner] or a second spinner [Craig]. Whoever we leave out will be unlucky because they’ve both performed really well,’’ Hesson said.
He was heartened by the way the ball swung for pace pair Trent Boult and Tim Southee, while Wagner offers durability and skill with the old ball.

Batting was causing a few more furrowed brows. Hesson said he had decided on the test opening pair, but kept his cards close and said he’d discuss it further with captain Brendon McCullum, who joins the team today after the recent birth of his third child.

‘‘We gave all of our openers three chances at the top and we said that at the start of the tour. We’ve got a pretty fair idea but I’ve got to have a decent chat with our captain about that,’’ Hesson said.

Stand-in skipper Peter Fulton and Tom Latham seem the favoured option, having opened together in the second innings. No one has smashed down the selection door and none of the contenders topped 20 in the match, with incumbent Hamish Rutherford perhaps most in need of a big score.

Kane Williamson, in the first innings, and Ross Taylor with a brisk unbeaten 55 off 62 balls in the second, at least spent time in the middle.

The only player who won’t be considered for the first test is backup wicketkeeper/batsman Luke Ronchi who was bed-ridden by a lung infection. He’ll remain on tour and be given time to recover.

 

[Beamer]

My predicted Windies XI for Sunday

Chris Gayle
Kieron Powell
Kirk Edwards
Darren Bravo
Chanderpaul
Samuels
Ramdin (WK, C)
Taylor
Benn
Roach
Shillingford

I'd pick two spinners regardless as the other seamer in the squad is Gabriel. Although he is in better form than he was in India and New Zealand, I still wouldn't pick him here as I want the New Zealanders to earn every run they get, and I think Benn and Shillingford will be excellent at that.

 

[BeeGee]

Did Ronchi do any 'keeping in either warm-up? If so, nail him on for #7. If not, it's 50/50 IMO.

The only player who won’t be considered for the first test is backup wicketkeeper/batsman Luke Ronchi who was bed-ridden by a lung infection.

Thankfully Dan's theory and Ronchi have both been put to bed.

 

[RxGM]

Batting was causing a few more furrowed brows. Hesson said he had decided on the test opening pair, but kept his cards close and said he’d discuss it further with captain Brendon McCullum, who joins the team today after the recent birth of his third child.

What McCullum is not there yet!!!
His last IPL was a week ago it does not take that long to travel to WI. I really hope that Genty is wrong as a scenario were McCullum flew back to NZ for his kids birth (no issues here), flew back to play 2 IPL games at the same time the rest of the team were flying to the carribean, flew back to see his family again and than joined the team 3 days before the first test is complete BS and hardly the ideal build up

 

[RxGM]

It has occurred to me that he may have been visiting the ICC which is why it has been kept on the down low. Still not ok in my book for the captain to arrive so late regardless

 

[ohnoitsyou]

Yeah definitely think McCullums lack of prep is going to hurt

 

[Kippax]

Coach Mike Hesson said last week his captain may even return home to be with newborn daughter Evie

Not sure why it's so hard for these crucial players to consult the FTP before they knock their women up tbh. We're not India, there's plenty of empty three-month blocks on it.

 

[SteveNZ]

It has occurred to me that he may have been visiting the ICC which is why it has been kept on the down low. Still not ok in my book for the captain to arrive so late regardless

I doubt it - technology being the way it is they'd get him on video conference if need be.

 

[straw man]

Not sure why it's so hard for these crucial players to consult the FTP before they knock their women up tbh.

technology being the way it is they'd get him on video conference if need be.

would probably still have to send a sample through the regular mail itbt

 

[Dan]

Thankfully Dan's theory and Ronchi have both been put to bed.

**** yes. Mother Nature/God/Viruses (deleted as applicable) have conspired to ensure that we don't see a true agribusiness XI just yet.

#TeamWatling

 

[RxGM]

I doubt it - technology being the way it is they'd get him on video conference if need be.

Depends if he also needed to speak to the met there is all that legal “have to do it in Britain” stuff hence the reason cairns flew over last week.

 

[RxGM]

Not sure why it's so hard for these crucial players to consult the FTP before they knock their women up tbh. We're not India, there's plenty of empty three-month blocks on it.

If being with your family is a priority I have no issues (especially as I don’t know how mother & daughter are doing), but it was a lower priority than playing in the IPL SF, but a higher priority than preparing properly for a test series.

 

[Bahnz]

Ugh, I'm really gutted that the week day scheduling means that I'm basically not going to be able to watch a ball of the first two tests.

 

[Howsie]

Ugh, I'm really gutted that the week day scheduling means that I'm basically not going to be able to watch a ball of the first two tests.

mySky bruv.

 

[hendrix]

This series is sorta weird. I want NZ to win, obviously, but I want us to be properly tested by Windies, unlike the home series. I want us to earn it.

But I also don't want for it to be a disastrous series for WI because they've made some positive changes.

 

[Kippax]

If being with your family is a priority I have no issues (especially as I don’t know how mother & daughter are doing), but it was a lower priority than playing in the IPL SF, but a higher priority than preparing properly for a test series.

Heh yeah true. When less than 5% of your NZC contract money is really generated by New Zealanders, there's just no-one left to actually make you care about pinching a bit of paid parental leave out of the till.

If a politician was eight months pregnant in the middle of her election campaign and had to withdraw from her race, I'd just mock her for letting her party down, probably.

 

[Athlai]

This series is sorta weird. I want NZ to win, obviously, but I want us to be properly tested by Windies, unlike the home series. I want us to earn it.

But I also don't want for it to be a disastrous series for WI because they've made some positive changes.

I think you may be a little over confident. In these conditions the WI are at least as good as we are.

We definitely have some inform quality bats and a much better new ball attack, but considering that this series will likely be a mixture of total roads and incredibly spin friendly pitches, we really shouldn't be worried about how the WI will perform.

Reckon we're 10x more likely get whitewashed here than they are.

 

[hendrix]

I think you may be a little over confident. In these conditions the WI are at least as good as we are.

It's not that I'm overconfident - I agree they probably should beat us.

It's that losing this series - whichever team loses it - will be seen as such a huge setback when there's so much genuine potential in both sides. I suppose it's a cliche, but it sucks that someone has to lose.

 

[Athlai]

I only think that would happen if one of the teams plays particularly poorly.